Star Wars

Jedi Quest #2

The Trail of the Jedi

By Jude Watson

Chapter One

From deep space, the planet Ragoon-6 lay concealed by a blue

mist shimmering in the midst broke into sparkling particles

that swirled around the viewscreen.  The ship broke through

into a planetary atmosphere so clear it seemed as

transparent as water.  Glinting below was a planet as green

as a flashing jewel.

Anakin Skywalker's breath caught as he leaned forward.  He

had never seen such a beautiful approach to a planet.

Obi-Wan Kenobi put a hand on Anakin's shoulder as he, too,

leaned forward.  "I had forgotten how beautiful it is."

Anakin glanced at his Master.  Despite his beard, his face

suddenly looked young, even younger than when Anakin had met

him five years before, when Anakin was nine years old.  Obi-

Wan had been a Padawan then, just like Anakin was now.  No

doubt Obi-Wan was remembering his other trips to the planet,

the ones he had taken with his own Master, Qui-Gon Jinn.

Wren Honoran, their Jedi pilot, nodded.  "I always forget

until next time I see it.  It takes your breath away every

time."

"It's amazing that it hasn't been colonized," Anakin said.

"It was given in trust to the Senate by it own government,"

Obi-Wan explained.  "Only small tribes of natives still

inhabit it.  A Senate committee handles request to visit.

Only the Jedi and small groups of beings can visit at any

one time.  Access is strictly controlled.  That was Ragoon-6

will remain unspoiled, as the government wanted.  The are no

air lanes, no factories, no cities."

"The Ragoons never allowed colonizers to settle," Wren said.

Their own population sickened and dwindles until finally

there was only a handful left.  They could no longer keep

out all those who wanted to come.  They knew they would have

to give up what they loved most in order to save it."

"But if they'd just allowed colonizers to come, they could

have kept their planet," Anakin pointed out.

"Yes, but they chose not to.  The beauties of their world

were too important to them," Obi-Wan explained.  "To keep

the planet unspoiled was their first goal."

"They sound selfish to me," Anakin said.  "They wanted to

keep their planet beautiful for themselves and a few

others,"

"Or perhaps they were wise," Obi-Wan said.  "It is not for

us to say."

Anakin turned his gaze back to the planets surface and

sighed under his breath.  One of the hardest things he found

about becoming a Jedi was suspending judgement.  To Anakin,

things were good or bad, smart or stupid.  Obi-Was had this

maddening way of not taking a stance on things.

"If I had a planet that was truly my homeworld, I wouldn't

give it away.  I'd want to be able to come back whenever I

wanted," Anakin said.  He had spent his early years on

Tatooine, but he had been a slave.  He did not feel as

thought the planet was his home, even though his mother

still lived there.

"The Temple is your home," Obi-Wan said gently.

Anakin nodded, but he knew in his heart he did not feel that

way.  He loved the Temple and was always glad to return to

it.  He loved its order and its grace.  He loved the beauty

within it, the Room of a Thousand Fountains and the deep

green lake.  But it did not feel like home.

Unlike other Jedi students, Anakin had once had a home.

Unlike them, he remembered his mother.  He remembered

running home through the heat and bursting through the door

to be met with cool and shade and open arms.  He remembered

his warm cheek against her cool one. . . .

No, his home had not been a planet.  It had been smaller,

and humbler, and much more precious.

Life in that home had not been easy.  There had been times

of food shortages, times when they had shivered at night for

want of fuel.

The Temple was never short of food or fuel.  The temperature

was maintained at the optimum degree for the various beings

who lived within.  It was warmer and safer than the slave

quarters on Tatooine.

But it still didn't feel like home.  Home will always be

where Mom is.  No matter how old I get.  No matter how long

it's been since I've seen her.

"There are the Rost Mountains," Wren said.  "We'll land and

I'll say goodbye there."  He grinned over his shoulder at

Anakin.  "And  then you'll try to catch me."

Wren was an older Jedi with a graying beard who had chosen

to teach at the Temple rather than continue to go on

missions.  Anakin had studied the politics of governments

with Wren, and he knew the Jedi Master had a wide-ranging

grasp of political philosophies in the galaxy.  As part of

his Jedi service, Wren also volunteered to take part in

training missions for Jedi teams.

Anakin and Obi-Wan would try to track Wren through the

wilderness.  The exercise was designed to strengthen the

bond of trust between Master and Padawan.  On Raqgoon-6,

they would have only each other to depend on as they tracked

Wren through rugged terrain.

Anakin's eyes danced as he bowed respectfully to Wren.  "It

will be my honor and pleasure to find you in a single day,

Wren."

"Ah, in only one day, you say.  You are almost as cocky as

your Master used to be," Wren said.  "I think my clues just

got harder.  I enjoy teaching lessons to overconfident

Padawans."

Anakin hid his grin.  In his classes, Wren had been

respected, but he'd also been teased behind his back by Jedi

students for taking himself a little to seriously.  Anakin

would love to find him before a single day had passed.  That

would deflate his superior manner a bit!

Still, Anakin couldn't help wondering why Obi-Wan had

decided to take him on this training exercise.  He already

trusted his Master with his life.  They had been on

difficult missions together.  He had known him since he was

a boy.  Every mission brought them closer.  Why did they

have to take a detour for what seemed to be an elaborate

game?

They skimmed over a meadow lush with wildflowers and tall

green grass.  Above the grassy field, snow-capped mountains

hugged the tiny meadow.  The sky was deep blue streaked with

violet.  Anakin could almost smell the fresh scent of

flowers.  He had never seen such a lush world with so many

vivid colors.

Wren landed the craft expertly in a sheltered spot tucked

into the rocky side of the mountain.  He accessed the

landing ramp and turned to them.  "Remember, you must leave

your comlinks aboard ship.  No homing devices or droids can

be used.  You must rely on each other and the Force."

Anakin and Obi-Wan nodded.  They both knew these things, but

it was part of the ritual that Wren repeat them.  They

placed their comlinks in Wren's hand, and he stowed them in

the secure storage bin.

"If you can't find me, we will meet back here in ten days."

Pausing only to sling a survival kit over his shoulder, Wren

nodded a good-bye.  "May the Force be with you."  His gray

eyes twinkled.  "You'll need it."

Wren ran lightly down the ramp.  He swung himself up on a

flat rock, then jumped to another.  Within moments, he had

disappeared.

"Wren is certainly looking forward to puzzling us," Obi-Wan

observed.

"He really should get out more," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan turned to Anakin.  "Do you think Wren is taking this

too seriously?"

"No," Anakin said hesitantly.  "But I don't understand why a

Jedi Knight would want to spend his time this way when he

could be on missions."

"Wren has been on hundreds of missions," Obi-Wan said with a

frown.  "He has served for most of his life.  Now he wishes

to give back his knowledge to the Padawans.  It is a noble

gesture."

Noble, but boring, Anakin thought.

He thought it better not to share the thought with his

Master.  "How long do we give him?" he asked instead.

"Just a few hours," Obi-Wan answered.  "Time enough for us

to explore the surroundings a bit and have a meal, you'll be

glad to hear.  We'll be on rations and protein cubes once we

leave, but we can raid the ships galley now."  Obi-Wan gave

Anakin a piercing look.  "This is designed to teach us,

Anakin.  But it is also supposed to be  fun."

"Of course, Master."  Anakin didn't want Obi-Wan to think he

wasn't looking forward to the exercise.  He knew Obi-Wan had

been here Twice with Qui-Gon and treasured the memories.

Anakin wanted to have that same experience with his Master.

Obi-Wan heated up a meal for them, which they ate sitting in

the meadow surrounded by flowers.  The morning sun was

brilliant yellow, casting its warmth on Anakin's skin.  He

ate quickly, anxious to start the day.

"Qui-Gon and I tracked a Jedi named Winso Bykart," Obi-Wan

said, pushing aside his plate and leaning back on his

elbows.  "It was our second trip to Ragoon-6.  On the first

trip, we had to cut the exercise short.  I didn't know why

at the time, but Qui-Gon had just received a disturbing

vision about Tahl."

"I have heard about her," Anakin said.  "She was supposed to

be brilliant."

"She was.  Brilliant and funny and kind.  She was unique."

Obi-Wan looked out over the meadow.  "She was a great friend

of Qui-Gon's.  I don't know if he ever truly accepted her

death.

"But a Jedi must accept death," Anakin said.  "It is part of

life."

"Yes," Obi-Wan said quietly, his gaze still far away.  "That

was the difficulty for Qui-Gon."

What do you mean?  Anakin wanted to ask.  But something

stopped him.  Sometimes, when Obi-Wan spoke of his Master,

he became distant.  Anakin could tell by the expression on

his face.  He did not want to intrude by asking prying

questions.

Silence fell between them.  Anakin was used to that.

Usually their silences felt comfortable.  This one was not.

Anakin watched Obi-Wan's face.  He saw the quiet yearning

there.  Obi-Wan was missing Qui-Gon.  And for the first

time, it bothered Anakin.

He wasn't feeling jealous of Qui-Gon, Anakin told himself.

It wasn't that.  He had loved Qui-Gon, too.  Something else

was bothering him about his Master's preoccupation.

Maybe it was because he was still envious of their

relationship.  Obi-Wan had taken Anakin on as his Padawan

with reluctance.  Anakin had always sensed that.  Qui-Gon

had believed in him, and Qui-Gon's belief had influenced Obi-

Wan.  How could Obi-Wan ignore his beloved Master's dying

wish?

Anakin had thought himself lucky at the time.  To arrive at

the Temple already chosen by a Jedi Knight!  It was unheard

of.

Now that he was fourteen, he had seen his fellow Jedi

students wait and hope to be chosen by a Jedi Knight.  He

had talked to his new friend, Tru Veld, about it.  Tru had

told him about how his Master, Ry-Gaul, had studied him.

Tru had felt Ry-Gaul's eyes on him during lightsaber

matches, during classes, even walking around the Temple.

They had shared many conversations together.  When Ry-Gaul

had officially chosen Tru at last, he had felt honored.

Anakin too had always felt honored to be Obi-Wan's Padawan.

But why?  Anakin suddenly wondered.  Obi-Wan did not choose

me.

Today, for the first time, Anakin saw the difference.

Then a new thought pierced his heart.  Had Obi-Wan brought

him here as a desperate act, to develop a closeness he did

not feel?

Chapter Two

Obi-Wan didn't dwell on the past.  It was not the Jedi way.

But his Master was still a part of his life, more of a

constant companion than a memory.

On Ragoon-6 it was hard not to drift back to the past.  On

his first visit here, Qui-Gon had received a vision that

Tahl was in danger.  He had not told Obi-Wan.  They had left

abruptly and had ended up going after Tahl against the

wishes of the Council.  In that dangerous mission, Qui-Gon's

vision had come true.  Tahl had died.  But not before Qui-

Gon had risked everything, including his way on the Jedi

path, to declare his love for her.

These were all things Obi-Wan had not known at the time.

Some of them Qui-Gon had told him later.  Others Obi-Wan had

realized himself.  Qui-Gon had never spoken of his love for

Tahl.  It was a place within him too deep for Obi-Wan to go.

He was not invited there.

Now he had a Padawan, and he understood Qui-Gon's sense of

privacy.  There were things it had been better for him not

to know.

But how do you know what to share with your Padawan, and

what to keep to yourself?

There were times when Qui-Gon's silence had annoyed or hurt

him.  Yet in the end, it had not mattered.  Nothing had

mattered except the bond between them.

He wanted to have this bond with Anakin.  He knew it would

develop over time.  Why was he in such hurry to make it

happen?  Something was driving him on, but he did not know

what it was.  It was as though Anakin would slip out of his

grasp if he did not secure him.  He had to do all the right

things, the way Qui-Gon had done.

Obi-Wan thought back to his second visit to Ragoon-6.  It

had been close to the time he and Qui-Gon had left for Naboo

on what would become their last mission together.  But on

Ragoon-6 that ending was far away.  They had enjoyed the

tracking exercise, the time together, the break from their

missions.

For even then, they had known the galaxy was changing.

Missions were more numerous.  Trouble spots erupted

constantly.  The senate called for their help more often.

It had often been difficult to find the time for the

training exercise, but Qui-Gon had insisted on it.  He had

promised Obi-Wan that they would return to Ragoon-6.  When

Obi-Wan had pointed out that they had plenty of time, a

fleeting look of deep sadness had crossed Qui-Gon's face.

"It seems there is always time when you are young," he'd

said.  "But you cannot hold a moment, Padawan.  It runs out

like water in you fist.  You must seize it when you can,

even as it falls away."

Obi-Wan could have kicked himself.  He thought at the time

that he had reminded Qui-Gon of Tahl.  He had, he supposed,

but know he also knew that Qui-Gon was thinking of how fast

time could pass, and how crowded a life could become.

Remembering this had spurred Obi-Wan on to slot the time for

this visit with Anakin.  It hadn't been easy.  The Jedi

Council needed Master-Padawan teams.  Yet Yoda and the

Council we always careful to grant a request for this

training mission.  They had seen how many times it had

strengthened the ties between a Master and an apprentice.

Would it strengthen theirs?  Obi-Wan hoped so.  He knew

Anakin wasn't looking forward to the exercise as he was.

Anakin wanted to be doing serious things.  He was anxious to

prove himself on missions, anxious to see the galaxy.  This

time together would be a pause before a future Anakin was

eager to meet.  Obi-Wan hoped that the exercise would not be

too tame for someone as gifted as Anakin.

That was why he had asked Wren to participate.  Anakin might

smile at how seriously Wren took his role, but he would soon

appreciate how challenging Wren's cleverness could be.

Obi-Wan stood.  "Come, Padawan.  It is time to go."

They took off in the direction Wren had gone.  At first the

tracking was easy.  Wren had not bothered to hide the clues

that a Jedi would catch - a disturbance of leaves on the

forest floor, the slight indention of a heel.  After two

hours, they were momentarily stumped when they could not

locate his direction, until Anakin plucked a silver-gray

hair from a leaf and pointed.

"This way," he said self-satisfied.

Behind Anakin, Obi-Wan shook his head.  Sometimes he felt

there was so little he need to teach his Padawan.  Even to

Obi-Wan, who knew him so well, Anakin's command of the Force

could be astonishing.

Wren had better come up with his most clever tricks, or

Anakin would follow through on his promise and find him by

nightfall.

*     *     *

By midday, Anakin and Obi-Wan had to admit they were lost.

Wren's clues had grown increasingly difficult, and Anakin's

cocky confidence had hardened into dogged resolution.

Frustrated, Anakin suddenly stopped.  With one smooth

motion, he swiped a rock and tossed it into the woods.  It

hit a tree with a satisfying thud.

"Feel better?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No."

"I didn't think so.  Frustration is part of the exercise,

young Padawan."

"I know.  I know," Anakin muttered.  "breathe in my

impatience.  Then let it go."

"Correct," Obi-Wan said serenely.  He waited a moment.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"I didn't see you breathe."  Obi-Wan knew he was straining

the patience of his Padawan.  Yet these small test were good

lessons.

Obediently, Anakin shut his eyes.  He took a breath and

released it.  He opened one eye.  "Can I stop now?"

"I suppose."  Obi-Wan grinned.  "If Wren could see us know,

he'd be very happy."

A gleam of humor lit Anakin's eyes.  "The day isn't over

yet."

"Come on, let's backtrack," Obi-Wan suggested, heading back

down the train.  We must have taken a wrong turn."

Dappled sunlight streamed through the thick leaves overhead.

They moved from pools of light into shadows and back again.

The sun warmed their skin, then the shadows cooled it.  The

air smelled fresh and softly scented.  It was a good day to

be lost.

Anakin suddenly crouched down and examined the trail.  "He

stopped here."  He pointed to the dirt on the trail.

Obi-Wan bent down.  "Yes, I think so."

"Definitely."  Anakin's voice rose in excitement.  "And then

he passed over the grass here.  This way."

He led the way off the trail into the forest.  Obi-Wan noted

the clues and followed.  After a morning of looking for tiny

changes in the ground and leaves overhead, Wren had left a

substantial clue to his progress.  It must be part of his

strategy to mix up his hard clues with some easier ones.

Anakin led the way through the dense forest.  It was easier

to track Wren now.  The ground was soft and the leaves

underfoot were still wet.  Obi-Wan allowed Anakin to take

the lead, enjoying the fragrant walk through the trees.

Anakin stopped and turned.  "There's a clearing ahead," he

said in a hushed tone.  "and some coves.  Do you think we've

caught up with him already?  Those marks still look fresh."

"I doubt it," Obi-Wan said.  "But proceed carefully.  We

have to get close in order to end the exercise."

"A lightsaber's length away," Anakin said.  "But I think our

only chance is to surprise him."

"Anakin -"

"Obi-Wan's call was swallowed in the shadows.  Anakin ran

silently ahead, then dashed out into the clearing.

Obi-Wan followed, wishing he could teach his Padawan to curb

his impatience.

He wished this even more when he realized where Wren had led

them.  They had stumbled on a malia den.

He remembered the malia from his first trip to Ragoon-6.

They were fast, agile, deadly creatures, fierce predators

with triple rows of teeth.

Anakin stood frozen in the middle of the clearing.  He had

seen the malia spread out on the rocks.  At first their blue-

gray fur had melted into the shadows.

At least they hunt at night.

He had fought them with Qui-Gon.  He remembered the gleam of

fluorescent green eyes, the cunning of the creatures as they

circled.  He did not want to meet up with them again.

"What are they?" Anakin whispered.

"Just . . . back . . . up . . ." Obi-Wan murmured.

But even as they took two steps backward, Obi-Wan saw one

creature stir. A long, tapered snout lifted.  Two fierce

eyes opened.  A low rumble deep in the malia's throat told

Obi-Wan that they were in trouble.

Chapter Three

The malia sprang at the same time as Obi-Wan.  The creature

was just a blue streak in the air.  Obi-Wan slashed at it

and it fell with a wounded howl.

The rest of the pack rose.  Obi-Wan counted swiftly.

Sixteen.  But there could be more in the caves.  They were

lean rangy creatures.  One malia stepped forward and lifted

its snout.  Its eyes flashed as it bared its triple row of

yellow teeth.

"Attractive creatures," Anakin said, his lightsaber at the

ready.

"Back up slowly.  Perhaps they won't attack.  But if they

do, don't underestimate them," Obi-Wan said rapidly as he

backed up a step.  "I fought them with Qui-Gon.  They have

very quick reflexes.  They will come at us from the trees.

They will try to separate and surround us."

Anakin took a cautious step back.  "How did you defeat

them?"

"We didn't," Obi-Wan said.  "A native tribe helped us."

"You needed help?"  A flicker of nerves crossed Anakin's

face.

"Yes, Anakin.  Even Jedi need help occasionally.  So just

keep backing up . . . very . . . very . . . slowly.  Oh, and

another thing.  Don't look them in the eye."

"Oops," Anakin said.

The snarling pack surged forward.  Obi-Wan saw a streak of

blue as two malia separated from the others and headed for

the trees.  Another dodged to come at Anakin from his left.

"Anakin - "

"I see it -"  Anakin almost stumbled, surprised by the speed

the malia took on as it pounced.  He barely got his

lightsaber lifted in time to slash at the creatures neck.

Obi-Wan made sure his Padawan has succeeded even as he

tracked another malia that was circling toward him from the

left.  At the same time, he kept his gaze roaming in the

trees, where two malia were jumping from branch to branch.

"Whatever you do, don't let any of them get behind us," he

said as he leaped toward the malia, brandishing his

lightsaber.  The malia retreated, snarling, its eyes a flash

in the shadows.

Anakin whirled to fend off two malia that were attempting to

get behind him.  At the same time, another malia dropped

from the tree.

Obi-Wan leaped toward him to help his Padawan.  Back-to-

back, the two of them fought the snarling pack.

The air seemed to be full of flying fur and pointed yellow

teeth.  The malia attacked in a fury.  Obi-Wan and Anakin

had to use their feet to kick, as well as their lightsabers.

Anakin was not yet able to easily use the Force to movie

living objects, but Obi-Wan was able to send several malia

flying with his outstretched left hand.

They continued to back away into the forest.  Now they could

use the trees as barriers.  Anakin fought furiously.  The

rhythm of the battle took over his actions.  His lightsaber

was a red blur in the shadows, and his body became a weapon

as well.  He leaped, kicked, and whirled.  He sent a malia

flying with a well-timed chop of his hand to the animals

windpipe.  A strangle snarl ended in a yelp as the malia

flew backward and hit a tree.

There were now eight left, half the original pack.  Two were

limping from the battle.  The others circled, snarling.

They still bared their teeth and howled at the Jedi, but Obi-

Wan could see that their attack had become less focused.

They had not expected such resistance.

Next to him, Anakin was breathing hard.  Hid lightsaber was

held firmly in his hand.  Not even the slightest tremble

betrayed how hard he had been working.

"Let's keep backing up," Obi-Wan murmured.  "Slowly.  Do not

look at them directly."

Anakin gritted his teeth.  "Believe me, Master.  I won't

make that mistake again."

The malia continued to follow them, but kept a few meters

away as the Jedi retreated.  Obi-Wan did not blame the malia

for the attack.  The Jedi had stumbled on their territory.

He did not want to wipe out their entire pack.

The Jedi speeded up their pace a bit.  The malia did not

follow.  They huddled together and roared their anger as Obi-

Wan and Anakin retreated.  The shadows gradually swallowed

them up, and soon all the Jedi heard were their angry snarls

Anakin shivered as he deactivated his lightsaber.  "The

sound alone is enough to scare you," he said.  "Do you think

they'll follow us?"

"I doubt it.  Despite their cunning, they are simple

creatures," Obi-Wan said.  "They were defending their home.

We were lucky that it was daylight.  They weren't in hunting

mode."

"You mean they would have fought harder?" Anakin asked

incredulously.

"And longer."  Obi-Wan tucked his lightsaber back in his

belt.  "They would not have given up."

"And here I thought this was a peaceful planet," Anakin

remarked.  "Why would Wren lead us into a malia den?  That

seems extreme, even for Wren."

"He wouldn't," Obi-Wan said.  "We must have misread the

clue.  Let's return to the place on the trail where we saw

it."

They quickly moved through the trees, retracing their steps.

They bent over the clue once again.

"It was my fault," Anakin said.  "I saw the flattened at the

edge of the trail, and I assumed it was Wren."  He carefully

searched the surrounding ground as Obi-Wan continued to

study the disturbance in the dirt.

Anakin was right - it was an impression of a heel..  Wren

had put too much weight on his foot, enough to leave a mark.

It indicated that he had stopped here for a moment.  It was

an easy clue for the Jedi to follow.  Wren had not bothered

to conceal it or make it harder to read.

It wasn't like him.  Then again, maybe it was.  Wren enjoyed

being inconsistent.

"Master - this way," Anakin called.  "This time, I'm sure."

Obi-Wan crossed to the opposite side of the trail.  Here,

the level ground dropped sharply to a steep rocky hillside.

"Look, here.  And here."  Anakin left the trail and leaped

down the slope from rock to rock.  "He went this way."

Obi-Wan followed.  It was important to let Anakin lead.

That was part of the point of the exercise.

Anakin made his way down the steep slope, his footing sure

and swift.  They reached the bottom of the slope and

immediately plunged into a forest so thick that the

overhanging branches shut out all light.  They paused for a

short moment so that their eyes could adjust.  The trees

were tall, with long, flat leaves and vast trunks with

thick, peeling bark.  Anakin began to study the ground

again.

Obi-Wan searched without moving, his gaze traveling over the

dirt, rocks, and surrounding trees.

Frustrated by his inability to find a clue, Anakin

straightened and began to study the trees around them.  He

hurried forward to a tall trunk and leaned in to examine it.

"He rested here.  He touched the trunk with his finger."

Obi-Wan saw the slight flaking of the bark near Anakin's

pointing finger.  "How do you know?  All the trees have

peeling bark."

"There is sap running alongside.  Here's a fingerprint.

Smudged.  But it's there."

"Yes.  So he went - which way?"  Obi-Wan enjoyed the keen

look in Anakin's eyes.

With the trunk of the tree to guide him, Anakin eagerly

searched the ground again.  "this way!" he called

triumphantly.  "We'll catch him yet!"

Smiling, Obi-Wan followed Anakin through the forest.  This

was what he'd hoped for.  Anakin had forgotten him

impatience with the exercise and what he'd thought was his

secret feeling that it was a waste of time.  He was now

filled with the excitement of the chase.

They moved through a thick curtain of needles and bark.

They could no longer see the mountain looming over them.  It

was as though they were tucked away in a fragrant green

cave.

Then the trees stopped abruptly and they came upon a sheer

rock wall.  The wall curved around them and rose on three

sides.  There was no way to go except back the way they'd

come.

"It's a dead end," Anakin said, disappointed.  "But I was so

sure Wren came this way!"

"Hold on," Obi-Wan said, "Look around you.  You might be

missing something.  Remember your temple exercise to explore

the present moment? Close your eyes."

Anakin closed his eyes.  Obi-Wan waited until he was sure

his Padawan had focused.  What did you see?"

"Bark and leaves under my feet.  Sheer wall ten meters ahead

with insufficient handholds for climbing.  Small plant

growing in a crevice thirty meters up.  Snow dusting at top

of cliff.  Bird circling twenty degrees to my right.  At the

base of the rock wall, what appears to be a small opening -

a den of a small animal, or -" Anakin's eyes popped open.

"A cave."

Obi-Wan smiled.  He had seen the entrance to the cave

minutes before.  "Let's see what it is."

Anakin and Obi-Wan examined the small opening.  "It's not as

small as it looks,"  Obi-Wan said.  "It could be the nest or

den of an animal."

"It looks like it opens up," Anakin said, peering inside.

"Let me go in."

Obi-Wan hesitated.  He would rather be first.  But part of

this exercise was also for the Master.  He had to learn to

let go, to allow his Padawan to test his skills.  He knew

Anakin was well trained and could handle what lay beyond.

"All right, Padawan."

Without a glow rod, Anakin would have to feel his way.  He

eased inside the hole carefully, one hand on his lightsaber

hilt.

Obi-Wan heard Anakin's voice echo hollowly.  "It's a cavern!

It's beautiful!"

Obi-Wan squeezed inside the hole.  It was a bit more

difficult for him to make it.  He wondered how the tall,

stocky Wren had managed.

He was able the straighten after crawling just a few meters.

Anakin stood ahead of him, scanning the cavern.

It truly was beautiful.  The walls shimmered with

phosphorescence, lighting the space.  The cliff face outside

had been gray, but this stone was pink with veins of bright

gold and silver.  Cone-shaped deposits of the stone hung

from the veling and rose from the floor.

The smooth floor sloped steeply downward.  Anakin hurried

ahead, running his hand along the wall.  "Hell never expect

us to find him here."

Obi-Wan took a deep breath, testing the air.  It smelled

fresh.  There was most likely another opening in the

direction they were headed.  Wren had probably left the

cavern by now.

The air smelled damp as well.  That was normal in a cavern.

Pools of water sat in the depressions of the stone floor.

Some of them were quite deep . . .

"Anakin!"  Obi-Wan snapped Padawan's name.  His voice

echoed, but Anakin had run ahead, around a corner, and

hadn't heard.  Obi-Wan picked up his pace.

He rounded the corner.  Anakin had paused before another

opening in the cavern.  This one was larger and began above

Obi-Wan's shoulders.  Through it they could see only a patch

of blue-and-violet sky.  Against the shimmering pink and

gold of the walls it was a breathtaking sight.

"Anakin, we should get out of here," Obi-Wan called as he

quickly made his way toward his Padawan.  "I think this

cavern may flood periodically."

Anakin nodded and waited for his Master to catch up.  Just

then Obi-Wan heard a noise.  A slight whoosh sound.  He

moved faster.  Anakin turned back to the opening.

"It's so beautiful," he said in a hushed tone.

The whoosh grew louder.  Now it was a roar.

"Hang on!" Obi-Wan shouted as a wall of water suddenly

blocked out the sky and headed straight toward them.

Chapter Four

Anakin desperately clung to a ledge as the water rushed into

the cavern  The force of it battered him against the cavern

wall.  Another wave entered, and the water went over his

head.  The shock of its coldness almost made him lose his

grip.

He fumbled for his breather with one hand while he hung on

with the other.  He began to feel light-headed as he

struggled to attach his breather with one hand.  Spots swam

before his eyes.

He managed to insert his breather and inhaled deeply.  He

felt strength flow back into his muscles.  Still, his body

was being pummeled by the furiously rushing water a battered

against the comes and the wall of the cave.  He had to get

out or he would drown.

He glanced back.  He could barely see his Master, who was

clinging to a rock hanging from the ceiling.  As Anakin

watched, Obi-Wan transferred his grip to the next cone.

Fighting the rushing water he pulled himself forward.

Anakin grabbed the ledge a short distance away.  He pulled

himself forward, too, every muscle straining with his

effort.  He reached for the next handhold.  Then the next.

He fought for every centimeter.

At last he felt the smooth curve of the cavern entrance.  He

paused there, holding on against the violent water, waiting

for his Master.  After a few moments, Obi-Wan pulled himself

up next to Anakin.  He pointed up.  They would let go now

and try to get to the surface.  Anakin nodded.

Anakin rolled his body into a ball and rested his feet

against the cavern wall.  He closed his eyes, gathering his

strength and the Force.  When he felt the enter him, he

pushed himself off the cavern wall.

The power of the water almost battered him back against the

wall and swept him inside the cavern, but Anakin fought it

with all his strength, swimming up, trusting that air and

sunlight were above.

After a few meters, the pull  of the water lessened.  He was

able to make headway against it.  He saw a lightening above.

Sunlight.  He swam toward it eagerly.  The dappled patterns

seemed to beckon him.

He burst above the surface of the water.  Ahead he saw a

booming waterfall, spilling down from a cliff above.  That

was the source of the powerful current both above and below

the surface.  Anakin waited until his Master broke the

surface and then struck out toward the bank.

He pulled himself up onto dry land.  He ripped the breather

from his mouth and gasped for breath.  Water streamed off

his clothes and the ends of his hair as he bent over;

gathering strength.  Beside him, Obi-Wan was doing the same.

"The malia dean, and now this," Anakin said when he could

speak.  He shook his head, sending water droplets flying.

"Did I misinterpret the clues, Master?  They seemed so

clear."

"No, I think we went the right way off the trail," Obi-Wan

said.  "But we shouldn't have gone through the cavern.  Jedi

clues a designed to be difficult, not life-threatening."

Anakin flushed.  It was his fault.  In his impatience to

impress his Master, he had rushed into the malia den and

into the cavern.

Obi-Wan wouldn't say anything.  That was the problem.  It

was worse for Anakin to have to wonder what his master was

thinking.

Obi-Wan scanned the surrounding area.  "No doubt Wren used a

cable launcher to vault the cliff face."

"But I didn't see any marks above," Anakin said.  "Wouldn't

the launcher have scarred the rock face?"

"Let's return and examine the cliff again," Obi-Wan decided.

"I'd rather not take another dip," Anakin said with a

shiver.

"We can climb the hill here," Obi-Wan said scanning the

steep incline that rose from the bank.  "That will bring us

on top of the cliff overlooking the cavern."

They climbed up the steep incline, occasionally using their

cable launchers.  The sunlight dried their clothes and hair

and warmed them as they climbed high above the water.  At

last they reached the top of the cliff.

Anakin stood at the top.  From here he had a commanding view

of the waterfall below and, in the distance, the valley.

Still more mountains rose behind him.

He turned and found the overlook to the forest's edge below.

It didn't take him long to find where Wren had been.

"Look, Master.  He was here," he said, pointing to a place

where the grass was flattened.  "He could have been watching

from above while we stood there."

"Possibly," Obi-Wan said.  "There was no way for him to know

that cavern would flood, I suppose."

"At least we know for sure that we have him," Anakin said.

His Master still looked uncertain.  "Don't we?"

"Let's follow the trail," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin moved to track Wren's progress over the top of the

cliff.  A trail led into the mountains, and he began to

truf\dge up it.

He could sense that his Master was uneasy.  Something was

bothering him.  But Obi-Wan did not confide.

He never does, Anakin thought.  Hoe can we get closer of he

keeps all of his thoughts to himself?

He had to speak or he would burst.  Anakin stopped and

turned around.  "You never tell me what you're thinking," he

said.

Obi-Wan stopped.  "You should be careful when you use words

like 'never' and 'always,' Padawan," he said.  "Things are

rarely so absolute.  You should be more precise.  Clarity of

mind is important for a Jedi."

Another lesson.  Must there be so many? "Yes, Master."

Anakin turned and continued up the mountain.  He had gone

only a few meters when he realized that Obi-Wan had never

addressed what he'd said.

That's because he knows it's true.  He had perfect

communication with Qui-Gon, and he knows he can never

achieve that with me.

He had been right all the along,  This exercise was a waste

of time.

The trail rose higher, and the temperature began to drop.

The sun stilled warmed them, so they did not need their

thermal capes.  But above, Anakin could see the snowy peaks,

and he knew that if they kept climbing at the rate, they

would encounter snow by dusk.

Anakin felt shivers on the back of his neck.  But it wasn't

the temperature.  Something was wrong.  He trusted the

feeling.  The Force was like a net, closing around him.  The

trees seemed to hang over the trail, menacing them.  The sky

seemed lower.

We're being watched.

And whoever it was, it wasn't another Jedi.

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan.  He did not move his head, only

his eyes, so that if someone were watching they would not

see the wordless communication.  Obi-Wan's gaze told him

everything he need to know.  He to felt the presence of

someone.

Obi-Wan stopped, and Anakin did the same.  "We should split

up," he said in a tone loud enough to carry but not to loud

to be obvious.  "We're getting nowhere.  I'll head back, and

you continue ahead."

"Yes, Master." Anakin knew that Obi-Wan moved back down the

trail, and Anakin continued on.  He did not feel fear or

alarm.  He felt ready for whatever would come.

He reached out to the Force beyond the trail, beyond his

immediate surroundings.  He took in the planet in a way he

was learning to do.

There was darkness here, but the feeling was confused.  He

could not pinpoint why or how the force was affected.  That

was the trouble, Anakin thought ruefully.  He could access

the Force easily.  Interpreting it was another matter.  At

such times he fully realized why he was still a Padawan, and

not a Jedi.

He was on a switchback trail now that hugged the mountain as

it rose.  As Anakin turned a corner, the trail behind him

would disappear.  The rocks rose steeply on his left and a

sheer drop was on his right.  It he met whoever was

following him, the battle would be tricky.  And how would

Obi-Wan manage to set up ambush on this kind of terrain?

Anakin was busy thinking these thoughts when he turned the

next corner and saw the flash of a weapon.  It was held by a

young woman in a gray cloak that blended with the rocks.

"Don't come any farther," she said in a clear voice.  "I

promise you, I know how to use this.  And it's aimed

straight at your hear."

Chapter Five

Anakin waited.  The Force was around him, rising up from the

ground beneath his feet and the forest below.  It was not

strong in the girl.  Anakin guessed she was close to his

age.  She was afraid, he suddenly knew.  He felt her fear

ripple out and touch him, as clearly as if she had pout out

a hand.

And he felt something else - his Master was near.  Obi-Wan

was above him.  He needed to keep the girl's attention on

him.

"Why do you want to shoot me?" he asked in a reasonable

tone.

"Do not try to trick me," she said.  "I know you've been

following me.  I know you killed my friends and my teacher."

Now her voice wobbled slightly.  "I won't let you kill me

too."

Anakin saw a blur above.  It was his Master, leaping down

from the sheer cliff above.

Obi-Wan dropped behind the girl and disarmed her in a move

so fast she did not have time to turn or even take a breath.

Obi-Wan tossed the weapon to Anakin.

"You know how to use a hydrospanner?" Anakin asked in

disbelief.

"I didn't have a real weapon," she said in a small voice.

"Were you threatening to kill me, or fix my speeder?" Anakin

asked.  He couldn't believe he had been fooled by a

hydrospanner.  What kind of Jedi was he?

In answer, the girl suddenly whirled and tried to throw

herself down the sheer drop.  Obi-Wan had anticipated the

move and simply reached out with one hand and stopped her.

"That's not a solution," he said.  "We're not going to hurt

you.  Maybe we can even help you."

Anakin took a few steps closer.  "What happened?  What do

you mean, somebody killed your friends?"

The girl pulled her cloak around her.  Her hood fell back,

and waves of long blond hair spilled down her back.

"My name is Floria," she said.  "I'm from the planet Aaeton,

only half-day's journey from here.  Young people from my

planter often go on survival camping trips on Ragoon-6 when

we reach fourteen years of age.  We have a special allowance

from the Senate because we gave the elders of Ragoon refuge

when they handed the planet over to the senate.  My group

arrived yesterday.  I was separated from them.  We were on a

hike and I got lost."  Floria's eyes suddenly filled with

tears.  "When I returned . . . I . . . the ship . . ."

"Go on," Obi-Wan prompted.

She swallowed.  "Was completely burned," she said in a

whisper.  "I knew we were supposed too meet back there for

evening meal.  I am afraid my friends and my teacher were in

it.  Someone blew it up."

"You're sure they were inside?"

She twisted her hands together.  "How can I be sure of

anything?  Everything was smoke and ash and fire.  Maybe

they escaped.  Maybe they are lost.  I've been searching

ever since.  But lately I am positive that someone has been

following me.  They were keeping just out of sight."

"More than one being?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I - I'm not sure," Floria stammered.  "I don't know what's

wrong.  I just know that something is.  And I'm all alone!"

So I was right about the darkness in the Force, Anakin

thought.  Something is wrong on this planet.

"Dry your tears," Anakin said gently.  "You're not alone.

We will help you."

"Who are you?" she asked.  "And why would you help me?"

"Because we can," Obi-Wan said.  "Now, the first thing we do

is examine your ship."

The ship was just as Floria had described it - a charred

hulk.

"Stay her  with her," Obi-Wan told Anakin.  He disappeared

inside the remains of the ship.

He emerged a few minutes later, his face streaked with ash.

"There are no remains of beings aboard," he said.

Floria closed her eyes in relief for a moment.  "Thank you

for looking."

"This is a small cruiser," Anakin said, looking at the ship.

"It's for travel within a planetary atmosphere.  How did you

get here from Aaeton?"

"We have a space cruiser in orbit," Floria explained.

"We're supposed to rendezvous with then in three hours.  But

I have no way to contact them to tell them we won't be

there."  She brightened.  "Can you take me?  I can tell them

what happened, and they'll send a rescue party down."

"Of course," Obi-Wan said.  "We'll have to hike to out

cruiser, but it's not far."

"Thank you," Floria said.  "I feel certain now that my

friends are alive.  But they could be in danger.  We must

find them."

Obi-Wan drew Anakin aside.  "Something dark is present on

this planet.  Can you feel it?"

Anakin nodded.  "Yes, Master.  But it is unclear."

"There seems to be different energies operating," Obi-Wan

said.  "It is unclear to me, too.  We must be on guard."  He

frowned.  "I have been thinking about Wren."

"What about him?" Anakin asked.

"The clues we have been following . . . something is wrong.

They are too easy, and they lead us to danger.  Maybe Wren

isn't the one leaving them."  Obi-Wan gazed up at the

mountain.  "Something might have happened to him."

Chapter Six

You never tell me what you're thinking.

Why hadn't he answered his Padawan?  Instead, he had

corrected him.  Obi-Wan's mind churned, and his heart felt

heavy.  He did not know why he had deflected Anakin's

feelings, but he knew he had been deeply unfair to his

Padawan.

Anakin could speak so easily of his feelings.  He often

spoke without thinking, often spilled out exactly what was

in his heart.  It was behavior that was not like a Jedi.

And I correct him.  Is that right?

Obi-Wan knew why Anakin was this way.  It was because of

Shmi.  Anakin's mother had given him a great gift.  She had

given him an open heart.  His feelings were deep and

spontaneous.  That was a good thing.  But they sometimes led

him to act too fast, the make quick judgements.

He is the opposite of me, Obi-Wan thought.  It has always

been difficult for me to speak what is in my heart.

Anakin had been wrong to say he never told him anything.

Obi-Wan only held back what he thought Anakin did not need

to know, just as Qui-Gon had done with him.  Obi-Wan had

begun to suspect that Wren's clues were not right, but he

felt it was better for Anakin to discover this on his own.

He could see that Anakin's eagerness the find Wren was

clouding his judgement.  Perhaps Anakin was being less

careful because he was not on a mission, but an exercise.

These were things it was not proper for a Master to share

with his Padawan.  Yet Anakin wanted Obi-Wan to share

everything.

Sighing, Obi-Wan led the way back to their ship.  He would

have to think of a way to bring up what had happened.  He

knew he had hurt Anakin's feelings.

Obi-Wan knew the terrain by now and led them down the

mountain and across rocky hills and meadows so they would

not have to double back, which would have cost them time.

Within two hours, they were hiking across the meadow toward

the cliff face where Wren had docked the ship.

"Don't worry,"  Anakin said reassuringly to Floria.  "We

have a comm unit aboard the ship, so - Master!  Look at

that.  It's beautiful . . . "  Anakin frowned, sensing

something was wrong.

Obi-Wan saw the fine blue mist heading for them.  "Anakin,

move!"

Anakin's reflexes were perfect.  Without thinking, he leaped

to one side as Obi-Wan vaulted toward Floria.  He grabbed

her and jumped, accessing the Force.

The spray hit the ground where Anakin and Floria had been

standing.

"Stokhli spray stick,"  Obi-Wan said.  "Keep moving."

"A what?" Floria asked.

Another burst of spray headed their way.  Obi-Wan jumped

again, still holding Floria against his side, as he tried to

pinpoint the location of their attacker.

"It's a weapon," Anakin explained as they ran toward cover.

"It sends out a spraynet mist with a stun current.  You

don't want it to hit you."

"I guess not," Floria muttered as Obi-Wan gained the shelter

of some boulders and pushed her behind them.

"We have to circle around and stop whoever is doing this,"

Obi-Wan said to Anakin.  "Stay here, Floria."

She gazed at him with wide, frightened eyes, "Don't worry.

Just come back again."

"If you head for those tress, I'll circle around the

boulders and see if I can surprise the attacker," Obi-Wan

told Anakin.  "Remember the Stokhli stick has a range of two

hundred meters."

"Makes it hard to get close enough with a lightsaber,"

Anakin said.

"Exactly," Obi-Wan murmured.  "Just leave that to me.  Keep

the attacker busy.  And don't take chances!"

"Yes, Master."

Anakin ran out from the shelter of the boulders.  Obi-Wan

waited for a moment until he saw the spray of the Stokhli

stick spew into the air.  Anakin Force-jumped, and Obi-Wan

could see that the spray would miss him by centimeters.

His Padawan's timing and reflexes were extraordinary.

Anakin had timed his move so that the spray would miss him,

but by so small a margin that the attacker would be diverted

and want to attack again.  His concentration would stay on

Anakin.

Obi-Wan bent over so  that he could keep the shelter of the

boulders as far as possible.  He ran around them, then times

his move to the second attack on Anakin.  He dashed across

the open meadow toward the screen of trees.

He made the trees without an attack.  Now the rest would be

tricky.  Anakin would keep himself just out of range of the

Stokhli - he hoped - but Obi-Wan's objective was to get

close enough to disarm the attacker.  That meant he would

have to be squarely in the stick's range.

Obi-Wan took off through the trees, heading toward where he

had last pinpointed the attacker.  No doubt the attacker

would keep moving, especially when he or she realized Obi-

Wan was gone.  He would count on Anakin's skill to prevent

the attacker from moving too far too fast.

Soon Obi-Wan stopped.  He concentrated, accessing the Force

to become one with the environment around him.  The sounds

of the forest dropped away.  He did not hear the rustle of

leaves in the wind, the occasional scurry of a small animal,

the rub of a branch against another.  He heard only the

slight ssiiing sound of the spray stick.

Thirty degrees to his right.  Obi-Wan moved carefully now,

moving behind tree trunk to tree trunk.  He barely touched

the ground as he moved, making no sound.

Ssing!  Another attack from the Stokhli stick.  Coming from

a few meters to the right of where he'd pinpointed the

attacker.

Now Obi-Wan moved quickly, running over the soft ground, his

boots silent, his breathing so controlled he made no sound.

He saw the attacker ahead.  It was a male Tursha.  Obi-Wan

saw the distinctive headtails and the eleven-fingered hands

lightly holding the Stokhli stick.  The Tursha was just

behind the tree line.

Obi-Wan drew his lightsaber and jumped.  The Tursha turned,

his Stokhli stick spewing mist.  Instead of leaping to the

side, Obi-Wan jumped high.  He anticipated that the Tursha

would move the stick in a sweeping motion to cover as much

air as possible, and he did.  Obi-Wan sailed over the mist,

his lightsaber high.

The Tursha had fast reflexes.  He moved back, putting

himself in the open, past the tree line.  Obi-Wan saw Anakin

leap toward him.

Obi-Wan came down.  He kept his lightsaber away from the

Tursha.  He did not want to kill or injure him.  He wanted

answers.

Anakin's lightsaber was drawn as well.  The Tursha moved a

fraction, enough so that the spray from the stick would put

Anakin securely in range.  Obi-Wan moved fast.  He leaped

again, this time adding momentum in midair.  In a Jedi

method that never failed to surprise opponents.  He kicked

out with one foot at the handle of the stick.  He gave his

blow topspin, and the stick flew out of the surprised

Tursha's hand and then twisted in midair.  Though Obi-Wan

didn't plan it this way, the spray hit the Tursha full in

the face.

He fell to his knees.  He gazed out in shock at Anakin and

the meadow beyond.

"They . . . were . . . mine," he managed to gasp out, before

the spray paralyzed him completely.  He slumped against a

tree trunk, his face frozen in a surprised expression.

Chapter Seven

"Who is he?" Floria asked in a hushed voice.  She tiptoed

closer, keeping behind Anakin.

Obi-Wan bent over the inert form.  He examined the Tursha's

utility belt and searched the hidden pockets in his cloak.

"I'd guess he's a bounty hunter," he said to Anakin.  "He

has a variety of weapons and what looks to be some false ID

docs."  He took a restraining device from the bounty

hunter's belt and secured him to the tree.

"You'll recover from the stun in about five hours," he told

the Tursha, who could do nothing but stare straight ahead.

"But I guess you know that.  We'll return for you."

"Can't you ask him what happened to my friends?" Floria

asked.

"He can't speak.  Not yet.  If he did attack your friends,

we'll escort him to your home planet for trial," Obi-Wan

said.

Suddenly tears spilled down Floria's cheeks.  "He killed

them," she said.  "I know it.  Did you hear what he said?

'They were mine.'  He did it."

"You don't know that," Anakin told her soothingly.  He could

have meant any number of things.  We don't know anything

about him.  You can't jump to conclusions that way.  You

can't imagine the worst."

Anakin patted Floria's back as she used the hem of her cloak

to dry her tears.  Despite his reassurances, he was worried.

He had felt the growing darkness on the planet.  Floria

could be right.  Her friend could have been attacked.

Obi-Wan stared out at the meadow, thinking.  He did not

acknowledge Floria's tears, or try to sooth her on any way.

Anakin couldn't believe it.  How could Obi-Wan be so cold?

Obi-Wan signaled to Anakin and drew him aside.  "What is a

bounty hunter doing on an underpopulated planet?" he asked.

"Why would he attack us?  Is he her for another purpose?

Why would he attack a grroup of young students on a camping

trip?  It doesn't make sense."

"But they've disappeared," Anakin said.  "Something

happened."

Obi-Wan eyed the Tursha.  "I wish I could ask him some

questions.  I'd like to know if he's operating alone."

"We're running out of time," Anakin said.  "Floria's group

is supposed to rendezvous with the space cruiser in less

than an hour."

"You are too focused on Floria's problem," Obi-Wan rebuked

him.  "There is a larger issue here, and possibly more

important things at stake.  What is happening on this

planet?  We won't find out if we leave."

"We have to leave," Anakin said.  "We promised Floria."

"We promised to help her," Obi-Wan said.  "I'm not sure what

that will entail.  Not yet.  Have you given no thought to

your fellow Jedi?  What if something happened to Wren?"

"We don't know that," Anakin argued.  "And we do know that

something happened to Floria's friends.  So I say we go with

what we know.  Aren't I supposed to be true to my feelings?"

An odd look passed over his Master's face.  "Your feelings

are important, Padawan," he said kindly.  "And they are

important to me.  But you are being swayed by emotion.  That

is different than following your feelings.  You should know

the difference by now.  Gather the Force around you.  See

what it tells you."

Annoyed at Obi-Wan's rebuke, Anakin turned away.  He gazed

at the trees, letting the tones of green invade him, letting

the noise of the rustling leaves calm him.  He gathered in

the Force.

Once again, he felt the darkness rise.  Once again, it

seemed to be coming from several sources.  Yet there was one

powerful darkness here as well.

Surprised, he turned to Obi-Wan.  "It is confusing.  There

seem to be several sources of darkness, and at the same

time, only one."

Obi-Wan nodded.  "That is what I sense, too."

"But I don't get any feeling about Wren.  Perhaps he is in

danger," Anakin said reluctantly.  He didn't want Obi-Wan to

be right.

"Let's go to the ship," Obi-Wan suggested.  "We'll try to

raise Wren on his comlink.  Then we will make the decision

about Floria.  "He put his hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"Together."

Anakin nodded.  He realized that Obi-Wan had just given him

a kind of apology.  It was just like Obi-Wan to veil it in

lessons.

They returned to the girl, who had slumped on the ground a

good distance away from the bounty hunter.

"Good."  She rose with a shiver.  "I can't wait to get off

this planet."

"One moment.  We can't leave the Tursha like this," Obi-Wan

said.  "When dusk comes, the malia will be roaming."  He

withdrew a flexible tarp from his survival pack.  He

unfurled it and created a free-form tent around the seated

bounty hunter.  The color of the tarp took on the color of

its surroundings, camouflaging the Tursha.  "This should

protect you somewhat," Obi-Wan told him.  "We will return

for you before the paralyzer wears off."

They left the trees and struck out across the meadow.

Anakin hoped they would be able to raise Wren on the

comlink.  He was anxious to bring Floria to safety.

Suddenly their training exercise had turned into a mission.

He didn't mind the shift.  He would rather face danger and

save lives than track an elder Jedi up the mountain any day.

They were relieved to see the ship was just as they'd left

it.  They hurried toward it.

Suddenly, the ground in front of them exploded, sending a

shower of dirt and rocks into the air.  Another explosion

came to the right of them.

They were being fired on - from all directions at once.  The

blaster bolts pinged and whistled, sending up a shower of

dirt around them.

Anakin and Obi-Wan both activated their lightsabers in one

fluid motion.

"Get Floria to the ship!"  Obi-Wan yelled deflecting fire.

Anakin tucked Floria against his side, away from the worst

of the fire.  He ran quickly, deflecting fire as he moved.

Obi-Wan stayed in front of him, taking the brunt of the fire

and clearing a path to the ship.  Anakin activated the

landing ramp and quickly ran up with Floria.  After a

moment, Obi-Wan followed.

Anakin slid into the pilots seat.  "We don't have time to

contact Wren.  We'd better get out of here."

"Yes, hurry!"  Floria's face was white with fear.  "What if

they come after this ship, too?

Obi-wan peered outside at the blaster fire that was still

erupting.  Bolts peppered the ship.  Smoke filled the air

outside.

Anakin reached for the engine controls.

"Wait."  Obi-Wan's voice was a command.

"Wait?"  Floria's voice rose.  "For what?  To get killed?"

"I feel a surge in the Force," Obi-wan said.

"You feel a what in the what?"  Floria's head whipped from

Obi-Wan to Anakin.

An explosion outside almost threw Obi-Wan to the floor.

Floria screamed and gripped her chair.  "Please, let's take

off!"

Obi-Wan gripped the console, concentrating, as though there

were no blasters, no explosions outside.  And now Anakin

could feel it. Too.  The dark side surged.  He had been too

intent on leaving, on Floria's panic, on the blaster fire.

This was something he had to learn.  His connection to the

Force was strong, but sometimes it got crowded out by mor

immediate things.  Obi-Wan was able to hold everything in

his mind at once.

Obi-Wan dropped to his knees.  Floria looked down at him as

though he were crazy.

"Is he afraid?" she whispered to Anakin.  "I don't blame

him!  Let's take off!"

"Wait."  Anakin watched Obi-Wan.  He knew now that the

darkness was inside the ship, not outside it.

"I found it."  Obi-Wan's voice was muffled, and Anakin has

to strain to hear over the sound of the blaster fire.

Obi-Wan raise his head , then stood.  He held a black box in

his hand, "A sleeper bomb.  If we had taken off, we would

have been blown out of the sky."

Chapter Eight

Floria looked as though she might faint.  "A bomb?  Can you

d-defuse it?"

"I'm afraid not," Obi-Wan said.  "It could go off at any

time.  So lets go."

"The comlinks -" Anakin said.

"No time.  Go!" Obi-Wan ordered, leaning forward to access

the landing ramp.

Floria was already out of her chair and running to the exit.

Obi-Wan pushed Anakin ahead of him and they hurried after

her, leaving the bomb behind.

As they raced down the ramp, Obi-Wan caught a glimpse of a

figure dressed in black at the cargo door.  He was trying to

sneak aboard.

Floria screamed, and the bomb went off.  Obi-Wan was blown

off his feet.  The figure in black went flying as well.

Smoke rolled over them.  Obi-Wan raised his head, trying to

see.  Coughing against the acrid smoke in his mouth, he

struggled to his knees.

Obi-Wan peered through the rolling smoke to make sure Anakin

and Floria were all right.  Anakin was already standing and

bending down to help a coughing Floria to rise.

"Anakin, check the area!" Obi-Wan shouted as he headed for

the figure in black.

The figure rose shakily.  Stumbling and falling, he

attempted to run away.  Obi-Wan raced towards him.

He had almost reached him when he felt something heavy land

on his back.  Hands covered his eyes.  Hair brushed against

his face.

Obi-Wan tried to twist away.  "Floria?"

Suddenly the slender young girl had the moves of an

assassin.  She used a variety of intricate holds to slow

down Obi-Wan while he struggled to move toward the figure in

black.  He tried to shake her off, but he didn't want to

harm her.

Hands covered his eyes, and he carefully pried them off.

"I don't want to hurt you. . . ." he said.

She didn't answer, just wound one leg around his, trying to

trip him, while she grabbed his ear.

"That's enough."  Obi-Wan grabbed her wrists and expertly

flipped her over and down onto the ground.  Her breath left

her as she landed hard.

The figure in black hesitated.  It was easy for Obi-Wan to

stride forward and grab him by the scruff of the neck.

"All right, you two.  What's going on?" he asked sternly.

Anakin ran back to him.  "The blaster fire and explosions

were set off by timed devices."  He looked at Floria, who

gazed up at Obi-Wan furiously from the ground.  Then he

looked at the squirming figure in Obi-Wan's grip.  "What's

going on?"

"That's what I'd like to know."  Obi-Wan the back the

figure's black hood.  Close-cropped blond hair and wide eyes

the same brilliant blue as Floria's met his.  The boy was

only a few years older than Floria.

Obi-Wan looked back Floria.  "Your brother, I presume."

The boy shot Floria a look clearly intended to keep her

silent.  Obi-Wan sighed.  "Anakin check his pack."

Anakin picked up a small pack the boy had worm on his back.

He opened it and went through it.  "Just some basic survival

gear.  A tarp and some rations."

Obi-Wan gave the boy a little shake.  "I'm losing patience."

"Dane, we've been double-crossed," Floria said, rising

gingerly and rubbing her elbow.  "Why shouldn't we tell

them?  I'm getting a bad feeling about this planet.  There

was a sleeper bomb aboard that ship!  That's totally against

the rules!"

Dane said nothing.

"What rules?" Anakin asked.

"Now we're stuck here with the Jedi with no way to get off

the planet," Floria continued.  "we destroyed that ship for

nothing.  You and you're big ideas!"

"You destroyed your own ship?" Anakin asked in disbelief.

"Cooperation doesn't seem like such a bad idea, considering

the circumstances," Floria said, still speaking to her

brother.

Dane shrugged.  "So things didn't work out.  They could

have."

"But they didn't," Floria said.

"But they could have," Dane shoot back.

"Who are you two?" Obi-Wan asked angrily, his patience

exhausted.

"Bounty hunter," Floria said.

Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged an incredulous look.  These two

young people, bounty hunters?

"Who are you hunting?" Anakin asked.

"You," Floria told him.  "We're supposed to find the Jedi

and bring you back, dead or alive."

"Bring us back where?" Obi-Wan asked.  "Who hired you?"

"Let me point out that we weren't going to kill you," Floria

said quickly, not answering Obi-Wan's question.  "We weren't

the ones that planted the sleeper bomb, obviously."

"What about the blaster fire?" Anakin asked.

"We knew you could handle that.  We just wanted to add a

little urgency to the situation," Dan said.  "You'd take off

if you thought you were under attack."

"We didn't to kill you," Floria assured them.  "We don't

kill beings.  We just trick them.  Just like we tricked you.

It would have worked if there hadn't been that bomb.

Listen, tricking is much safer."

"Are you actually successful at this?" Anakin asked.

Floria and Dane exchanged a look.  Floria sighed.  "Nobody

ever believes we're bounty hunters.  It's so insulting.

Yes, we're successful.  Take our last case.  We - "

"Who hired you?" Obi-Wan asked in frustration, interrupting

her brusquely.

"If you're going to confess to everything, you might try to

be organized about it," Dane said to Floria.  "You always

get off the subject."

"I don't," Floria protested.

"You do, too.  Always."

"You shouldn't say always," Anakin broke in.  "Absolutes are

rarely true."

"Enough!" Obi-Wan roared.  "Who hired you> I want answers

and I want them now."

Obi-Wan's thunderous look cowed Floria and Dane.

"Granta Omega," Floria said.  "Do you know him?  He's on his

ship, orbiting the planet.  Our plan was to lure you onto

your own ship and get you to pilot it to what you'd think

was my rendezvous ship but was actually Omega's transport.

Then we'd leave you there, collect our reward, and take off.

Easy right?"

"Obviously not, since your standing here with us now," Obi-

Wan said.  "So who put the sleeper bomb on the ship?"

"I don't know," Floria admitted.

"It could be anyone." Dane said.  "Omega hired four other

bounty hunters besides us.  The first one to succeed wins

the prize - an enormous fortune.  The only rule is that the

bounty hunters aren't allowed the harm one another."

"Obviously, someone broke the rules," Floria said

disapprovingly.  "I could have died aboard that ship."

"Not to mention us," Anakin said.

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

"He's not part of the deal," Dane said.  "We're supposed to

ga after the Master-Padawan team.  That was it."

"What information were you given about us?" Obi-Wan asked.

"How did you know where to find us?"

"We knew you were on a training mission to Ragoon-6," Floria

said.  "That's all."

That's all?  That's too much.  Obi-Wan couldn't believe it.

The training missions weren't secret.  But Jedi did not

speak of them to outsiders.  Of course, there were those in

the Senate who knew about them.  And Senators, Obi-Wan knew

too well, could be bribed.

"Tell me about the other bounty hunters," Obi-Wan said.  "Do

you know them?"

Dane nodded.  "They are well known to those who know about

these things.  Teleq is one.  We know him by reputation

only.  He's known for his cunning use of technology.  Then

there is Mol Arcasite.  She is ruthless.  She will take

innocent lives to get what she wants.  And she doesn't care

if she brings her prey back dead.  Most bounty hunters

prefer to catch beings alive.  It saves them a possible

security arrest themselves.  You never know who is

watching."

"Mol gives us all a bad name," Floria said.  "Come to think

of it, she could have planted that sleeper bomb.  It's just

her style."

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

Wan asked.

"Don't know him," Floria said.  "he was awfully good.  But

he almost blew my cover when he saw me.  I couldn't believe

it when he said 'They were mine.'"

"So he was talking about us," Anakin said, indicating

himself and Obi-Wan.  "And you made us think you were

concerned about your friends!"

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

"She can cry on cue," Dane confided.

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

"Hunti Pereg," Dane answered.  "He has the most awesome

reputation of all.  he has never failed to capture his prey.

Not once."

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

assure them.

Obi-Wan gave her an exasperated look.  "Neither have you.

If you had, you'd know we can see through flattery.  You

think Hunti Pereg can catch us."

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

Obi-Wan stood, thinking a moment.  Now that he knew those

vague feelings had a source, after all.  He knew one thing

for sure:  Wren had not left those clues.  One of the bounty

hunters had.

It was time to contact the Temple.  A Jedi was in danger.

He could feel it.  But their comlinks had been blown up with

the ship.

"We were deliberately led into the malia den," he told

Anakin.  "And the cavern.  Someone left those clues for us

tp follow."

"which mean that Wren . . ." Anakin began.

"Has been captured or possibly even killed," Obi-Wan

finished gravely.  "But why?  Why is this Granta Omega after

us?  What else do you know about him?"

"Not much.  We've never seen him.  We've communicated

through comm channels.  The only thing that we know is the

richest being in the galaxy," Floria said.

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

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

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

Floria and Dane shook their heads.  "We don't know," Floria

said.  "In this business, you don't ask too many questions.

It's better not to get too involved."

"Speaking of which, hanging around with you too might be

dangerous to our health," Dane said.  "So if you don't mind,

Floria and I will take our chances on Ragoon."  He grabbed

Floria's hand and began to edge away.

Obi-Wan blocked their path.  "Not a chance," he said firmly.

"You're not going anywhere until we find out exactly what's

going on.  We might need your help."

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

you everything we know."

"I'm sure you did not," Obi-Wan said.  "You know the bounty

hunter who are after us.  You're not going anywhere until we

know mare about who is after us . . . and why."

Chapter Nine

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

"When you are the hunter, the best thing to do is turn the

tables," Obi-Wan said.  "You must become the hunter."

"Track the bounty hunters," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan nodded.  "We can start with the sleep bomb.  It need

a nearby power source, which won't be far."

"Whoa, wait a second," Floria said.  "I didn't sign on for

this.  If you're going to chase down the rest of the bounty

hunters, you've got to let us go.  This could be dangerous."

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

"We minimize our risk," Dane said.  He hooked his fingers

into his thick black utility belt.  "Which doesn't seem to

be a consideration for Jedi."

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

Floria confessed.

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

Floria ignored him.  "So it's in your best interests to let

us go.  I tend to scream when trouble happens.  And after

all, it isn't fair.  Bounty hunters are chasing you, not us.

Why put us in harms way?"

"Let me ask you something," Obi-Wan said.  "Don't you think

the bounty hunter knew you were aboard our ship before

activating the signal?"

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

Obi-Wan shrugged.  "Think about it.  After all, the fewer

bounty hunters there are, the easier it is to win the

prize."

"But there are rules!" Floria protested.  "Bounty hunters

are forbidden to attack one another."

"In my experience, the larger the reward, the greater the

chance that the rules will be broken," Obi-Wan said.

"Granta Omega wouldn't stand for it," Floria said, but she

sounded less certain.

"Would you bet your life on the ethics of a being who is

using bounty hunters to trap Jedi on a training exercise?"

Obi-Wan asked mildly.

Floria was silent.

Obi-Wan waited while the sister and brother exchanged a

glance.  He was not about to let Floria and Dane go.

Despite their assurances that they weren't dangerous, the

reward would still tempt them to make trouble for the Jedi.

Obi-Wan had no doubt that he and Anakin could handle any

attack the bounty hunting team could launch at them, but

he'd rather not have to deal with it at all so that he could

focus on rescuing Wren and getting to the bottom of who was

behind this.

He wanted them close.  But it was better that they think it

was in their best interests to stay with the Jedi.

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

With Floria and Dane in tow, Obi-Wan and Anakin began a

systematic search.  They walked outward from their ship in

widening circles.

"The power source for that size sleeper bomb has to be a

generator that's fairly large," Obi-Wan said.  "I'm guessing

it's on a cruiser of some kind."

"If the power source in on a cruiser, the bounty hunter

could be long gone," Floria called to them as she brought up

the rear.

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

Their route took the over a rocky hill and down into another

low-lying meadow.  The ground was mushy beneath their feet.

Ahead lay a boggy field full of shoulder-high bushes with

bright yellow flowers.

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

finger.

Now they could see that red thorns surrounded the bright

flowers.

"I guess we have to turn back," Floria said hopefully.

"We'll be torn to shreds if we try to make it through these

bushes."

Obi-Wan hesitated.  Floria was right.  But their only chance

of finding the power source lay in examining the surrounding

area.

"Master," Anakin said quietly.

Obi-Wan heard it, too.  The faint whine of a cruiser engine.

He searched the sky and saw nothing.

"Everyone get down low," he said.

They crouched underneath the bushes in a hollowed out spot

while Obi-Wan and Anakin scanned the sky.

The cruiser darted into view, a flash of silver against the

blue.

"Fast, agile," Anakin reported, squinting at it.  "Laser

cannon mounted on either side of the bridge."

"It's Mol Arcasite's cruiser," Dane said.  "I recognize it.

She had it techno-tweaked by Sienar's Advanced Projects.  Uh-

oh."

The cruiser had made a sharp turn and now headed straight

toward them.

Dane looked around.  "what are we going to do?  There's no

place to hide.  And if we go back we'll be caught in the

open."

Obi-Wan withdrew his lightsaber and activated it.  He leaned

forward and expertly sliced through the thorny bush.  The

bush melted away.

"Those things sure come in handy," Floria said admiringly.

The cruiser darted lower.  The laser cannons suddenly burst

into a clatter of rapid fire.

"Move!" Obi-Wan urged as the fire scorched the bushes behind

them.  He darted through the hole he'd created with the

lightsaber, swinging it in a short arc in order to clear the

way farther into the brush.

Anakin pushed Floria through and waited for Dane to dart in

before following.  Obi-Wan used his lightsaber with fine-

honed precision, cutting a hole in the bush just below the

surface so that the bushes would seem intact from the air.

There would be no telltale path to advertise their progress.

Obi-Wan moved fast, but in a wide zigzag over the length of

the field.  They grew tired and sweaty and were scratched by

long, sharp thorns.  Still, Obi-Wan pushed on, making Mol

Arcasite dive again and again over the thorny field.  At

times the cannon fire was so close Obi-Wan could feel the

heat from the blaster bolts.

"Is this a plan?" Dane asked.  A long scratch went from his

ear to his nose.  "Because it doesn't seem like a plan.  Are

you trying to tire out a cruiser?"

Obi-Wan didn't answer.  He had brought them to the edge of

the field.  Ahead was another rocky hill, the beginnings of

the foothill to the mountains.

"Sty here," Obi-Wan told Floria and Dane.  "Anakin follow

me."

He stepped out into the open.  He held his lightsaber high.

She's had to fly low and buzz us continuously," he told

Anakin.  "I see some slight smoke from the forward laser

cannon."

"She could be overheating," Anakin said.  "That's why you

kept her moving."

"Exactly.  Now lets keep going."

It was a challenge, but the Jedi moved fast, using the

natural formation of the steep hill and the surrounding

boulders for cover.  Again and again, Mol Arcasite dived

toward them, laser cannons blasting, but thy used deep rocky

overhangs for cover.

"I'm going to try something," Obi-Wan told Anakin.  "Keep

her occupied down here."

As soon as the cruiser banked and turned for another

approach, Obi-Wan leaped up to an overhang, then jumped to

the next, and the next.  Now he was above the low-flying

cruiser, which was angling on to attack Anakin.

Obi-Wan activated his lightsaber.  The bright blue glow

attracted Mol Arcasite's attention.  She reversed course and

came at him, cannons blazing.  Obi-Wan leaped toward the

ground, bypassing the ledges he'd used to climb up.  Cannon

fire shattered the rock as the cruiser dived to follow him.

An avalanche of rocks rained down on the body of the

cruiser.

Obi-Wan landed lightly next to Anakin.  "Good work, Master,"

Anakin said, watching the cruiser.  "More smoke coming from

the left side.  That cannon might overheat."

"Good.  Now for the final blow.  Follow me."  Obi-Wan jumped

back up the hill.  Anakin followed, moving from ledge to

ledge until they reached the top.  Below them. Shadows cast

by an overhang concealed a thick fall of snow.  In the

shelter of the rock, the snow had not melted with the

morning sun.

"When the cruiser returns, activates your cable launcher and

jump," Obi-Wan told Anakin.

Anakin nodded, guessing his Master's plan.

"If it doesn't work, we'll be hanging there, perfect

targets," Obi-Wan said.  "So keep a free hand for your

lightsaber."  He kept his eyes on the cruiser.  "Ready -

go!"

The Master and Padawan swung off the mountain on their cable

launchers.  The sudden move caught Mol Arcasite by surprise.

The cruiser dived after them, firing rapidly.

The noise and heat of the blaster bolts released an

avalanche of snow and chunks of ice.  The large blanket fell

directly on the cruiser, binding Mol Arcasite momentarily.

Obi-Wan and Anakin hung on their cable launchers as the snow

showered down past them.  The cruiser wobbled crazily,

heading straight for the stone side of the mountain.

At the last moment before the cruiser hit,  a cargo door

opened and a swoop zoomed out.  They could see that Mol

Arcasite was astride it.

The cruiser crashed into the mountain with a whoosh and roar

of fuel.  Obi-Wan and Anakin kept under the shelter of a

ledge as flaming metal rained down below.

The swoop took off into the distance, became a black speck,

and disappeared.

Obi-Wan and Anakin lowed themselves to the ground.  Floria

and Dane rushed toward them.

"That was incredible," Floria said.  "You defeated Mol

Arcasite!  I'm not betting on Hunti Pereg anymore."

"You're rid of Mol Arcasite for good," Dane told them.

"She's good, but she's known for not sticking around if her

first strike fails badly.  She just lost a ship.  Her own

survival is her first priority."

"That doesn't sound like good business for a bounty hunter,"

Anakin said.

"She seldom fails," Dane said.  "So it doesn't matter.  No

doubt she has a backup plan.  She'll be on to her next

assignment by nightfall."

"So we've paralyzed one bounty hunter, and another one took

off," Obi-Wan said.  "That leaves two."

"We know that Wren didn't leave the clues for us to follow,"

Obi-Wan said.  "The question is, who did?"

"I'm betting on Teleq," Dane said.  "It's just his style.

He's clever, and he's fond of traps."

"Whoever it is doesn't know that we know we're being

hunted," Obi-Wan pointed out.  "As a matter of fact, he's

probably still leaving clues for us to follow."

"So what should we do?" Floria leaned forward eagerly.

Obi-Wan noted her eagerness.  Now Floria was on their side.

Or else she was hoping that once the Jedi eliminated all the

other bounty hunters, she and Dan would find a way to take

the prize.

One way or another, it didn't matter.  He wanted to keep

Floria and Dane close.

"We give him exactly what he wants.  We follow them, of

course," Obi-Wan said.

Chapter Ten

Obi-Wan and Anakin retraced their steps, climbing the

mountain again.  Floria and Dane trudged behind them, unused

to the quick pace the Jedi set.

"I'm beginning to think I'd rather take my chances with the

bounty hunters," Floria grumbled.

Anakin stopped in order to fall into pace next to her.  "How

did you and Dane get into this line of work?" he asked.

"Where are your parents?"

"Where are yours?" Floria snapped.  Suddenly her face shut

down and became defensive and angry.

"My mother lives on Tatooine," Anakin said.  "She is a

slave."

Floria's face softened slightly.  "Oh.  I'm sorry.  Our

parents are dead.  I don't come from Aaeton.  That was a

lie.  Dane and I are from the Inner Core world of Thracior.

We grew up in peaceful times, but five years ago the

warlords of Thracior began to argue over territory.  Raids

began between the different tribes.  My mother was Hnsi, my

father a Tantt.  They were killed because they intermarried.

The Hnsis burned our house down and killed our baby sister.

Dan and I escaped."

Floria told the story in a monotone, her eyes on the

mountain trail.  Ahead of them, Dane did not turn or

acknowledge he was listening, but Anakin saw his neck flush

red.

"Dane and I had to make our way as best we could," Floria

said.  "We had lost everything, so we had to work.  We found

jobs in a caf© at a space station, washing up and serving

food.  Our boss we a very cruel man.  We discovered he was

wanted by the security forces of a nearby planet.  We

tricked him into getting caught.  We got the reward, but we

had to leave the planet.  So we kind of fell into bounty

hunting.  We've been moving around the galaxy ever since."

"When you find something you're good at, you stick to it,"

Dane said with a cocky assurance Anakin did not quite

believe.

"It sounds like a hard life," Anakin remarked.

Floria cocked an eyebrow.  "And is yours so easy, Jedi?"

Anakin took the question seriously.  "In a way, it is," he

said slowly.  "I know I am being of service.  That makes the

path easy to walk."

"Well, I'd rather go down my path in a nice, techno-maxed

cruiser," Floria said.  "So I guess I'm stuck with bounty

hunting."

"Here we are," Obi-Wan called from a short distance ahead.

"We left the path here, when we thought someone was

following us."

"That was me," Floria said.

Obi-Wan nodded.  "Let's find the next clue, Anakin."

Anakin left Floria's side.  He pushed their conversation out

of his mind.  Earlier, finding clues had been fun.  Now, it

would be serious.

It didn't take long to find the next clue.  After a fork in

the path, they found a few crumbs from a blumfruit muffin

left near flat rock alongside the trail.

"He is clever," Obi-Wan told Anakin, squatting by the clue.

"He is leading us on without tipping us off.  But we know

that Wren would never have left this clue."

Anakin briefly tasted the crumbs.  He looked up at his

Master, his face grave.  "These are from the Temple."

"Are you sure?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin nodded. "I'd know Jedi Knight Alicka's muffins

anywhere.  This must mean that - "

"The bounty hunter definitely has Wren.  He has raided his

survival pack."

They hurried on.  They had lost a good deal of time, and

Anakin could tell that his Master was worried about Wren's

fate.

They followed the path until it curved along a ridge that

overlooked a meadow full of tall, slender, flowering trees.

From above, the flowering branches formed a solid carpet of

pink.  Anakin stopped and examined a large boulder on the

side of the trail.  He hopped from one boulder to the next.

"This way," he called to Obi-Wan.  "He went down from here

to the meadow."

He looked back up at his Master.  Obi-Wan's gaze swept the

trees below.  "wren is near.  I can feel it.  Let's proceed

carefully."

Then they made their way carefully down the slope, jumping

from rock to rock.  Floria and Dane followed at a distance.

When they reached a meadow, the perfume of the flowering

trees hit their nostrils.  Under any other circumstances,

Anakin would have paused to drink in the beauty of the spot.

After growing up on desert world, he was often overwhelmed

by simple things such as flowers and grasses.

The trees had slender triangular trunks, but the branches

were  thick and wide.  The flowers were so large and dense

that the top of each tree was a waving mass of frothy pink.

Anakin scanned the meadow, alert for trouble.  But instead,

he saw Wren sleeping under a tree.

"Master -"

"I see him."  Obi-Wan paused.  "Something is . . . not

right," he murmured.  "I get no sense of the Force from

Wren."

Anakin frowned.  His Master was right.

Obi-Wan took a step forward.  But it was not in the

direction Anakin had been looking.

"Master?"

Anakin saw that his Master had headed toward Wren.  But this

was a different Wren, sleeping under a different tree.

And then Anakin saw another Wren, and another, and another.

None of them was the real Jedi.  They were merely

projections of his image.

"Holograms," Obi-Wan said.

"All of them?" Anakin asked.

He looked at his Master.  There was no way to know.

Chapter Eleven

"Stay here and don't try anything," Obi-Wan warned Floria

and Dane.  "We will handle this."

"Be my guest," Dane answered, his eyes darting to the many

Wrens.

"Teleq wants us to run into the meadow," Obi-Wan murmured to

Anakin.  "He wants us to race from one Wren to another.  So

we won't."

They didn't need too.  They would use the Force.

Obi-Wan and Anakin reached out and gathered it around them.

A fellow Jedi was in danger.  That made their connection to

the Force even stronger, made their ability to gather it

more urgent.

Obi-Wan felt the power of Anakin's grasp of the Force.  As

always, it staggered him.

He scanned the meadow once more, and this time he knew which

of the images was not an image.  Which one was Wren.  When

he looked directly at Wren, he felt the answering surge.

Anakin had also honed in on the real Wren.

The sound of Obi-Wan lightsaber leaving his belt was no more

than a whisper.  His leaving his spot was no more than a

disturbance in the air.  Yet he was gone, across the meadow,

racing toward Wren.  He could feel rather than hear Anakin

behind him.

Suddenly Wren's body snapped into the air.  Obi-Wan watched,

his heart in his mouth, as Wren was hoisted up into the

trees.  There was no question in Obi-Wan's mind that Wren

must have been given a paralyzing drug of some kind.  He

could tell by the boneless way Wren's legs and arms flopped

as if he were a puppet.

Rage bloomed in his chest, Obi-Wan absorbed it and let it

go.  He did not need rage to fight this.  He need disciple.

Calm.

He anticipated the attack before it came.  He had known

Teleq was luring them on, but he did not care.  He was ready

to meet the bounty hunter.

He had just not expected the attack to come from above.  A

shower of poisonous darts rained down from the trees.

"Flechette canisters," Obi-Wan told Anakin.  She shifted his

focus to the branches over his head.  Now he could see

Teleq.  He was a long-limbed being with hooked fingers and

toes, making him adept at climbing and swinging through

trees.

Perched on the branches we also flocks of birds.  Their

feathers were the same bright pink as the flowering trees,

allowing them to blend into their surroundings.  They were

almost as big as Anakin, with large wings folded back

against their bodies.

As Teleq moved from branch to branch, the birds began to

squawk angrily.  Obi-Wan leaped to catch a branch high

overhead, then swung himself up into the trees.  A bird

pecked his hand, drawing blood.  He swung up to the next

branch.  The tree was easy to climb, since the branches were

wide and flat.  He could see Teleq trying to scamper away,

firing another shower of darts at him over his shoulder.

Anakin swung himself into a tree close by.  He climbed up

onto another branch, then another.  High above the ground

the branches were close together, and they would be able to

leap from one tree to another to pursue Teleq.

But where was Teleq headed? Obi-Wan wondered as he climbed.

He watched Teleq jump to another tree and realized what he

was doing.

Teleq was leading them closer to Wren.  The closer Obi-Wan

got to Teleq, the more he would bring Wren into the range of

fire of the darts.  And wren would be unable to deflect

them.

What is his objective? Obi-Wan wondered.  How was he

planning to catch the Jedi?

The possibilities flew through Obi-Wan's mind, presenting

themselves so quickly it was as though they appeared all at

once.

Wren himself is booby-trapped.

There is another trap in Wren's tree.

There is  trap on the logical progression to Wren's tree.

There is no trap.  Teleq is planning a surprise move with

the flechette canister or another weapon.

The question is, how can I surprise him instead?

Anakin leaped from his tree to the next one, deflecting a

shower of darts with a quick series of lightsaber moves.

Obi-Wan leaped to another tree, still considering his

options.  Suddenly his mind cleared, leaving a space without

sound.  He knew what would follow:  Qui-Gon's voice.  Often

it rose in his mind just when he was most confused or

uncertain.

Use everything you have.  Use the ground.  Use the sky.  Use

what is around you.

Another bird suddenly squawked by his ear.  Obi-Wan deftly

moved to the left as the bird struck out with a long,

pointed beak.  Another bird leaped closer on the thick

branch, screeching at Obi-Wan.  He realized that he had

almost stumbled into a nest.  No wonder birds were so

furious.  He quickly jumped to the branch of the next tree.

He didn't like the setting of the battle.  Teleq was adept

at navigating the trees.  He had chosen his ground wisely.

And Obi-Wan couldn't help the nagging suspicion that somehow

Teleq was luring them into a trap.  They would have to get

him first.  But how?

Another bird squawked overhead, its mate joining it to

circle above the nest.

Use everything you have. . .

While he deflected more darts from the flechette canister,

Obi-Wan searched the branches near Wren's tree.  Obviously,

Teleq was trying to drive them there.  He was being clever

about it - he was trying to make them think that he was

attempting to keep them away from the tree - but Obi-Wan

knew better.

There - he saw it.  A large nest near Teleq, guarded by two

birds.  That would do.

He did not have time to communicate his plan to Anakin.  He

would have to trust that his Padawan would get the idea.

Obi-Wan jumped from his tree to the next, following the

route he felt sure Teleq wanted him to follow.  He kept his

lightsaber activated, swinging at the darts to clear his

way.  He could hear Anakin behind him, jumping from tree to

tree.

When they were closer to Teleq, Obi-Wan swung off to another

tree to his right.  Anakin hesitated, then moved in the

opposite direction.

It was not the first time that Obi-Wan was grateful for his

Padawan's excellent instincts.  Time and again, Anakin would

read Obi-Wan's strategy faster than Obi-Wan ever expected.

Moving fast now, the two Jedi leaped from tree  branch to

tree branch.  Obi-Wan could not see Teleq's face, but he

could tell by his movements and the frantic burst from the

flechette canister that the bounty hunter was unnerved.

As Obi-Wan grew closer, Anakin swung out to the side, so

that Teleq was forced to move back, exactly where Obi-Wan

wanted him.

Obi-Wan gathered the Force.  It would be a difficult leap,

bypassing one tree to land on another.  But it was the only

way to surprise Teleq enough to get him to leap to the next

tree.

Obi-Wan jumped.  The speed and power of the move surprised

Teleq.  Obi-Wan saw the shock on his face as he stumbled on

the wide branch, then awkwardly leaped to the next tree.  At

the same time, Obi-Wan changed direction in midair.  He

collided with Teleq, sending the bounty hunter sailing

straight into a bird's nest.

Screeee!  Screeee!  Screeee! Screeee!  The birds erupted in

wild, furious calls.  Two small baby birds lifted their

heads and tried to flap their wings at the intruder.

The two large birds guarding the nest suddenly rose in the

air.  Together, they extended their powerful claws and

snatched Teleq from the nest.  Beating their wings, they

carried a struggling Teleq away.

Anakin leaped onto the branch next to Obi-Wan.  "Good plan,

Master."

"We need to get Wren down from that tree.  It can't be as

easy as it looks." Obi-Wan leaped from branch to branch.

When he got onto the tree next to Wren's, he examined the

area carefully.  Wren could not move his eyes, yet Obi-Wan

felt the Force roll out from him in strong waves.  Wren was

warning him.

"I know, Wren," he called out to him.  "We will take our

time, but we'll get you out."

The ground at the bottom of the tree was thickly carpeted

with blooms, just like very other tree.  But here the blooms

were massed a little too thickly.  The pattern was not

random enough.

"Anakin, swing down and examine the ground under the tree,"

Obi-Wan instructed.  Be careful.  Don't get too close."

Anakin eased down to the ground.  He circled the tree,

gazing carefully down.  "These blossoms have been placed

here."

"That's what I thought."

"Something is underneath." Before Obi-Wan could stop him,

Anakin tossed a rock into the mass of flowers.  It

disappeared.

"There's a trench down there," Anakin called up.

"You're lucky there wasn't explosive," Obi-Wan said

disapprovingly.  Sometimes Anakin acted rashly.  If he could

teach the boy one thing, it would be too wait.

He began to study the three branches.  He noticed seams

running through several branches.

"I think I get it," he called down to Anakin.  "These

branches have been cut through, then resealed.  They won't

take our wait.  We would have crashed through, right into

the trench."

"And then he could have hit us with some paralyzing darts,"

Anakin finished.  "Pretty simple plan."

"Simple is sometimes best," Obi-Wan said.  "Lucky for us, it

was not in this case.  We'll have to use our cable launchers

to get Wren."

Activating their launchers, the Jedi swung close to Wren and

managed to cut him free.  Obi-Wan supported him as he

released his cable launcher and they dropped to the ground.

He carefully lay Wren down and examined him.  There was a

long gash on one leg and his arm looked bruised.  He had a

blaster wound to his shoulder.  He must have been in pain.

Obi-Wan reached for the bacta in his kit and administered

it.

"You will be fine, but you need better care than we can find

you here," he told Wren.  "We must get you back to the

Temple."

"That means we need a ship," Anakin said.

"Teleq's must be nearby," Obi-Wan said, rising to his feet.

Anakin looked around.  "Where are Floria and Dane?  They

were supposed to wait by the hill."

"I think I know where I can find them, too" Obi-Wan said.

Chapter 12

Floria and Dane sat by Teleq's ship at the end of the

meadow.  They jumped up when they saw Obi-Wan and Anakin.

"We saw the battle," Floria said.  "I'll never underestimate

the Jedi again.  The way you strategized!  The way you

moved!"

"Nice star cruiser," Anakin said, circling around Teleq's

ship.  "We could get to Coruscant on this."

"Don't bother going inside yet," Obi-Wan said.  "The

engine's been disabled."

Anakin poked his head around the side of the ship and looked

at Obi-Wan quizzically.  Obi-Wan looked at Floria and Dane.

"Well?' he said sternly.

Dane opened his hand.  A sensor lay in it.  "Just a little

part," he said.  "And the engine is easily fixed.  It's an

activation sensor for the sublight drive."

"So Teleq wouldn't be able to leave the atmosphere," Anakin

said.  "He'd have to rely on repulsorlift engines."

"And a warning light would tell him so," Obi-Wan finished.

"He'd know he wouldn't be able to take off without work on

the engine.  And while he was working on it, you'd disable

him.  And take off with us for a prize."

"Wait a second," Anakin said.  "This means that you expected

Teleq to capture us."

"No offense," Dane said.  "What kind of bounty hunters would

we be if we didn't explore all of the alternatives?"

Glaring at Dane, Anakin strode forward and snatched the part

from his hand.  "Don't worry, Master, I can fix the engine

in no time at all."

Anakin accessed the engine panel on the exterior of the

ship.  He withdrew a small hydrospanner from his utility kit

and his head disappeared inside.  Muffled exclamations

floated out to the others.

Finally Anakin emerged, his face streaked with grease.  "You

shorted out the sunlight engine fuses and deactivated the

power converter!  I can't six this!"

"I did?"  Dane looked surprised.  "I didn't mean to.  I

don't know that much about engines," he confided to Obi-Wan.

Floria smacked her brother on the arm.  "I told you to be

careful!  Now how are we supposed to get out of here?"

"You're the one who told me to disable it!" Dane protested.

"You said it was a good idea!  If I'd known you didn't know

how, I wouldn't have suggested it!"

Obi-Wan heaved an exasperated breath.  If he could leave

these two behind, he would.  But something told him that he

still needed them.  "Stop squabbling, you two.  We have to

take Wren back to the Temple.  We'll have to return and find

the other bounty hunter's ship."

"Go back down the mountain?" Floria asked in dismay.  "I'm

exhausted!"

"And dusk will be here soon," Dane added.

Obi-Wan shouldered his pack.  Then we'd better get started."

They left Wren wrapped in a blanket inside Teleq's ship.

Anakin was able to reconfigure the ship's security code so

that Wren would be protected inside.  Even if Teleq somehow

managed to get free of those birds, he would not be able to

board his ship.  At least Wren would have warmth and

shelter.  Promising to return soon, they set off down the

mountain again.

"It's been almost five hours," Obi-Wan told Anakin.  "With

luck the bounty hunter will be just getting over his

paralysis.  He'll have no choice but the cooperate."

"We certainly are developing a collection of bounty

hunters," Anakin remarked.

"Unfortunately they're not all as harmless as Floria and

Dane," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin looked at him curiously.  "You knew Floria wasn't

telling the truth from the beginning, didn't you?"

"I suspected as much," Obi-Wan admitted.  "But I had no way

of knowing what she was concealing."

"I believed her story," Anakin said, frowning.  "Why didn't

the Force warn me?"

Obi-Wan smiled.  "The Force is not a truth serum, Padawan.

The ability to read a beings true motives comes with

experience and patience.  I was once very bad at it.  Qui-

Gon taught me how to look and listen.  Floria betrayed

herself by playing on our sympathies just a bit too much."

"And you knew they would find Teleq's ship and try to

disable it."

"Experience," Obi-Wan said.  "It tells me the beings follow

their best interests.  Floria and Dane have had to fight

their way through the galaxy.  They are used to looking out

for themselves.  Naturally they would still try to foil

another bounty hunter winning the prize."

Obi-Wan put a hand on Anakin's shoulder.  "Do not trouble

yourself, Padawan.  You have an open heart.  This is a good

thing.  With time you will learn the balance you need in a

galaxy where all beings do not tell the truth.  Your

impulsiveness is a source of energy and power for you.  But

it can lead to trouble.  You will learn to be more careful.

Sometimes it is better to walk than to run."

"I got us into trouble with the malia, and then in the

cavern" Anakin admitted.  "I'm sorry, Master."

"Danger finds us on every mission," Obi-Wan said.  "Let us

look forward."

They followed the winding path down the mountain once again.

When they reached the site of their battle with the Tursha,

they hurried through the meadow.  Ahead they could see the

camouflaged tent.  As they walked forward, they could

distinguish the Tursha still slumped against the tree.

"He's still paralyzed," Anakin said, starting forward.

Obi-Wan stopped him.  "No, Padawan.  He is dead."

Chapter Thirteen

Obi-Wan crouched over the body.  "Poisoned," he said.

Anakin leaned forward curiously.  "Flechette canister?"

"No.  See the flecks in his lips?  It was a fast poison,

injected in the neck."  Obi-Wan moved the Tursha's head.

"Here." Obi-Wan stood.  "Do you have your tarp?"

Anakin withdrew the tarp from his survival pack.  Gently,

Obi-Wan wrapped the body.  "We will come back for him," he

murmured.  "We must take him to Coruscant.  He might have

had family."  He stood, his eyes roaming the area.  "Now we

must return to our problem.  We must find his ship."

They spit up and searched the area thoroughly, but they

could not find the ship the bounty hunter had used.

"One of the other bounty hunters must have stolen it," Obi-

Wan said.  "Mol Arcasite, perhaps."

"Do you think she killed him?"

"Possibly," Obi-Wan said.  "But one of the others could have

done it.  We have no way to know."

"What now?" Anakin wondered.  "We're stuck on the planet

with no comm unit."

"We have one last sabaac card to play," Obi-Wan said.  He

turned to Floria and Dane.

"What?"  Floria shifted nervously.  "We told you everything

we know."

"I don't think so," Obi-Wan answered.  "If you had captured

us, where would you have taken us?"

"To Granta Omega, of course," Dane answered.

"How would you have contacted him?" Obi-Wan asked.  "You

must have some sort of prearranged loine of communication."

Floria and Dane gave each other a nervous look.

"Because you're going to use it.  You're going to contact

him and tell him that you've captured us," Obi-Wan said.

"And you're going to ask him to meet you on Ragoon-6."

"What if we do?" Floria asked.  "Do you think we're crazy

enough to contact Granta Omega and lie to him?"

Obi-Wan merely look at them.  It was enough.

"All right, all right," Floria muttered.  "We'll contact

Granta Omega and lie to him.  Just arrange a really nice

funeral for us, will you?"

Obi-Wan shook his head.  "No funerals.  But the game is

over.  We're not chasing any more bounty hunters.  Granta

Omega will come to us."

Floria agreed grudgingly.  "I guess we'll cooperate.  I'm

tired of trying to outthink you, anyway.  Obviously, we're

outmatched.  Besides, I'm starting to like you.  And I bet

Dane is, too."

Dane groaned.  "Guilty.  Some bounty hunter we are.  We

befriend our  prey instead of betraying them.  Okay."  He

gazed seriously at Obi-Wan.  "If we do this, will you

protect us?"

Obi-Wan nodded.  "You have my word."

Slowly, Dane withdrew a comlink from a hidden pocket in his

cloak.  "It's only got one channel," he said.  "It's a

direct line to Omega."  Dane activated it and inputted a

code.

"We have the Jedi," he said.  "But lost our transport.  You

must come to us."

He listened for a moment, then shut off the comlink.  "He's

agreed to meet us.  He sounded surprised that Floria and I

were the ones to catch you.  Kind of insulting, actually.

But he's coming."  Dane looked at his sister.

"Unfortunately, he wants to meet us at the top of the

mountain."

Floria groaned.  "Not again."

"Don't worry," Obi-Wan said.  "We'll get up a faster way."

This time, they did not follow the trail.  They used the

cable launchers to vault straight up the cliffs.  From that

spot, they were able to hike above the tree line.  The air

was thin and cold here, and Obi-Wan and Anakin paused to don

their thermal capes.  The snow was ankle-deep on the trail.

"There's a good chance he'll be wary," Obi-Wan told Anakin.

"We must pretend to be Dan and Floria's prisoners until the

last possible moment.  I don't have to tell you that we need

to take Granta Omega alive.  Perhaps more important than

catching him will be finding out why and how he targeted

us."

Floria and Dane slipped laser cuffs over Anakin and Obi-

Wan's wrists but did not seal them.  It would appear that

the two were prisoners.  They marched ahead of Floria and

Dane.

"Wasn't it your idea to become bounty hunters?"  Floria

grumbled to her brother as she pushed her way through the

snow.  "Floria, we can see that galaxy.  Floria, it will be

fun.  Floria, it's an easy way to make a fortune -"

"Floria, you're driving me crazy," Dane interrupted.

"We're getting closer, you two," Obi-Wan warned from behind

them.  "Try to act like professionals.  We could be under

surveillance."

"Master, there is someone ahead," Anakin said under his

breath.

A humanoid male sat on top of ice-encrusted snow ahead.  He

was dressed all in white, and had blended in with the snow.

"It must be Hunti Pereg," Dane murmured to them.  "He's the

only bounty hunter left."

The stranger did not move as they approached.

"Greetings," Dane called.  "We are Dane and Floria, bounty

hunters.  We have caught the Jedi."

The man smiled pleasantly.  "I can see that.

Congratulations.  I am Hunti Pereg.  Bounty hunter as well."

Obi-Wan was poised for an assault.  Surely the fearsome

Hunti Pereg would not let two children take away his prize.

His face looked fierce and frightening.  It had the patched-

together of a recent application of synth-flesh, as though

he had been badly injured.

The scars of life as a bounty hunter, Obi-Wan thought.  It

bothered him to think of young Floria and Dane continuing

with such a life.  Despite their grumbling and their tricks,

they were not bad creatures.

And they are exactly the sort of beings Qui-Gon would have

befriended.  And I would not have understood why.  Now I do,

Qui-Gon.  Now, I do.

"Don't worry, kids" Pereg told them.  "I won't interfere

with your prize."

"I'm glad to see you abide by the rules of honor." Dane

said.

"It's not that," Pereg said, "I can't move my legs.  That

scoundrel son of a gravel-maggot Teleq shot me with a

paralyzing dart four hours ago.  So it looks like you've

won."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Floria asked

politely.  "It's awfully cold up here."

"Very kind of you to ask," Pereg said.  "after you collect

the reward, if you wouldn't mind sending a ship back for me,

I'd appreciate it.  Professional courtesy.  I'll make it

worth your while."

"Have you seen Granta Omega, by any chance?" Floria asked

him.

He shook his head.  "Sorry.  It's just been me and the

mountain."

They left Hunti Pereg behind and continued to the rendezvous

point.  They were almost at the top of the mountain now.

The sun had slid behind the peak, and the wind had picked

up.  A few snowflakes drifted down from a white sky.  Floria

wrapped her cloak tighter around her.

They stopped at the coordinates Granta had given them.  They

looked up at the sky, waiting to see a ship.  Dane got out a

tarp with thermal coils and spread it on the ground.  He and

Floria sat, trying to keep warm.  Obi-Wan and Anakin stood,

holding their arms so the laser cuffs were visible.  Obi-Wan

did not feel the cold.

The minutes ticked by.

"He isn't coming," Obi-Wan said at last.

"Do you think he knows it was a trick?" Anakin asked.

"There's no way to know," Obi-wan said.  "But a storm is

coming, and we need to find help for Wren.  We'll have to

track Omega after we get Wren to safety."

"How?" Anakin asked.  "we don't have a ship."

"We'll have to take another look at Teleq's," Obi-Wan

decided.

Floria stood.  "At least I can get off the mountain."

"Well, at least all the bounty hunters have been accounted

for," Anakin said.  "We don't have to worry about being

attacked."

They started back down the trail, their footsteps crunching

through the thin skin of ice into the densely packed snow."

Obi-Wan heard a slight whistling noise behind him.  A small

metal ball whizzed by his ear and caught the light as it

arced through the air.

"Hit the ground!" Obi-Wan shouted as he vaulted forward and

pulled Floria and Dane down underneath him.

Chapter Fourteen

The explosion sent a shower of snow high into the air.  Obi-

Wan lifted his head.  The thermal detonator had hit thirty

meters away.  That was close.  Detonators had a twenty-meter

radius of destruction.

Three Attack Droids headed toward them, gliding just above

the surface of the snow with repulsorlift engines.

There was no cover.  They could not avoid this battle, even

if they'd wanted to.  They would have to protect Floria and

Dane and foil their attacker.  He or she was fighting

wisely, attacking without advancing.

At this point, Obi-Wan was getting a little tired of bounty

hunters.

Obi-Wan put his hand on Dane's back.  "Stay down," he

ordered him swiftly.  "We will take care of this."

Dane nodded and covered Floria protectively with his own

body.

Anakin's lightsaber blazed in his hand.  Obi-Wan nodded and

they raced toward the advancing droids, swinging their

lightsabers to deflect the blaster bolts.  They had to be

careful.  A stray bolt hit Dane, who was out in the open.

Anakin leaped toward the first droid.  He cut it down in one

stroke.  Blaster bolts melted the snow around him, but

Anakin was already twisting in midair to get out of the way.

He landed in precisely the right spot to launch another

attack.

He had factored in the icy skin on top of the snow, but his

foot still slipped slightly.  Anakin took a moment to get

his balance.  He had forgotten about the thermal detonators.

Obi-Wan saw two balls whizzing toward Anakin.  There was no

time for him to reach the spot.  He reached down and scooped

up two large rocks.  He threw one with each hand.  Each rock

flew unerringly toward its target, hitting the thermal

detonators in midair, causing them to veer off course.  They

sailed by on either side of Anakin's head and fell twenty-

five meters away.  Too close.

Obi-Wan charged forward.  The remaining two droids were

trying to outflank the Jedi.  He fanned out and Anakin did

the same.  Then they ran toward each other, each targeting a

droid as they jumped, their lightsabers held high.  The

droids fell with a sizzle in two smoking piles into the

snow.

Obi-Wan could see their attacker now.  It was another bounty

hunter.  He was tall and lean and dressed in plastoid armor.

Two harnesses were slung crosswise around his body, filled

with a variety of weapons.  Attached to his belt were more

thermal detonators.

He flipped one toward the Jedi.  Obi-Wan and Anakin could

not deflect it with their lightsabers.  They would not be

able to get close enough.  They had exactly six seconds to

move out of the way.

Obi-wan reached for the cable line on his belt.  He lassoed

the detonator and jerked the line, sending it in the

opposite direction, back toward the attacker.  He saw the

attacker bare his teeth in an admiring smile at the Jedi's

skill even as he reached up to catch it in his bare hand.

Then he flung it backward, where it detonated harmlessly.

The attacker did not have to move.  His weapons could be

launched from a distance.  But Obi-Wan and Anakin had to

maneuver through thick snow to get to him.  Anakin had his

cable line out and was ready to lasso the next detonator.

Obi-Wan ran through the snow.  The wind had formed deep

drifts, and he had to use the Force to guide him.  He used

his lightsaber to melt the snow when it piled up against

him.

The detonators flew toward them furiously.  Occasionally

they could hit one with a rock or lasso one.  But mostly the

two Jedi had to outrun them.

Obi-Wan's legs were beginning to tire from struggling

against the snow.  He could hear the rasp of Anakin's

breath.  How long could they keep this up?  Obi-Wan

wondered.

Beside the attacker, Obi-Wan saw steam rising from the snow.

He caught a glint of water and realized it was a thermal

spring.

"Anakin, head right," he called to his Padawan.

They moved silently to the attacker's right.  Every time

they moved, they brought him closer to the spring.

Ten detonators left on his belt.  Obi-Wan took a chance and

leaped, ducking to avoid a detonator headed his way.  It

exploded and he felt shock ways against his skin.  He landed

on the snow awkwardly and slid down the slope toward his

attacker.

Anakin leaped in order to land in front of him, blocking his

descent.  Two detonators headed their way, and Obi-Wan

lassoed one and sent it crashing into the other.  The two

smoking orbs fell into the deep snow.

"The thermal pool," he said to Anakin.  "Drive him toward

it."

Anakin nodded.  He looked tired.  Obi-Wan was, too.  Yet he

knew that beyond their fatigue lay their stamina.

When they were close enough, Obi-Wan risked a leap straight

at their attacker.  He knew he would cause him to back up,

and the attacker did.  He slid on the  ice and fell back,

crashing into the spring.

The attacker slipped beneath the surface of the water, then

emerged, treading water.  He shook the hair out of his eyes

and gazes at Obi-Wan with a hostile look.

Obi-Wan stood at the edge.  He held out a hand.  "You have

about ten seconds."

"Yes."

The attacker knew the extreme heat would cause a fusion

reaction.  The thermal detonators would blow.

His eyes were a vivid color between silver and lilac.  There

was a scar on his upper lip.  His hair was long and tied

back with a silver cord.

"Come on,"  Obi-Wan said, keeping his hand steady.  We won't

hurt you."

"Not you, but another," the bounty hunter said.  "If I

return to him without you, he will kill me anyway.  I will

have an easier death this way.  You don't know his power.

It comes from the pyramid itself."

"You don't have to return to him," Obi-Wan said.

"Ah.  But he will find me."  The bounty hunter closed his

eyes.

Obi-Wan reached out over the water.  "You must give up!"

"I cannot," the bounty hunter replied, his eyes still

closed.  "And I must tell you this - neither will he."

Obi-Wan leaped into the pool.  But it was too late.  The

thermal detonators exploded.  Water rose and hit Obi-Wan in

the face.  He choked and slipped beneath the water, then

surfaced, struggling against the waves created by the

explosion.  Smoke rolled toward him.

The smoke cleared.  Deep below the clear surface of the

water, he saw the bounty hunter's body spiral down, down, to

a bottomless pool beneath.

Chapter Fifteen

Anakin hurried over to the thermal pool.  His Master had

hauled himself out and stood at the edge.  The steaming

water pooled at his feet, melting the snow.

Through the smoke and the steam, he could see the sadness on

his Master's face.  The Force was strong here.  His Master

was reaching out to it and gathering it around, as though

warming himself.  Obi-Wan's gaze was far away.

"Master?  Are you all right?"

"I am saying good-bye to a being I did not know," Obi-Wan

said softly.

The reverence in his tone surprised Anakin.  "He could have

killed you."

"Yet he did not.  There is always a need for grief when a

being dies, Padawan.  Qui-Gon taught me that."  Obi-Wan

looked down into the steaming pool.  "I saw someone take his

own life in a pool like this one.  It was Xanatos, Qui-Gon's

greatest enemy.  A being who hated Qui-Gon and who would

stop at nothing to destroy him.  Still, when he took his own

life, Qui-Gon stopped to mourn his life's passing.  I will

never forget it."

Anakin nodded, though he did not understand.  His greatest

enemy so far in his life had been a slave trafficker named

Krayn.  When he had died, Anakin had not paused to mourn.

Far from it.  He had rejoiced in his death.  It could only

be good for the galaxy that such a terrible being had ceased

to exist.

Something to meditate on in my next session, he thought.

I'll add it to the list.  The difference between Anakin's

thoughts and Obi-Wan's lessons was sometimes more than he

wanted to examine.  It was a struggle to reconcile them.

"Why do you think the bounty hunter did that?" he asked.

"That is the crucial question," Obi-wan said.  "He preferred

to end his life rather than meet his fate with Granta Omega.

That should tell us something."

"It tells us that Omega is very powerful," Anakin said.

"And very cruel."

"Yes, but there is more," Obi-Wan said, as though to

himself.

Anakin wanted to stamp his foot in frustration.  What?  What

are you thinking?  But Obi-Wan did not add to his statement.

He just looked wise and thoughtful, as usual.

"There must have been six bounty hunters, then," Anakin

said.  He counted them off on his fingers.  "the bounty

hunter with the Stokhli stick.  Floria and Dane together.

Mol Arcasite.   Teleq.  Hunti Pereg.  And now this one.

That makes six.  Floria and Dane were wrong."

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan said in the same thoughtful tone.

Annoyed, Anakin spun on his heel and trudged off to find

Floria and Dane.  They had gone off the trail and had hiked

up a small rise, where a space cruiser was nestled in a

small hollow.

"We have to get off-planet," Floria said excitedly.  "This

must be his ship."

Anakin nodded.  "Who was he?  Do you know?"

Dane shook his head.  "We were positive there were only four

other bounty hunters.  It was important for all of us to

know exactly how many bounty hunters were involved.  We all

insisted on that.  If Granta Omega had lied to us, we

wouldn't have been happy.  Even Omega wouldn't want beings

like Hunti Pereg and Mol Arcasite as enemies."

Obi-Wan walked up.  "It's time to leave Ragoon-6."

"The best word I ever heard," Floria said with a shiver.

Night was falling.  Blue shadows smudged the snow.

Anakin swung himself aboard the cruiser.  He searched the

cockpit, then motioned to Obi-Wan.

"Master, I found something strange.  This cruise belongs to

-"

"Hunti Pereg," Obi-Wan finished.

"Yes," Anakin said.  "But why is it up here, at the peak?

Why isn't it the last bounty hunter's ship?"

"It is the last bounty hunter's ship," Obi-Wan said.  "That

bounty hunter was Hunti Pereg.  I am sure of it."

Anakin looked at him, puzzled.  "Then who was the bounty

hunter with the paralyzed legs?"

"It was not a bounty hunter.  It was Granta Omega," Obi-Wan

said softly.

Anakin was stunned .  "How do you know?"

"Floria and Dane never met him, so they would not recognize

him," Obi-Wan said.  "Even so, he was in disguise.  That

synth-flesh I took for repair of an injury was designed to

conceal his face.  I realize that now.  He does not want us

to know what he looks like because he plans to meet us

again."

"So he wasn't really paralyzed," Anakin said.

"No," Obi-Wan said.  "that was also a ruse.  He somehow knew

that Floria and Dane had lied to him.  He knew they were

trying to trap him.  So he came down to see for himself.  He

needed to be sure.  When he saw us, he was."

"But how would he know>  We were wearing laser cuffs."

"Young Padawan, if I can teach you only one thing, it is

this:  Never underestimate an enemy.  Or a friend.  Now tell

me.  What did you think of the man you saw?"

Anakin thought back to the amiable bounty hunter with the

paralyzed legs.  "Not much," he said.  "I mean, I didn't get

much of a feeling from him one way or the other.  I got no

sense of the dark side.  Or the living Force, either, for

that matter."

"Exactly,"  Obi-Wan said.  "I have been thinking the same.

There are beings that Jedi call voids.  At first sight they

seem to give off no real energy, rather like a hologram.

But only beings with great power can project a simple blank

to a Jedi.  Sometime a void can be much more dangerous than

a person who pulses with the dark side of the Force.  They

are clever and Focused enough to hide their dark side, and

hide it so well they can even hide it from a Jedi for a

time."

"I didn't think Jedi could be tricked that way,"  Anakin

said.

"Jedi can be tricked, my young Padawan," Obi-Wan said.

"they can be wrong.  They can make mistakes.  Do not forget

that.  We try to minimize those things by following our

feelings and connecting to the Force.  Yet we are not

infallible.  Now we must return to pick up Wren.  Night is

coming."

Obi-Wan beckoned to Floria and Dane, and the two started up

the landing ramp.  "Do you remember any details of Hunti

Pereg?" Obi-Wan asked them.  "What he looked like, or what

he was wearing?"

"He was wearing white," Floria said.  "I remember that.  And

he was tall."

"He wasn't very tall,"  Dane said.  "But his face was very

strange."

"Strange in what way?" Obi-Wan asked.

Dane frowned.  "I can't remember."

"He had dark hair," Floria said.

"No, he had no hair at all," Dane said impatiently.

Brother and sister moved to sit down, still arguing.  Anakin

fired the engines, and the cruiser rose from the spot.  He

used the repulsorlift engines for planetary travel and

cruised down the mountain.

He knew his Master was troubled.  He could sense it.  He was

tired of comparing his Master-Padawan relationship with Obi-

Wan and Qui-Gon's.  He would always come up short.  But was

it fair for him to be angry at Obi-Wan because of that?

Ahead lay the snowy plain where they had first seen Granta

Omega.  No one was there.

"How could he have gone?" Dane asked, peering out the

viewscreen.  "The paralyzing dart couldn't have worn off so

quickly."

Obi-Wan and Anakin did not answer.  It was better that Dane

and Floria still think the man had been Hunti Pereg.  Anakin

slowed his speed and cruised over the plain.  Within moments

he had found what he was looking for.  Below they could see

evidence that a small cruiser had landed.  Melted snow and

scorch marks showed where the craft had taken off.

"Please land here for a moment Padawan," Obi-wan said.  "I

would like to examine the area."

Anakin set the craft down on the snow.  He activated the

landing ramp and Obi-Wan hurried down it.

Anakin stayed in the pilot's seat, watching Obi-Wan explore

the landing site.  Once again, he had been left behind.

Chapter Sixteen

Obi-Wan was disturbed.  He felt queasy, almost dizzy.  He

searched through the snow, but he didn't know what he was

looking for.

You don't know his power.  It comes from the pyramid itself.

Obi-wan had felt cold ever since hearing those words.  The

pyramid was a shape revered by the Sith.

The queasy feeling grew stronger.  He remembered it well.

He had felt it in the presence of the Sith Holocron..  On

that mission, he had been described by the Holocron's power.

He had worried about Anakin's reaction to it.  He did not

want his Padwan to know what he suspected.

As if guided by his own unease, Obi-Wan reached down through

the snow and put his hand on a small object.  He pulled it

out of the snow.  It was a small black case.

He examined it, swallowing against the nausea that rose in

his throat.  There was no opening he could see, no seams.

It simply appeared to be a cube.

He unsheathed his lightsaber and carefully cut a small seam

in the cube.  The case broke open.  A small black pyramid

was nestled in black shimmersilk.  It blazed to life and he

saw it was  holoprojector.

Unspeakable scenes flashed out at him, so quickly he could

not absorb them.  Murder.  Suffering.  Destruction.

Obi-Wan shut the case.  He wiped the sweat on his brow.  No,

his Padawan must not see this.

"Master?"

Anakin had left the ship.  He stood uncertainly a few meters

away.  "Did you find something?"

"It's nothing."  Obi-Wan tucked the case inside his cloak.

"We can take it back to the Temple for examination.  Come,

Padawan."

But Anakin did not move.  "I need to know what you found.

Don't you think I can feel it, too?"

He saw the sweat on Anakin's forehead, saw the slight tremor

in his knees.

He could dismiss him.  He could say, You do not need to

know.

Would Qui-Gon have told him?  Perhaps not.  His Master

reveled things in his own time.

Anakin met his gaze boldly.  He would not back down.  Obi-

Wan saw that clearly.  He would not allow the moment to

pass.  He would grab on to it, extend it, bend it to his

will.  He would do anything to obtain what he wanted.

He is so different from me, Obi-Wan thought again, bemused.

If he is so different from you, why do you treat him as

though he is a younger version of you?  Why do you act as

you think Qui-Gon would have acted with you as his Padawan?

The question startled him.  What was especially surprising

was that he did not hear Qui-Gon's voice asking the

question.  He heard his own.

Maybe it was time he stopped trying to be the Master Qui-Gon

was.  It was time to claim the role for himself.

"It is a Sith artifact.," he told Anakin.

His Padawan swallowed.  "I thought so."

"The bounty hunter mentioned a pyramid before he died.  He

said the Granta Omega drew his power from it.  If the Sith

are involved, or a Sith cult, that would explain much.  The

ruthlessness and cunning of the attack.  The use of bounty

hunters.  The specific target of Jedi."

"Do you think Granta Omega is a Sith?'

"No," Obi-Wan said, "If he were, we would have known it.  I

think he is an ordinary being with a gift for concealment on

a very deep level.  He could have dealings with a Sith, or a

Sith cult.  But he himself is not a Dark Lord.  I think he

wanted us to find this case.  He wants us to know exactly

how dangerous he is, and how far he is willing to go."

Obi-Wan gazed down the mountain and took in the lowering

sky.  Clouds rumbled, and snow suddenly began to fall, thick

and fast.

"We have a new enemy, Padawan."

Chapter Seventeen

Anakin put his hand on his lightsaber hilt.  "I am ready,

Master."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at him.  "ready for what?"

"To go after Granta Omega."  Anakin swallowed against the

acid in his throat.  The power of the Sith case was fading.

He could face whatever Granta Omega would throw at them.

"We're not going after Omega," Obi-wan said.  "He's long

gone.  We'd never be able to track him through the galaxy."

"Never?  One should not use absolute statements," Anakin

said.  One corner of his mouth twitched, a sure sign he was

trying not to grin.

"It would be extremely difficult, then," Obi-Wan amended

with a small smile.  "And we have a wounded Jedi to see to.

Have you forgotten that, Padawan?"

"We could drop Wren off at the Temple and retrace our

steps," Anakin said.  "We can't just let Omega go!"

"That's exactly what we can do," Obi-Wan said firmly.  "Do

not chase trouble, Padawan.  There are not many guarantees

in the galaxy, but I guarantee you this:  Trouble will find

you."

Anakin pressed his lips together.  He did not agree with his

Master's decision.  They had stumbled on a powerful evil.

Was it right to let it slip through their fingers?  It

wasn't like Obi-Wan to turn away from danger.

Unless he fears I cannot handle it.

Another doubt.  They were crowding his mind on this planet.

Was this the true purpose of the training exercise?

Obi-Wan knew how unnerved Anakin had been during their

encounter with the Holocron.  Perhaps he was afraid that

Anakin would not be able to handle another mission dealing

with the Sith or Sith followers so soon.  He had almost not

told Anakin what he had found.  Anakin has seen that.  Even

though they had not encountered a Sith since the mission to

Naboo, Anakin had been rocked by the dark evil of the Sith

just being near the order's artifacts.

He is always trying to protect me.  He does not trust me.

What is the good of this exercise if Obi-Wan still doesn't

have faith in me?

The thoughts crashed against his skull.  Anakin tried to

quiet them, to find the clarity and peace that Obi-Wan

seemed to carry with him so easily, like a tool on his

utility belt.

Obi-Wan slid the case into his cloak.  "We will bring this

back to the Temple and deposit it with the Sith Holocron.

That will keep it safe.  Now, let us return to Coruscant."

Wren was weakened but already beginning to recover when they

returned to him.  He was able to walk to the cruiser.  They

settled him inside and Obi-Wan administered more bacta.

"We'll be in Coruscant by morning," he told him.

Wren gave him a wan smile.  "I will be glad to see the

Temple.  This exercise did not go as I expected."

"Yes, you must be surprised," Anakin agreed with a straight

face.  "After all, I found you on the first day, just as I

promised."

"I hardly think it counts,"  Wren said, drawing the blanket

around his shoulder huffily.

"I don't see why not," Anakin said, flashing Obi-Wan a quick

grin.

Obi-Wan grinned back.  "I think we should let Wren rest.

Maybe you should concentrate on piloting the ship."

They picked up the body of the Tursha and shot out of the

sparkling green-blue atmosphere of Ragoon.  The trip to

Coruscant went quickly.  Anakin admired the bounty hunter's

sleek, fast ship.

"These sublight engines are tweaked," he said as he eased

into a shipping lane on Coruscant t dawn.  "Any chance we

can confiscate this ship for the Temple?"  He gave a quick

glance at Obi-Wan.  "okay, okay.  I know.  We have to turn

it over to the Senate ."

"We have to turn in Floria and Dane, too," Obi-Wan said

softly.

"What?" Floria had come up behind them.  Her mouth was open

and her cheeks were pink.

"You broke any number of galactic laws," Obi-Wan said.  "You

tried to kidnap two Jedi.  You sabotaged a cruiser.  You-"

"But we helped you!" Floria protested.

"You didn't have much choice," Obi-Wan pointed out.  "Don't

worry, I'm sure the security authorities won't detain you

for long.  They will try to place you with a family for

rehabilitation."

Dane jackknifed to his feet.  "Rehabilitation?  Into what?"

"You will have  normal life," Obi-Wan said.  "A roof over

your head, schooling, a chance for a profession -"

"We are past wanting any of that," Dane said.  "We have been

on our on too long."

"What about your sister?" Obi-Wan asked.  "Are you so sure

it would not be better for her?"

Dane hesitated.

"Hey, I'm standing right here," Floria said.  "And I want

what Dane wants.  He knows what's best.  Not you."

"I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter," Obi-Wan said

firmly.

They paused long enough to leave Wren at the Temple.  They

had called ahead so that a med team was waiting to remove

him from the craft.  Another Jedi came and carefully took

the Sith case from Obi-Wan.

"Please inform Yoda that I will report to him shortly," Obi-

Wan told him.

Obi-Wan directed Anakin to pilot the ship directly to

security headquarters.  There, they left Floria and Dane in

the hands of a young security officer and left the body of

the Tursha along with the scant information they had about

him.

Floria leaned closer to the officer.  "I'm glad to leave

this life behind" she confided, her blue eyes very wide.

"My brother and I regret the life we've led.  We want to

start over.  Our dead parents would want it that way."  Her

eyes filled with tears.

Anakin rolled his eyes as the security officer led them off.

"This time I can tell when Floria is lying," he said.  "I

think I've learned my lesson about pretty young girls with

wounded eyes."

Obi-Wan smiled.  "Floria and Dan will talk themselves out of

detention, I am sure."

"So they will be on the loose again."  Anakin shook his

head.  "They are too young for that life.  Isn't there

anything we can do?"

"No, Padawan.  It is not our mission to save them.  Beings

take their own paths, and sadly there is little one can do

to change that."  Obi-Wan stood.  "Come, let's leave the

cruiser here for a moment.  I want to see a friend nearby."

As they walked, Anakin marveled at Obi-Wan's detachment.  He

felt vaguely unsatisfied from the mission-that-wasn't-a-

mission.  They hadn't found the mastermind behind the attack

on them.  A Jedi had bee wounded and had almost been killed.

And as for the training exercise, in Anakin's mind it had

been a complete failure.  It had not strengthened the bonds

of trust between them.  It had done just the opposite.  It

had brought up questions Anakin did not want to ponder.  It

had made him question the bond itself.

Obi-Wan indicated a caf© ahead.  "This used to be Didi's

Caf©."

"I remember Didi and Astri," Anakin said.  "Did something

happen to them?"

"Astri married a homesteader on the Outer Rim," Obi-Wan

said.  "She and Didi sold the caf© to Dexter Jettster and

moved out there.  I'll miss them.  Didi introduced me to

Dexter before he left.  The first time I met him I didn't

trust him, and now that I've met him a few more times I

still don't trust him."  Obi-Wan flashed a rare grin.  "All

I can say is that Dex is a character.  Come and meet him."

Obi-Wan threaded through tables crowded with being from all

over the galaxy.  He waves at Dexter, a large four-armed and

formidable presence behind the bar.

"Well, id it isn't Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Glad to see you make an

appearance," Dexter boomed.  "I was hoping you'd still come

even though Didi is gone.  Naturally I will give you the

same treatment." Dexter grinned hugely.  "Except for the

discount, of course!"

Obi-Wan laughed and pushed over a few credits.  "This is my

Padawan Learner, Anakin Skywalker.  Some juma juice for the

two of us.  And some information."

Dexter deftly poured the bight yellow juice into two

glasses.  "Sure.  If I have it."

"Have you heard of someone called Granta Omega?" Obi-Wan

asked, pushing the juice toward Anakin.

Dexter frowned.  "No.  The name isn't familiar.  I'll ask

around, if you like."

"Thanks."  Obi-Wan took a sip of the juice as he turned to

Anakin.  "It was worth a shot.  Dexter might have

information for us one day.  Then we will track Omega."

"And until then?" Anakin asked.  He felt a little better.

At least Obi-Wan was thinking of going after Omega at some

point.

Obi-Wan pointed at Anakin's glass.  "Until then, drink your

juice."  Obi-Wan waited until Anakin had taken a sip.  "I

owe you an apology, Padawan."

Anakin tore his gaze away from two odd species playing

sabaac in a corner.  "From what, Master?"

"You said I never share my thoughts.  Instead of answering,

I corrected you."  Obi-Wan stared down into his juice.  "It

is not easy for me to share my thoughts, or my feelings.

And sometimes it is necessary that  I do not.  When I was

your age, I felt the same as you do.  I thought Master and

Padawan had to share everything."

"Don't they?'

"No," Obi-Wan said.  "There are times when you do not need

to know what I am thinking.  You must trust that I know

best."

Anakin shook his head.  "That's hard for me.  I want to know

everything."

"That is a quality I treasure in you," Obi-Wan said.  "But

it is also a quality that you must learn to control."  He

gave Anakin a significant look.  "There are things you keep

from me, too"

"Not so!" Anakin protested.

Midnight raids on the junk heaps below the surface of

Coruscant . . . a plan to build your own power converter . .

. "

Anakin grinned.  "caught."  He was starting to feel better.

He had worried that Obi-Wan did not have room for him in his

heart.  But Shmi's smile rose in Anakin's mind.  Hearts have

infinite room, my son.

It was one of her favorite sayings.  Anakin sighed.  He

wished he could combine Obi-Wan's cool judgement with his

mother's goodness.  Someday.  Maybe his Master would trust

him enough to let him tangle again with the Sith.

Perhaps he would never have a Master-Padawan relationship as

deep and trusting as Obi-Wan had with Qui-Gon.  Perhaps Obi-

Wan kept his as a Padawan in order to fulfill a dying wish.

But maybe it didn't matter how it happened.

He should not focus on what he didn't have.  He had this.

This was his.  And that was something.  He would work hard.

He would be a great Padawan.  And Obi-Wan would come to love

him.  He would make him do so.

"I think I know what you're thinking," Obi-Wan said, noting

Anakin's sigh.  "It was not the training mission I thought

it would be, either.  I thought I had things to teach you.

Instead, you taught me."

"I taught you?"  Anakin was surprised.  "What?"

"That I am not Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan said. "And you are not me.

Simple as that."

"Simple is sometimes best," Anakin said, repeating Obi-Wan's

words.

"We are on a journey together, Padawan."  Obi-Wan clicked

his glass lightly against Anakin's.  "We will forge our own

path.  Let us drink to that."

Across Dexter's caf©, someone watched the two Jedi.  Someone

with cool eyes behind dark-lensed goggles.  Someone who had

recently removed synth-flesh that had knitted into his skin,

leaving his skin raw.  But no one looked twice at anyone

else in Dexter's caf©.  It was too dangerous and could

provoke violence.

Go ahead, enjoy your drinks and your smiles, Jedi.  You

escaped for now.  Yet I am not angry.  I am only amused.  It

only gives me more time to play with you.  You met me once,

but you won't recognize me next time.  You'll look, but you

won't see.  You think I left that case behind by accident?

I don't make mistakes.  I enjoy opportunities.  And I make

my own.

In other words, Jedi - we'll meet again soon.