Star Wars

Jedi Apprentice

#9

The Fight for Truth

by Jude Watson

The darkness was total. Not even a hint of light penetrated  the  hood.
Sound was muffled. Obi-Wan Kenobi balanced on his feet, kept his  lightsaber
in a defensive position, and concentrated. Without sight or clear sound,  he
had to rely completely on the Force.

He moved to the left, whirled,  and  struck  with  his  lightsaber.  It
slashed through empty air. Yet he knew he'd been close.

Off to his right, he heard a buzzing sound, and the  clatter  of  metal
hitting the floor.

"Point, Siri," Obi-Wan's Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, said quietly.

Obi-Wan felt a trickle of sweat move down his neck. The  hood  was  hot
from his warm breath. He gripped his lightsaber harder. His opponent in this
training exercise  was  Siri,  another  Jedi  apprentice.  She  had  already
destroyed two seeker droids. He hadn't felled one.

"Remember your purpose, Obi-Wan."

He heard Qui-Gon's steady counsel. Even though Qui-Gon couldn't see his
Padawan's face, he knew that Obi-Wan had lost his focus. The purpose of  the
exercise, Obi-Wan knew, was cooperation. It did not matter how  many  seeker
droids he destroyed or how many were taken  down  by  Siri.  They  would  be
judged on how they worked together. They would have  to  read  each  other's
intentions through movement, instinct, and the Force. They would have to  be
generous, reaching out to each other to reveal their intentions.

But how could he reach out to someone who fought only for herself?

Siri focused on the enemy and  ignored  Obi-Wan.  A  skilled,  graceful
fighter, she was single-minded in her purpose. Every particle of  her  being
was focused on victory. It made her one of the best lightsaber  fighters  in
the Temple. Even though she was eleven - two years younger  than  Obi-Wan  -
she had fought in his classes.

Faintly, he heard Siri's soft footsteps behind him, and heard her  foot
slide as she lunged. Another buzz, another clatter of metal.

"Good footwork, Siri," Adi Gallia called.

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth. Adi had only  recently  taken  Siri  as  her
Padawan. She had chosen Siri because of the  girl's  extraordinary  promise.
Now Siri was proving her value, showing up  a  more  experienced  Padawan  -
Obi-Wan.

Frustration  and  irritation  surged  inside  him,  driving   out   his
connection to the Force. Obi-Wan listened intently for the  slight  stir  in
the air that the seeker droid caused. He heard the  sound,  whirled  to  his
left, and collided with Siri.

"Opposite corners," Adi rapped out. "Begin again."

Obi-Wan moved back to his corner. He rubbed his palm along  his  tunic.
His hands were perspiring, and his lightsaber almost  slipped.  Dropping  it
while fighting alongside Siri would be humiliating.

He wished he had Qui-Gon's patience. He still had so much to learn. Try
as he might, he could not penetrate Siri's devotion to the exercise. It  was
her battle, her challenge. There was no room for him.

They started forward again. Obi-Wan moved slowly, reaching out  to  the
Force to tell him where the seeker droids  were  flying.  He  heard  another
clang as a seeker droid hit the floor.

"Trust your partner as well as the Force," Adi called. "Aggression  and
competitiveness have no place in this exercise."

Obi-Wan felt Siri move slightly nearer to him.

Yet he still felt nothing from her. Another seeker droid hit the floor,
and Obi-Wan's irritation crested and drove out his caution. He reached  out,
ignoring Siri.

Buzz, clang! A seeker droid hit the floor as he dropped to one knee and
made a horizontal sweep. He rolled to his left, then  swung  upward.  Clang!
Another droid hit the floor. Why should he wait for Siri's cooperation while
she destroyed all the droids herself? He would look like a fool.

Obi-Wan twisted, lunged, and attacked again. He heard Siri's  breathing
and the whisper of her quick footwork as she did the same.  Within  minutes,
the two of them had destroyed every seeker droid in the room.

Obi-Wan felt a glow of satisfaction as he removed his  hood.  They  had
defeated their opponents in record time. Siri threw back her hood and pushed
her  golden  hair  behind  her  ears.  Her  vivid  blue  eyes  blazed   with
satisfaction. They bowed to each other, then turned to face their Masters.

"You have both failed the exercise," Qui-Gon said sternly.

Adi rose, her garments rustling. Her tall stature and  air  of  command
made her an intimidating figure. She drew Siri aside and began to

speak to her in a low tone. Qui-Gon tossed a towel to Obi-Wan  so  that
he could wipe the perspiration off his forehead.

"I know you can fight," Qui-Gon told him. "You've  proven  yourself  in
battle after battle. That was not the point of the exercise, Padawan."

"I know," Obi-Wan admitted. "But she -"

Qui-Gon didn't wait for him to finish. "Siri has her own strengths  and
weaknesses. That was for you to discover. You merge with the strength, cover
the weakness. Together, the two of you are stronger."

"Siri did no better than I did,"  Obi-Wan  said.  He  knew  he  sounded
sulky, but he couldn't help himself. It was Siri who had changed  the  rules
of the exercise.

"Siri is not my Padawan," Qui-Gon said sternly.  "We  are  speaking  of
you. Remember, Obi-Wan, the fear of looking like a fool is never a reason to
do something. Or not do it. It is a fear born in weakness."

Obi-Wan nodded. He knew better than to continue to  challenge  Qui-Gon.
At least they would soon be  leaving.  He  would  not  have  to  repeat  the
exercise with Siri. Yoda had informed them that he was  sending  them  on  a
mission.

Just then Yoda entered the training room. He tucked  his  hands  inside
his robe, waiting for them to face him.

"A summons we have received," he  said.  "Parents  have  contacted  the
Jedi. Think they do that their child might be  Force-sensitive.  Kegan,  the
planet is. Are you familiar with this world?"

He asked the question of Qui-Gon and Adi. Both Jedi Masters shook their
heads. Obi-Wan  was  surprised.  Between  the  two,  they  had  traveled  an
extensive amount.

"Remote Kegan is," Yoda said. "A one-planet system orbiting one sun. It
is an Outer Rim planet, cut off from the galaxy. Trade agreements,  they  do
not have. Travel to other worlds, they do not do.  Outsiders,  they  do  not
welcome. No one has landed on the planet in thirty years."

"That is very unusual," Qui-Gon observed.

Yoda blinked. He had lived long and seen much. There was not much  that
could surprise him.

"A good sign this request may be," he said. "Think we do that by taking
this step Kegan means to open up  relations  with  the  Inner  Core  worlds.
Welcomes this, the Galactic Senate does. Relations  between  worlds  fosters
peace. So two parts, your mission has. Open relations with  Kegan  we  must.
Determine the child's potential we must as  well.  A  planet  that  isolates
itself can be filled with  suspicion  and  fear.  Diplomatic  you  must  be.
Disruption you must not allow."

Yoda looked at Adi and Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan was confused.  Was  he  sending
the two Jedi Masters instead of a Master-Padawan team?

"Two teams we have decided to send," Yoda said.

"You mean all of us?" Obi-Wan blurted in dismay.

Yoda ignored his tone. "Cooperate you must to complete the mission."

Cooperate with Siri? Obi-Wan wanted to cry. He'd  need  more  than  the
Force to accomplish that!

Why two teams? Obi-Wan wondered as Adi piloted their craft  toward  the
surface of Kegan. The mission to identify a Force-sensitive child was fairly
routine.

Did it mean that the Council was still looking over his shoulder?

After he had left the Jedi for a short time, Obi-Wan had  been  put  on
probation. He had used the time to deepen his study of the  Jedi  path.  The
probation had been lifted,  and  he  was  once  again  an  official  Padawan
learner. But did the Council still withhold their trust?

Over the past months, the process of repairing his ties with his Master
had been satisfying for both of them.  They  had  spent  much  time  at  the
Temple, and also had roamed the galaxy together, observing other worlds  and
customs and helping when they could. Their bond had grown stronger.

Had the Council not seen this? Why were they paired with Adi and Siri?

"Landing in three minutes," Adi announced, breaking into his thoughts.

Obi-Wan stole a glance at Siri. Her face was passive as she gazed  over
the countryside below. She looked  completely  calm,  but  perhaps  she  hid
nervousness well. Obi-Wan remembered how anxious he'd felt before his  first
mission. It was a new experience to leave the Temple and be thrust into  the
sometimes rough and violent galaxy. Obi-Wan leaned closer.

"Landing on a planet for the first time can be confusing," he told her.
"There's usually so much to see that it's hard to focus. But  in  the  first
few minutes you can learn many things."

She didn't turn, but kept her eyes on the approaching landing platform.
"I never lose my focus, Obi-Wan. Or my commitment."

The words felt like  a  slap.  Obi-Wan  leaned  back  again,  his  face
flushed. Siri had been furious with him for leaving the Jedi path.  She  had
accused him of undermining the commitment of all Padawans by  his  decision.
She implied that her commitment to the Jedi was stronger than his.

It wasn't fair. He had taken one misstep. His Master  and  the  Council
had forgiven him. Why couldn't she?

The craft slowly lowered onto the landing platform. Obi-Wan saw a group
waiting for them. Both the men and women wore tunics similar to the Jedis'.

Adi activated the ramp, and they disembarked. A man and a woman stepped
forward immediately to greet them.

"Welcome, Jedi visitors," the woman said in a pleasant tone. She was of
middle years, with a broad face and curly gray hair that  framed  her  ruddy
cheeks in a frothy cloud. "We are the Hospitality Guides, here to  introduce
you to our world and make sure you're comfortable. I am 0-Rina and  this  is
V-Haad."

Her companion smiled and bowed. He was tall and balding, with warm dark
eyes.

The Jedi bowed in return, and Qui-Gon introduced them. "We were  called
here by two of your citizens."

The younger couple stepped forward. "I am V-Nen and  this  is  my  wife
O-Melie," the man said. "We are the parents of O-Lana."

The woman's eyes studied them, then looked down. She seemed nervous, as
did  her  husband.  No  doubt  they  were  worried  about  the   approaching
examination of their child.

"The child is at their dwelling," V-Haad said. "We will  transport  you
there. Please follow."

The Jedi followed the Guides and  the  parents  to  a  battered-looking
landspeeder. Obi-Wan had never seen such an old model in use. He wondered if
it would be able to start.

The repulsorlift engine fired up with a worrisome clatter, but  it  ran
perfectly. As they sped  over  the  rugged  ground,  Obi-Wan  looked  around
curiously. They were traveling along one central unpaved  road  that  curved
around a low wall. Inside the wall were domed structures.  The  landspeeders
parked outside looked as ancient and battered as the one  they  were  riding
in.

"There is but one city on Kegan, and we are all  its  keepers,"  0-Rina
shouted over the noise of the engine. "The rest of the planet  is  used  for
food and animal cultivation. There are large areas of  open  space.  We  are
passing the Tech Circle right now. Kegan is divided into  circles  for  each
area of work. The Tech Circle leads into  the  Communication  Circle,  which
leads to the Study Circle, which leads to the Garden Circle, and so on. They
all ring the Gathering Circle, where we hold meetings. We are heading now to
the Dwelling Circle."

A shadow passed over them, and Obi-Wan looked up.  A  skyhopper  zoomed
overhead, an old model he wasn't familiar with.

"Perhaps you are amazed that our transports are still running,"  V-Haad
said to him with a chuckle. "Here on Kegan we do not destroy, we reuse.  Our
Tech Circle is expert at keeping old technology functional. We have no  need
for the newest models."

"Do you have currency here?" Adi Gallia asked in an interested way.

V-Haad shook his head. "We are a barter economy. Everything belongs  to
the General Good. We may give up great riches here, but we have no crime.  I
would rather live peacefully and safely than with worry on my shoulders."

"It seems a good philosophy," Qui-Gon agreed. "Do you have a system  of
government?"

"We have Benevolent Guides, V-Tan and 0-Vieve," O-Rina said. "They were
the first to devise a new way to live here on Kegan. They have  an  Advising
Circle, but they  guide  rather  than  rule.  We  are  all  given  a  voice.
Everything is adjusted for the General Good."

Obi-Wan had to admit that the system seemed to  work  on  the  surface.
Perhaps because Kegan was a tiny planet with a small population, it  managed
to avoid the strife of other worlds. As they sped by,  people  lifted  their
heads from their tasks to wave and smile. They all seemed busy and happy.

Still, he noticed something strange. "I don't  see  any  children,"  he
said to the Guides.

"Children are precious here,"  O-Rina  told  him.  "Education  is  very
important. They are sent to school at an early age to learn and explore. Ah,
here is the Dwelling Circle."

V-Haad piloted the craft through a break in the wall and guided it to a
penned enclosure where a few battered landspeeders were parked. They  walked
toward one of the many domed buildings that curved  around  the  core  in  a
spiral. Each building was connected to the next.

V-Nen opened the door and stood aside to let them in.  The  small  room
was furnished simply but comfortably, with  low  benches  piled  with  thick
cushions.

Qui-Gon turned to V-Haad and O-Rina. "Thank you for bringing  us  here.
We would like to examine the child alone with the parents."

"Oh, of course, we understand your procedures," V-Haad said.

"But we cannot follow them,  so  sorry  to  say  this,"  O-Rina  added.
"0-Melie and V-Nen have asked us to stay. They are nervous with outsiders."

Qui-Gon looked at the parents kindly. "There is nothing to  be  nervous
about. We will simply tell you if your child is Force-sensitive. If so, we

will explain what that means and what can be done, should you wish it."

V-Nen and O-Melie exchanged glances. O-Melie swallowed.  "We  wish  for
the Hospitality Guides to stay."

V-Haad and O-Rina smiled. "You  see?  You  must  not  think  of  us  as
outsiders in this house," O-Rina rushed to assure them, "Everyone  on  Kegan
is part of the same family. This is true, 0-Melie?"

"Yes," O-Melie said.

Suddenly, 0-Rina and V-Haad's smiles seemed fixed to  their  faces,  as
though what was inside did not match their friendliness. A small trickle  of
warning snaked through Obi-Wan. He had learned to trust that feeling.

Something was wrong here. Things were not what  they  appeared  to  be.
V-Haad and O-Rina had seemed to welcome them, but Obi-Wan had a feeling they
were not happy the Jedi were here. Not at all.

Qui-Gon didn't trust V-Haad and 0-Rina from the  start.  Despite  their
wide smiles, they gave off a sense of unease that he could not attribute  to
being unused to strangers. And why were there Hospitality  Guides  when  the
planet allowed no visitors?

He nodded at them anyway, meeting their friendliness with his own.  "Of
course you may remain if V-Nen and O-Melie wish it," he said.

"There are exceptions to every rule," Adi said graciously. She, too, no
doubt knew that it was better not to aggravate the situation by insisting.

"I'll get 0-Lana," O-Melie said shortly. "A neighbor is watching  her."
She hurried from the room.

She returned in a moment with a small bundle in her arms. The child was
close to a year old. She looked up at Qui-Gon  with  a  bright,  inquisitive
gaze. He held out a finger. She grabbed it, then pulled it to her mouth  and
gnawed on it gently.

"Ah,"  Qui-Gon  said.  "I  see."  He  studied  her  for  some  minutes,
evaluating her reactions and expressions. Finally, he gave a short nod.

"You've reached your conclusion so soon?" 0-Rina  asked,  her  smile  a
little tight.

"Yes, I have," Qui-Gon answered. "She is definitely hungry."

0-Melie and V-Nen broke into relieved smiles.

"0-Yani can feed her," O-Rina suggested. "That way we can all talk."

"0-Yani  is  the  child  caregiver  for  this  dwelling  quad,"  V-Haad
explained to the Jedi. "There is one for each quad in each  dwelling  circle
so that parents may still work  or  have  time  for  themselves.  Our  child
caregivers are the wisest and best among us."

0-Melie took the baby from Qui-Gon's arms.  She  disappeared  into  the
other room.

With only a quick glance at Adi, Qui-Gon  knew  that  his  fellow  Jedi
Master had also picked up what he had: O-Lana was Force-sensitive.  But  how
deep the Force ran was something they needed more time to discover.

"Let us sit down," Adi suggested. "While the

child is feeding, we can explain more about why we have come so far  to
see her."

0-Melie and V-Nen sat down on a cushioned bench opposite from the Jedi.
V-Haad sat on one side of them, O-Rina sat on the other. As though they  are
guarding them, Qui-Gon thought.

"If O-Lana is strong in the Force, her powers will become more apparent
as she grows," Qui-Gon began. "These powers should be nurtured and directed.
When they are not, the child can become confused and frightened."

V-Nen and 0-Melie leaned closer, their eyes on the Jedi.

"No one is frightened on Kegan," O-Rina said firmly.

"The General Good is strong. O-Lana  will  be  supported  by  us  all,"
V-Haad added.

Adi  spoke  up.  "The  Temple  on  Coruscant  is  a   place   where   a
Force-sensitive child can learn not only how to control her gift, but how to
let it guide her and connect her to all things."

V-Haad  nodded,  smiling.  "Excellent!  The  Jedi  Order  sounds   very
wonderful indeed. We have Guides here that show us how to connect."

Adi stirred impatiently. Qui-Gon quickly stepped in.

"If O-Lana is a special child -"

"Ah, here I  must  interrupt  you,"  O-Rina  said,  her  smile  beaming
gracious friendship at Qui-Gon. "O-Lana is special, yes - but only  as  each
Keganite is special. V-Tan and 0-Vieve have taught us  all  that  the  Guide
Within is powerful in each of us. No one is any better than another."

"We are not saying that O-Lana is better," Adi said. Qui-Gon could hear
the impatience she was struggling to control. "We are saying that the  Force
will set her apart. The Jedi path will show her how to connect to the galaxy
and to others."

V-Haad beamed. "Ah, now I see! A wise and  just  path,  I'm  sure.  But
O-Lana will have no need of this. Here on Kegan, each  Guide  Within  unites
and forms the General Good. It would be wrong  to  remove  O-Lana  from  the
circle of General Good, as the circle would diminish  and  O-Lana  would  be
raised to believe she was special.  This  is  against  the  counsel  of  the
Guides." V-Haad and O-Rina nodded and smiled.

Slowly, V-Nen and 0-Melie nodded, too.

Qui-Gon understood Adi's frustration. V-Nen and O-Melie  seemed  to  be
listening intently, but they were not given a chance to react. Instead,  the
Hospitality Guides were  doing  all  the  reacting  and  talking.  This  was
precisely why the Jedi

preferred the first interview to be with the parents only.

He knew that despite their interjections, V-Haad  and  O-Rina  had  not
truly listened to a word the Jedi had said.  They  had  asked  no  questions
about the Jedi path, or about 0-Lana's abilities. If it  were  up  to  them,
this child would never leave Kegan.

Qui-Gon focused on V-Nen and 0-Melie.  "If  O-Lana  is  strong  in  the
Force, you need to fully understand what that means. She might  be  able  to
move objects, or see things before they happen. Such things can  frighten  a
young child."

"Not  on  Kegan,"  O-Rina  said  cheerily.   "Our   Benevolent   Guides
themselves, 0-Vieve and V-Tan, have visions. We have learned to trust  them.
Their visions of the future have guided the present,  creating  the  General
Good."

Qui-Gon exchanged a quick glance with Adi. They had to get the  parents
away from the Guides. That was clear. But they also had  to  be  mindful  of
Yoda's directive. They could not bring disruption to this planet. They  must
respect the Kegans' way of doing things.

The Hospitality Guides suddenly stood. "That was an excellent meeting,"
V-Haad said. "I'm so glad to hear of the wonderful Jedi way."

"And we are sure you are tired from your

journey," 0-Rina added. "We will show you to the quarters we  have  for
you. There will be plenty of time for more discussion."

"Unless you must go," V-Haad said. "We  know  how  important  the  Jedi
are."

"We can stay as long as V-Nen and O-Melie want us to," Adi said firmly.

"I have a request," Qui-Gon  said.  "We  would  like  to  walk  to  our
destination. We did have a long journey, it's true. We'd like to stretch our
legs and see more of your beautiful planet."

The  two  Hospitality  Guides  exchanged  glances  at  this  unexpected
request.

"Of  course,"  0-Rina  said,  reluctance  coloring  her  usual   bright
expression. "If you would like that ..."

"We would," Qui-Gon said firmly. "And of  course  we  would  enjoy  the
company of V-Nen and O-Melie as well. It will give us a  chance  to  get  to
know one other."

The Guides could not refuse.  O-Melie  and  V-Nen  went  to  ask  their
neighbor O-Yani if she could continue watching O-Lana.

"The baby is sleeping now," O-Melie said quietly as  she  slipped  back
inside. "We would be happy to walk with you."

The Guides and O-Melie and V-Nen went out. Under the cover of adjusting
his cloak, Qui-Gon turned back to Obi-Wan and Siri.

"Leave us and wander off when you can," he said in a low tone.  "Do  it
without being seen. The Guides will come after you. Avoid them. You can  use
the time to gather information about  Kegan.  Do  not  cause  disruption  or
upset. Remember, observation without interference. Do not  reveal  that  you
are Jedi."

Obi-Wan and Siri nodded, their expressions alert.

Qui-Gon saw Adi's worried look. He thought he  understood.  They  would
cause a disruption. A  minimal  disruption,  and  worth  the  risk,  in  his
opinion. But Adi might not think so. He  was  not  used  to  having  to  ask
another Jedi Master to approve a course of action. He waited,  his  eyes  on
her, to see if she would object.

As he waited, Qui-Gon wondered again why Yoda had  sent  two  teams  to
this planet. Had Adi been sent in order to monitor his  tendency  to  follow
his instincts and bend the rules? Was  she  meant  to  oversee  how  he  and
Obi-Wan worked together?

And if she did not approve of his suggestion, what would he do?

But Adi nodded. "This had better work," she murmured as she stepped out
into the bright sunlight.

"Tell me, V-Haad and 0-Rina," Qui-Gon said as they walked  through  the
streets of Kegan. "I see that you  have  solved  many  problems  that  other
worlds have not. Why don't  Keganites  travel  to  other  worlds  and  share
knowledge with them?"

"We have no need to," V-Haad said. "We have what we  need  for  a  good
life here. And travel can be dangerous. The galaxy is a violent place. If we
traveled it would encourage others to travel here. That could  bring  danger
to Kegan. You can't deny that there is violence throughout the galaxy."

"No, I cannot," Qui-Gon  agreed.  "But  there  is  also  trade  and  an
exchange of knowledge."

0-Rina and V-Haad merely smiled and shook their heads.

"We have everything we need,"  V-Haad  repeated.  "Importing  trade  or
knowledge is unnecessary and harmful to the General Good."

"Why would advances in knowledge be harmful?" Obi-Wan asked, curious.

Qui-Gon saw a red flush mount on V-Haad's neck, even  while  his  smile
stayed fixed on his face.

"Kegan is a beautiful planet," Adi remarked in an  obvious  attempt  to
change the subject.

Quickly, 0-Rina switched the topic  to  the  lovely  spaces  of  Kegan,
pointing out native species as  they  passed  the  Garden  Circle  with  its
blooming flowers.

Qui-Gon remained silent. There was something else bothering  him  about
Kegan - something  besides  the  determined  smiles  on  the  faces  of  the
Hospitality Guides. Suddenly he realized he had  not  heard  laughter  since
he'd landed on the  planet.  He  had  not  seen  any  public  sculptures  or
fountains or works of art. He had not heard music. On such a peaceful planet
it was unusual. Perhaps it was the lack of joy - despite the smiles  -  that
was disturbing him.

"Here is our marketplace," 0-Rina said proudly, sweeping an arm to show
them the circular area crowded with stalls. "No one needs currency  to  buy.
Everyone barters with their own surplus. No one goes hungry."

It was the oddest marketplace Qui-Gon had ever seen. Although they  had
just passed fruit orchards in the Garden Circle  and  had  seen  trees  with
boughs bent with ripe fruit, there was not a fresh fruit or vegetable to  be
seen. Strips of dried fruit and vegetables hung from hooks, and  large  bins
contained grains. There were cobblers for boots and tailors who sold  tunics
and work gear. Shoppers went about their business with smiles and nods. They
did not linger with pleasure at a display or stop to be tempted by a  treat.
There was plenty to see in the market, but nothing enticing to buy.

"Very ... useful," Siri said politely.

A cart headed for them, loaded  with  bolts  of  rough  linen.  Qui-Gon
stepped quickly to his right, seeming to get out of the way. He stepped into
the path of a stall keeper who was placing tools on a rack for display.  The
rack tilted, and the tools spilled into the path.

Quickly, Qui-Gon bent down to help the stall keeper pick up the  tools.
When he stood, Obi-Wan and Siri were gone.

0-Rina turned. "You see, new goods arrive constantly. Here on Kegan, we
..." Her voice trailed off. Her eyes raked over the surrounding  area.  "But
what has happened to your young Jedi?"

V-Haad swiveled, trying to take in the crowd.  "Did  they  stop  behind
us?"

"I'm not sure," Qui-Gon said, pretending to search the crowd.  "Perhaps
they saw something that interested them."

"They haven't seen any of your technology," Adi offered. "Perhaps  they
were interested in those old transmitters we saw."

"Yes, curiosity. Very commendable, but we  should  find  them,"  O-Rina
babbled. "So easy to get lost on Kegan."

"Not a good idea to get lost," V-Haad confirmed. "The  Circles  can  be
confusing, like a maze."

0-Rina and V-Haad looked at V-Nen and O-Melie.

"If you will wait here with the Jedi..." 0-Rina said.

"And show them the market..." V-Haad added.

"But do not go far," 0-Rina said. "Or else we would be unable  to  find
you. That would distress us"

She is warning them, Qui-Gon thought.

"We will wait here," V-Nen said quietly.  Qui-Gon  saw  him  reach  for
0-Melie's hand.

The Hospitality Guides rushed off. Qui-Gon turned to V-Nen and O-Melie.
A skyhopper engine buzzed overhead, and he spoke underneath its  noise.  "We
are grateful for this opportunity to talk to you alone."

"We have nothing more to say." 0-Melie's voice was  flat.  "We  made  a
mistake in contacting you. You should go."

Qui-Gon exchanged a puzzled glance  with  Adi.  He  had  imagined  that
O-Melie and V-Nen were bursting with questions behind their silence.

V-Nen put a hand  on  his  wife's  arm.  Qui-Gon  noted  that  she  was
trembling. What was going on? He felt frustration well in him. How could  he
and Adi get through to the parents? They were obviously afraid.

"O-Lana could be awake now," he said. "Why  don't  we  go  to  see  her
again? You should know if O-Lana is indeed strong in the Force, even if  you
do not make a decision now. You can think about it."

"Let us return and examine the child," Adi  Gallia  added  softly.  "We
will tell you what we think, and then we will go."

V-Nen and O-Melie hesitated. Qui-Gon could  see  that  they  wanted  to
agree.

"We will take complete responsibility  with  the  Hospitality  Guides,"
Qui-Gon added.

"All right," V-Nen said reluctantly.

V-Nen led them in a snaking path through the marketplace. They came out
on a different road than the one they had taken before. He led them

down backstreets, this time ending up in the back of their dwelling.

They followed the parents inside. As they entered  their  dwelling,  an
elder woman emerged. She had close-cropped russet hair threaded with  silver
and small dark eyes that darted nervously, like a bird's.

"You've returned," she said.

"Where is Lana, 0-Yani?" O-Melie asked. "Is she sleeping?"

"She is not here," the older woman replied. "They came. They  took  her
away."

Obi-Wan and Siri did not run, or even appear to hurry.  They  had  been
taught how to move through a crowd without  being  seen.  By  the  time  the
person turned to look at them, Siri and Obi-Wan had already  melted  farther
into the crowd.

They left the marketplace behind, sure that  0-Rina  and  V-Haad  would
comb it thoroughly.

"Let's head for the Garden Circle,"  Obi-Wan  suggested.  "It  will  be
easier to hide there."

Siri nodded. They hurried toward the circle and ran down  a  path  that
wound through rows of leafy trees. Spotting  a  forested  area  ahead,  they
headed for it. They struggled through tall  overgrown  shrubs  studded  with
brambles that choked the narrow trail. Finally, they stopped in  a  clearing
to catch their breath.

Siri pulled a bramble out of her hair. "I don't

know why we had to leave at all," she grumbled. "Just when things  were
getting interesting, Qui-Gon comes up with a plan to get rid of us. How am I
going to learn if I never get to watch two Jedi Masters in action?"

"The mission is what drives us," Obi-Wan said.

Siri tore another bramble from her  blond  hair.  "You  don't  have  to
repeat Jedi wisdom to me, Obi-Wan. I took the same classes you did."

Suddenly, she sighed and flopped back onto the soft  grass.  "I'm  just
disappointed. I wanted to  see  how  Qui-Gon  and  Adi  would  handle  this.
Something is very strange on this planet. Those Hospitality Guides  gave  me
the shivers. Who knew a smile could be so eerie?"

"That's why Qui-Gon wanted to see the parents alone," Obi-Wan told her.

Siri gave him a sidelong look that seemed like pure disgust. "You don't
have to explain the plan to me. I was there."

She jumped up before he could react. She was always doing that, Obi-Wan
thought. She never gave him a chance to apologize or explain.  Not  that  he
wanted to.

"Come on," she said. "We shouldn't stay in one place for too long."

"I know that," Obi-Wan said, moving ahead.

Siri picked up her pace, and they hurried through the overgrown  paths.
Neither would let the other lead.

This is ridiculous, Obi-Wan thought. Haven't I learned anything in  all
my years at the Temple? I shouldn't be competing with Siri.

But he couldn't fall back and let her lead, either.

"Maybe we should find the Tech Circle," Obi-Wan  suggested.  "If  we're
supposed to investigate how the society really works here on Kegan, it seems
like a good place to start."

"That's the first place they'd look for us," Siri scoffed.

They emerged from the bushy overgrowth and found themselves alongside a
field of tall grass. A dirt path ran along the edge of the field,  and  they
turned down it.

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I think we should mingle with the people," Siri said.  "It's  a  human
population, so we'll mix in. And we wear similar clothes, too. We  might  be
able to pick up lots of information just by talking to people."

Before Obi-Wan could reply, the noise of an engine  split  the  air.  A
landspeeder was approaching. It was too late to retreat into the shrubbery.

"Let's try to bluff," he murmured to Siri.

The landspeeder drew up alongside them. A burly middle-aged man dressed
in a chroma-sheath tunic smiled at them in a friendly way.

"What are you two doing out here?"

"Just out walking," Obi-Wan said.

"No school today?" the man asked in a pleasant tone.

Here was a trap. Obi-Wan didn't want to say they  were  visitors.  That
would surely send O-Rina and V-Haad on their trail.

"We have permission to be out," Siri said. "Our parents  need  help  at
home. Speaking of which, we'd better head there."

"Suit yourself." The man waved them on.

They began to walk past him. But something was wrong. The Force surged,
warning Obi-Wan a moment before an electro-jabber swiped at his knees,  then
his shoulder. They were both glancing blows, enough to send Obi-Wan crashing
to the ground. A split second later, Siri crashed next to  him.  Her  breath
left her in a hiss. She had never felt an electro-jabber before.

The man picked them up and dumped them like cargo on the rear floor  of
the landspeeder. Then they roared off.

"O-Lana  is  gone?"  0-Melie's  face  went  dead  white.  She  stumbled
backward, and V-Nen steadied her. She pressed a  hand  to  her  mouth.  "How
could you have let her go?"

"I had to," 0-Yani replied, her eyes darting  from  0-Melie  to  V-Nen.
"They said she was due for her routine med check. There  is  no  reason  for
concern. She will come back. She will not disappear."

V-Nen shot a glance at 0-Melie. A warning glance, Qui-Gon  thought.  He
saw 0-Melie swallow. The look on her face was transformed.  Her  constricted
facial muscles smoothed out. Her lips tilted upward in a strained smile.

"Of course," she said. "I understand."

They heard the sound of running footsteps, and the  Hospitality  Guides
hurried toward them.

"Ah, we found you!" 0-Rina said.

V-Haad's smile did not falter. "We thought you  were  to  wait  in  the
market."

"We must have misunderstood," Qui-Gon  said.  "We  asked  if  we  could
return here. So sorry if we caused you upset."

"O-Lana has been taken," 0-Melie said, struggling to  keep  a  pleasant
expression on her face. "0-Yani says the Med Circle Guides came for her. But
she just had her routine med exam. Perhaps there is some mistake."

"We shall check on it," 0-Rina assured her. "Do  not  be  concerned.  A
child can't be too healthy!"

V-Nen looked as ashen as his wife, but his face  was  frozen  into  the
same pleasant mask. "Parental notification before a med check  always  takes
place. Strange that O-Lana was taken without it."

"Slips can occur, even on Kegan," V-Haad said in a  jovial  tone.  "But
that doesn't excuse them," he added quickly.

"Even a moment of worry about a child can be an eternity," 0-Rina  said
sympathetically. "V-Haad and I will be happy to intercede for you. We'll  go
right to V-Tan and O-Vieve if we have to."

"We are grateful," V-Nen said through tight lips.

0-Rina turned to the Jedi. "Of course, all this

will take time. We know the Jedi are far too crucial to the  galaxy  to
linger. We will completely understand  if  you  must  return  to  your  more
important tasks."

"Unfortunately  we  did  not  find  your  young  aides,"  V-Haad   said
pleasantly. "Perhaps you have communication devices that can summon them."

"Thank you for your  concern,"  Qui-Gon  answered  smoothly.  "But  I'm
afraid you overestimate our demand in the galaxy. We  can  certainly  remain
here until the child is found. As for our  aides,  I'm  afraid  we're  at  a
loss."

Adi picked up on his strategy. "We have tried to contact  them  on  our
comlinks," she said. "They are not responding. Perhaps they  lost  them,  or
our technology does not work on your planet. We  will  have  to  search  for
them."

"We are sorry if this causes trouble for you," Qui-Gon added. "We would
like permission to travel among your people. You know how the young can  be.
They are most likely exploring and have forgotten the time."

The Hospitality Guides were trapped.  They  could  not  refuse  such  a
sensible request. But they looked uncertain.

"Kegan is a peaceful planet," V-Haad said haltingly.  "Yet  our  people
are unused to foreigners. They could feel fear, which could make them act in
unaccustomed ways. We wouldn't want you to run into trouble of  any  kind  .
.."

"Jedi are used to walking among strangers,"  Adi  said,  inclining  her
head. "We are not worried."

"We will be in touch," Qui-Gon said, bowing to the Guides.

The Guides turned away. O-Melie stayed still as a block of  stone,  but
her burning eyes be-seeched the Jedi. Find her!

Then the Hospitality Guides turned back  again,  and  her  bland  smile
returned.

"The mother is frightened," Adi said.

"The father as well," Qui-Gon said. "He hides it slightly better."

Adi sighed. They had paused by the Gardening Circle before going on. "I
am afraid that with every step we take, we violate the Council's wishes.  We
are interfering. We could make enemies here."

"A  child  is  missing,"  Qui-Gon  said.  "Never  mind  that   she   is
Force-sensitive. Her parents are  obviously  terrified.  The  situation  has
changed. And it is because of our presence. If we had not  come,  the  child
would be safe."

Adi nodded reluctantly. "The child could be

where the Guides say she is. They want to keep us away from  her.  That
doesn't  mean  they'll  harm  her.  We  can't  take  bold   action   without
ascertaining if the child is in danger."

Qui-Gon knew the child wasn't safe - why else would the parents  be  so
afraid? But he held his tongue. He and Adi Gallia needed to work as a team.

Adi went on thoughtfully. "Our mission is also to demonstrate to  Kegan
the benefits of joining the galactic alliance. We are promoting peace. All I
am saying is that we must tread carefully."

"We are telling each  other  things  we  already  know,"  Qui-Gon  said
restlessly. "Let's raise Obi-Wan and Siri on their comlinks."

He activated his comlink, but Obi-Wan did not answer. Adi did the  same
with hers, but there was no answer from Siri, either.

"Perhaps they're in a situation where it is better not to answer,"  Adi
suggested. "We told them to  mingle  with  the  native  population  and  not
advertise that they were Jedi."

"True," Qui-Gon agreed.  "Let's  try  again  later.  In  the  meantime,
searching for them will give us a good cover to look for 0-Lana. Let's  head
for the Med Circle."

They roamed through the various clinics,

looking into nurseries and care centers. No one stopped them. In  their
rough tunics with their lightsabers  hidden,  they  could  pass  for  native
Keganites.

"If we could access their records .. ." Qui-Gon murmured to Adi.

"That would involve violating their security," she said with a shake of
her head. "A serious breach of conduct."

"But it's the only way," Qui-Gon argued. "Obviously they've hidden  the
child."

"We should keep searching," Adi said firmly.

Qui-Gon had a hard time suppressing his frustration. Cooperation  among
Jedi was a given. It was how they were raised to interact. But what happened
when they disagreed?

"For a little longer," he said.

She arched an eyebrow at him. Tall and  forbidding,  with  dark  golden
skin and blue facial markings, Adi Gallia was known to subdue  a  boisterous
group of young students with just  a  glance.  Qui-Gon  was  not  as  easily
intimidated.

"There you are!" They heard 0-Rina's chirping tone behind  them.  "Have
you found your young aides? Strange that you are looking in the Med Circle."

"Young Jedi are interested in all facets  of  society,"  Adi  answered,
composed.

"And how is the search for O-Lana?" Qui-Gon asked. "Strange that  three
people have disappeared in one morning."

"We have put  another  team  on  the  problem,"  V-Haad  said  quickly.
"O-Vieve and V-Tan thought it best."

"Perhaps we should speak with your Benevolent  Guides,"  Qui-Gon  said.
"We would like permission to search the records of Kegan."

V-Haad was already shaking his head. "We  would  do  anything  for  the
Jedi. But appointments with V-Tan and O-Vieve must  be  requested  weeks  in
advance. They are very busy."

"But you said they just saw you," Adi pointed out.

"This is true," O-Rina said, her ruddy cheeks deepening in  color.  "We
are high-level Guides, you see."

"I think you will find that they will see  us,"  Qui-Gon  said  firmly.
"Shall we go together, or will you point the way?"

His tone told them he would not take  no  for  an  answer.  O-Rina  and
V-Haad nodded reluctantly. "Of course, we are at the Jedi's service ..."

Qui-Gon echoed the blank smile of the Guides. "Then lead on."

"I still can't feel my legs," Siri whispered. Obi-Wan  could  hear  the
fear in her voice.

"It will wear off," he assured her. "But it will take a few hours."

They had been traveling for some time. The city had been  left  behind.
From his position on the floor of the speeder, Obi-Wan could see  a  glimpse
of sky. He had seen no other speeders around them for kilometers  now,  just
the top branches of the trees, dancing in a brisk  breeze.  The  temperature
was dropping; perhaps they were heading to a higher altitude.

At last the engines thrummed to a lower speed  and  they  stopped.  The
door next to Obi-Wan opened and he was dragged out roughly.  His  legs  were
too unsteady to hold him and he was dumped on the ground.  Siri  was  dumped
next to him.

"I thought children were revered on Kegan," Obi-Wan said, his cheek  in
the dirt.

A boot was suddenly placed on his head. His  face  was  pushed  farther
into the dirt. "No back talk. You know very well that truancy is a  criminal
act on Kegan. You're old enough to be punished for it."

"But we're not Keganites!" Siri protested.

"I've heard all the excuses. Shut your mouth."

"We're from another world. We're visitors,"  Siri  insisted  furiously.
"Take your boot off my friend's head."

The boot was removed from Obi-Wan's head and landed on Siri's shoulder.
"Sure," the man said.

Enough, Obi-Wan thought. He struggled to rise, but  the  electro-jabber
had done its work. He knew he wouldn't regain full use of his arms and  legs
for several more hours.  It  would  be  impossible  to  use  his  lightsaber
effectively until then. Besides, he'd been instructed not to show  Keganites
that he was a Jedi. Obi-Wan tried to roll closer to Siri but couldn't  move.
He watched helplessly as the boot increased  pressure  on  Siri's  shoulder,
driving her face into the dirt.

"What did I say about back talk?" the man asked again.

Siri gritted her teeth. Her vivid blue eyes

blazed. She spat out the dirt in her mouth. Still, she didn't answer.

"V-Tarz!" A voice boomed from behind them. Instantly, V-Tarz  took  his
boot off Siri's shoulder.

Obi-Wan saw another man approach, wearing the  same  navy  chromasheath
tunic as V-Tarz.

"Why are these students on the ground?" the second man demanded.

"Resisting capture," V-Tarz responded.

"No need to use physical force," the other man said.  "We've  discussed
this before. The Learning works with love, not fear. Take them to class."

Obi-Wan was hauled to his feet. He locked his knees so  that  he  would
not fall. Siri did the same.

"But we're not Keganites," Obi-Wan protested to the second  guard,  who
seemed more friendly. "We're visitors."

The second guard's dark gaze flicked over Obi-Wan  and  Siri.  "No  one
visits Kegan. Three marks for lying." He turned away. "Take them to class."

V-Tarz nudged them with the handle  end  of  his  electro-jabber.  "You
heard V-Brose. Get moving."

"Let's make a break for it," Siri murmured to Obi-Wan as they  stumbled
across the yard, their muscles like pudding.

"Are you kidding? We wouldn't  last  five  meters,"  Obi-Wan  whispered
through his teeth. "We have to wait until the effect of  the  electro-jabber
wears off. We'll figure out  where  we  are  and  contact  Qui-Gon  and  Adi
Gallia."

"Just let me at V-Tarz before we get out of here," Siri muttered.

"That does not sound like a Jedi," Obi-Wan said disapprovingly. "V-Tarz
is not our enemy, merely an obstacle to our mission."

"That obstacle just ground the faces of two helpless young people  into
the dirt," Siri responded. "Just what do you require in an enemy, Obi-Wan?"

Their conversation stopped abruptly as V-Tarz  pushed  them  against  a
wall. Rough hands reached under Obi-Wan's travel cloak. V-Tarz  brought  out
Obi-Wan's lightsaber and examined it.

"What is this?"

Obi-Wan tensed. He could not lose his lightsaber without  a  fight,  no
matter how weak he was.

"It's just a hand-warming device," Siri said.

V-Tarz shoved it back in Obi-Wan's belt. "Then I don't need it.  What's
this .. . ?"

He'd found Obi-Wan's comlink. He pulled  it  out  of  its  pouch,  then
grabbed Siri's.

"You won't be needing these," V-Tarz said,

holding them up. "They  look  new,"  he  said,  examining  them.  "Your
parents must work in the Comm Circle in order to have comlinks like  these."
He stuck them in his pocket, a delighted smile  on  his  face.  Obi-Wan  was
afraid he'd take their electrobinoculars next.

"For the last time, slab-brain, we're not Keganites," Siri snapped.

V-Tarz raised the electro-jabber. Obi-Wan tensed.  Another  blow  could
put Siri out of commission for a very long time.

A carved bust of a serene-looking woman sat on a high shelf over  them.
Obi-Wan called on the Force. The bust rocketed to the edge of the shelf  and
flew off. It missed V-Tarz by millimeters and crashed to the floor,  sending
chips of marble everywhere. V-Tarz stared down at it in disbelief.

A door near them opened. A Keganite woman stuck her head in.  Her  hair
was pulled back behind her ears in a severe style,  and  she  wore  a  plain
brown tunic over black trousers.

"V-Tarz! What's going on? I'm trying to  conduct  a  class."  Her  gaze
traveled over the broken bust. "You smashed 0-Vieve!"

"It fell, O-Bin," V-Tarz said. "An unfortunate accident. But  here  are
two  students  for  you.  Keep  your  excellent  eye  on  them   -   they're
troublemakers."

O-Bin cast a cool gaze over Siri and Obi-Wan. Then she smiled.  Obi-Wan
felt a chill move through him. The smile was eerily similar to O-Rina's  and
V-Haad's.

"There are no troublemakers in The Learning," O-Bin said. "Come."

Glad to get away from V-Tarz, Obi-Wan and  Siri  followed  the  teacher
through the durasteel door into the classroom. The door clanged shut  behind
them and an automatic lock snapped shut.

Students dressed in gray tunics sat on long benches that ran the  width
of the room, row after row. Small data screens rose from the floor in  front
of each of them at eye-level. The students sat erect, hands at their  sides.
Only their eyes moved as they examined Obi-Wan and Siri.

"I'm afraid there's been a mistake," Siri said  to  O-Bin.  "We  aren't
Keganites. We're ..."

Obi-Wan heard a few titters from the class. A slight, sandy-haired  boy
with hair that brushed his shoulders  gave  him  a  sympathetic  look,  then
quickly looked down at his data screen. O-Bin swiveled and fixed her smiling
gaze on row after row. The room went still.

"Sit," she told Siri and Obi-Wan.

"But we are not -" Obi-Wan began.

"Sit." The smile didn't waver. "Put on the

robes for The Learning." She handed them two gray tunics.

Obi-Wan and Siri exchanged glances. Should they continue to resist,  or
give in for now? Mindful of  Qui-Gon's  orders,  Obi-Wan  slipped  into  the
tunic. Siri did the same.

The same slender boy moved over to make room for them. Obi-Wan and Siri
sat. Immediately two data screens rose in front of them.

The teacher looked at  them,  her  fingers  poised  over  her  datapad.
"Names, please."

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Obi-Wan said. "Of Coruscant."

"Three marks for lying," O-Bin said, smiling. "One mark for not  giving
your full name."

"That is my full name!" Obi-Wan protested.

"Three more marks for lying," O-Bin  said.  "I  see  you  already  have
three. That makes ... ten marks. Class?"

"Marks reveal the  Inner  Guide's  confusion,"  the  class  chanted  in
unison.

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

The class nodded solemnly.

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

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

"Siri -"

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

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

"This is generally crazy," Siri muttered.

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

Obi-Wan's data screen flashed blue. Letters began to crawl  across  the
screen:

TRAVEL TO THE INNER CORE  IS  DANGEROUS.  THE  FIRST  OBSTACLE  IS  THE
DELACRIX SYSTEM.

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

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

"The Delacrix System is dangerous because

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

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

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

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

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

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

Siri touched her data screen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Obi-Wan sighed. He touched his data screen.

"Question, V-Obi?"

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

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

The words scrolled across Obi-Wan's screen.

THE PLANET STIEG PRESENTS MORE HAZZARDS.

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

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

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

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

"I don't lie!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"If you choose to refuse your punishment and hurt  the  General  Good,"
O-Bin continued, "not one student will eat today."

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

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

Under cover of his tunic, Obi-Wan nudged Siri to silence. He would  not
be responsible for

depriving the students of food. When they didn't respond, O-Bin  turned
away, a smug smile of satisfaction on her face.

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

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

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

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

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

"Here is the Central Dwelling, where  our  Benevolent  Guides  reside,"
O-Rina said. "We will request an audience for you."

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

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

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

The two Jedi bowed.

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

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

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

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

O-Vieve nodded at him sympathetically. "I feel your concern, yet you do
not know our world. We can search quicker and more efficiently. V-Tan and  I
would be grateful if you would accept our hospitality during this short

time. We have guest quarters prepared here in the Central  Dwelling.  I
am certain you need food and rest. We will bring your Padawans to you."

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

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

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

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

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

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

Qui-Gon paused. The reception area was just ahead, and he did not  want
the Hospitality Guides to see them. "We need to go back to the

beginning. We need to talk to V-Nen and 0-Melie.  Perhaps  Obi-Wan  and
Siri's failure to come back is linked to O-Lana's disappearance."

Adi nodded. "How can we avoid 0-Rina and V-Haad?"

"This way," Qui-Gon said, turning and heading back down the hallway. He
turned to the left, then the right.

"How do you know where to go?" Adi asked.

Qui-Gon smiled. "While I was at the Temple, I took sensory lessons from
Jedi Master Tahl. When she was blinded, she learned  to  improve  her  other
senses. I'm following my sense of smell."

Adi concentrated. "Food. Something is cooking."

"And where there is food, there is waste. Where there is  waste,  there
is usually an exit," Qui-Gon explained.

"And I always look for a window," Adi said, hurrying beside him.

The kitchen was empty except for a cook who was  grinding  a  vegetable
into a paste, his back to the door. Qui-Gon and Adi Gallia moved swiftly and
silently past him and slipped out the door into  a  small  area  with  waste
bins. They skirted them and headed back in the direction they had come.

The distance wasn't far, and soon they stood

at V-Nen and O-Melie's door. Qui-Gon knocked softly.

V-Nen opened it. The hopeful expression on his face faded when  he  saw
the Jedi.

"I thought there was word of Lana," he said.

"You must trust us," Adi told  him.  "We  can  help  you  protect  your
daughter."

O-Melie joined her husband at the door.

"We have nothing more to say," V-Nen said. "I must head for work at the
Communications Circle now."

"We are late and must be going," 0-Melie said. "Please  do  not  follow
us."

O-Melie's words were cool, but her eyes pleaded with them. What was she
asking?

Before they could react, she shut the door in their faces.

Adi looked at Qui-Gon. The glance they exchanged was full  of  meaning.
They did not speak for a moment as a skyhopper buzzed overhead.

"I suppose we should head back," Adi said.

"Yes," Qui-Gon agreed. "We can do no good here."

They turned and left the Dwelling Circle. But hope  rose  in  Qui-Gon's
heart. At last he was beginning to understand.

Siri heaved another tub of dirty dishes  into  the  sink.  Sudsy  water
slopped on the floor.

"What slab-brain decided that turbo  dish-cleaners  were  bad  for  the
General Good?" she asked, picking up a cleaning rag.

"Menial labor attentively completed adds to the General Good,"  Obi-Wan
said.

She shot him a sidelong look. "You sound like one of them."

"It's starting to sink in."  Obi-Wan  dried  the  last  dish  from  the
enormous rack and placed it on a pile.

Siri gazed out at the narrow band of windows that ran along the top  of
the wall. All the windows at the Learning Circle were set high in the walls.
They allowed light in, but restricted a view of outside. They had been  told
that afternoon that contemplation of the outdoors was a waste of  time  they
should be devoting to The Learning.

"It's getting dark," Siri said. "I say we break out tonight.  We  still
have our lightsabers."

"I think we should wait," Obi-Wan said.

"For what?" Siri asked, rinsing off a plate. "The breakfast dishes?"

Obi-Wan spoke calmly. "For several things. One, we don't know what kind
of security the Learning Circle has. We should discover that before we  try.
Remember that Qui-Gon and Adi told us not to cause disruption."

"But that was before we were captured," Siri argued.

"I know," Obi-Wan said. "No doubt they are worried by now.  But  that's
still not a reason to try a risky escape. If we plan it, we might be able to
avoid a fight."

Siri gazed at him in disbelief. "Is that all you care about? Avoiding a
fight?"

Obi-Wan struggled to hold on to his temper. "I've learned  on  missions
with Qui-Gon that it is always best to avoid a fight if you can. You  should
have learned that at the Temple."

Siri flushed pink. She knew that  Obi-Wan  was  right.  A  Jedi  always
sought to avoid a conflict. Infinitely more ways there are to reach a  goal,
Yoda had said many times. Try them all you should.

"You seem to forget that we're Jedi," she said. "If we just reveal that
we are, they'd let us

go. They'd know that we aren't Keganites then."

"But we don't know that they'd let us go," Obi-Wan countered. "It's  an
option, but I still think we should wait. Qui-Gon told us not to reveal that
we are Jedi. And Yoda told us to avoid disruption at  all  costs.  Until  we
absolutely have to, I say we stay undercover. What  if  we're  really  being
held because we are Jedi? Or what if  we  get  Qui-Gon  and  Adi  Gallia  in
trouble by proving that we're Jedi? We don't know what our Masters are up to
right now." Obi-Wan shook his head. "There are too many questions. Unless we
can find a way to leave quietly, we should remain for the time being.  Think
of it this way - we can learn about Kegan society  here.  This  is  like  an
indoctrination camp."

"Are you always so cautious?" Siri asked him.

"I wasn't always," Obi-Wan answered. "But now I am."

He met her gaze steadily. She knew what he was  referring  to.  He  had
acted impulsively once, and almost lost his way. Now he knew: It was  always
tempting to act. It was often wiser to wait.

Frustrated, Siri threw the cleaning  rag  into  the  sink.  It  slapped
against the water and sent

another shower of suds onto the floor. Obi-Wan sighed. After  the  dish
cleaning, there would be plenty of mopping to do, too.

"So we have to stay and listen to lies while  we  clean  up  after  the
whole school?" Siri asked, disgusted.

"We wouldn't have been forced to clean up if you didn't keep correcting
O-Bin," Obi-Wan observed mildly.

"And let that teacher fill the students' minds with lies?"  Siri  asked
in disbelief. "How can we do that, Obi-Wan? You know  that  everything  they
teach here is wrong."

"What you said didn't make  a  difference,"  Obi-Wan  argued.  "No  one
believed us, and we got stuck with cleaning detail."

"So this is all my fault," Siri said.

"It's not up to me to assign blame," Obi-Wan said testily. "But if  you
insist, yes!"

"You're the one who didn't want to  break  out  when  we  could!"  Siri
exploded. "We should have made a run for it."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to refute her, but a hesitant voice came  from
behind him.

"That wouldn't have been a good idea."

They turned. V-Davi, the slight boy from class, stood in  the  doorway.
His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his tunic.

"The Security Guides have great power here," he said. "It's not wise to
oppose them. And be sides, it's against the General Good."

"Thanks for the tip," Obi-Wan said.

Sir! picked up a mop and began to clean up the  water  and  suds  she'd
spilled. "Why are you here, V-Davi?" she asked in a kindly way.  "You  don't
have punishment marks too, do you?"

"No. I have food preparation duty tomorrow. I thought  I  would  get  a
head start tonight." V-Davi headed for a bin of vegetables. He started up  a
grinding machine and began to toss them in.

"You mean they actually prepare the stuff they serve?"  Siri  grumbled.
"I thought they just scooped it out of the trash bin."

Obi-Wan grinned. It was true; the  food  at  the  Learning  Circle  was
terrible. All vegetables and meats were ground into a paste and then  formed
into round disks and cooked. The disks were so tasteless and tough that they
could be used for shockball. He glanced at V-Davi to see  if  he  had  taken
offense.

V-Davi's face was frozen in surprise, as if he'd  never  heard  a  joke
before. Then he laughed. "The food is bad, yes. But it's not my fault.  They
tell me how to cook it."

"I wasn't blaming you, V-Davi," Siri told him.  "You'd  have  to  be  a
genius to come up with food this bad."

"At least I can help you finish cleaning up," V-Davi offered. "I  don't
mind."

"Don't worry about it," Siri told him as she finished mopping.  "I  got
us into this. But you can tell us more about yourself while we work."

"How old were you when you came to the Learning Circle?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It was seven years ago. I was two years old," V-Davi said  as  he  ran
more vegetables through the grinder.  "My  parents  died  during  the  great
Toli-X outbreak. I was sent here. Most children on  Kegan  don't  start  The
Learning until they are four years old."

Siri exchanged a glance with Obi-Wan. Toli-X had been a deadly  mutated
virus that traveled through asteroid molds from world  to  world  ten  years
before. A vaccine had been developed shortly after it had appeared. In other
words, if Kegan had been in touch with other worlds in the  galaxy,  no  one
need have died.

Between them, a silent message was passed: Don't tell him.  Not  if  we
don't have to.

"Do you like living here?" Siri asked, turning to dry the dishes on the
rack.

"Of course," V-Davi responded. "Thanks to The Learning, I am  preparing
how to best serve the General Good."

It sounded like one of the rote  responses  they  had  listened  to  in
class. Obi-Wan helped Siri dry

the tall stack of dishes. "Do  you  ever  get  to  leave  the  Learning
Circle?"

"When your course of study is complete," V-Davi said.  "Usually  around
sixteen. But you know this."

"We aren't from here, V-Davi," Siri said. "O-Bin  doesn't  believe  us,
but it's true. Where do you go when you leave the Learning Circle?"

"Where the General Good is best served," V-Davi responded promptly.  He
scraped the vegetable mush into a big container and placed it in the  cooler
that ran along one wall. Then he began to carry  the  dried  plates  to  the
racks. "When you are twelve, you appear before a  committee  in  which  your
aptitude is assessed. Then you receive more  specialized  training  in  your
area."

"But what if you're assigned to something you don't want to  do?"  Siri
asked.

"You are happy, because you know you are contributing  to  the  General
Good." V-Davi mopped up a bit more soapy water that  Siri  had  spilled.  He
leaned against the sink and put his hand  in  his  pocket  nervously.  "I'll
probably go into food service. There is a shortage."

Siri gave him a shrewd glance. "What do you want to do, V-Davi?"

"I want to work in the Animal Circle," V-Davi

admitted. "But there is a surplus. So it wouldn't help the ..."

"General Good," Siri completed. "I get it."

Suddenly, Obi-Wan heard a peep peep. Was it a warning security  device?
He looked around quickly, but could see no lights or indicators.

V-Davi looked nervous. "We'd better go."

Again, Obi-Wan heard the peep peep. He realized that it was coming from
V-Davi's pocket.

"What's that?" Siri asked bluntly.

V-Davi moved toward the door. "Nothing. I must go. Lockdown  is  soon."
He hurried away, and something floated through the air back toward  Obi-Wan.
He caught it. It was a feather.

"V-Davi," he called. "Stop."

V-Davi stopped.

"What are you holding?"

Siri walked forward. She peered into V-Davi's  cupped  hands.  "It's  a
humming peeper."

Obi-Wan stepped forward. V-Davi must have been hiding the tiny bird  in
his pocket. It perched in his cupped hands, a lovely  creature  with  bright
yellow and blue feathers.

V-Davi's eyes darted fearfully from Obi-Wan to Siri.  "It  has  a  hurt
wing. I found it in the yard. I was going to turn it in. I swear I was!"

Siri reached out a finger and stroked the bird. "He's cute."

"l-l just rescued this one creature," V-Davi stammered. "I would  never
break the rules of The Learning."

Suddenly, Obi-Wan saw a tiny quivering nose stick out of V-Davi's other
pocket.

"And what's that?"

V-Davi's eyes were wide. "That's a baby fer-bil," he whispered. "Please
don't turn me in, V-Obi."

"Of course we won't turn you in," Obi-Wan assured him. He  stroked  the
furry creature's head.

"Is having pets against the rules?" Siri asked.

"Of course. There are no domestic pets allowed on Kegan," V-Davi  said.
"It is contrary to the General Good to lavish  attention  on  a  subspecies.
They are used for food products and cultivation only." His gray eyes studied
them, suddenly fearful. "You are outsiders, aren't you?"

"Yes," Siri said. "But we're also your friends."

A relieved smile spread over V-Davi's face. "Students of  The  Learning
are not encouraged to form personal attachments. If you make a close friend,
you find he or she is moved to another Learning quad. So we must be careful.
But you must call me Davi now. When one

forms a bond on Kegan, the title letter of your name is dropped."

"Then you can call us Obi-Wan and Siri," Obi-Wan said.

Davi reached out and put one hand  on  Obi-Wan's  forearm  and  one  on
Siri's. "You are my first friends. Maybe it does  not  add  to  the  General
Good. But I am happy. Now, since you are my friends, on Kegan we believe  in
trying to help our bonded friends achieve their hearts desire."  He  took  a
deep breath. "Therefore, Obi and Siri, I will help you escape. Tonight."

The constant buzzing noise should have alerted  him.  Instead,  it  had
become background, and Qui-Gon had ceased to notice it. That was  what  they
counted on, he supposed. A constant presence can be easier to ignore than  a
random one.

There was complete surveillance on Kegan. The skyhoppers  overhead  had
to be equipped  with  listening  and  watching  devices.  It  was  the  only
explanation.

V-Nen and 0-Melie had asked for their help in the only way available to
them: with glances and hints.

Qui-Gon and Adi did not dare speak,  even  in  the  open  air.  Without
another word, they started toward the Communications Circle.

Qui-Gon's keen gaze swept across the round buildings in the Circle.  He
saw one open window in the building to his left. He indicated it to Adi with
a tilt of his head. She nodded.

They walked into the building and quickly made their way through a maze
of corridors toward the room with the open window. They were sure V-Nen  and
O-Melie would be waiting.

The door was slightly ajar. Qui-Gon hesitated outside.

"Come in quickly please," V-Nen whispered.

"And please close the door," 0-Melie added.

"This is a safe room," V-Nen said as soon as the Jedi entered and  shut
the door behind them. "Melie and I have installed anti-surveillance devices.
The  skyhoppers  you  may  have  noticed  overhead  are  actually  unpiloted
auto-hoppers that contain audio and visual surveillance devices.  Everything
we say and do is recorded. There are transmitters in our homes that beam  up
to them."

Qui-Gon and Adi exchanged glances. "We thought that might be the case,"
Qui-Gon said. "How did the citizens of Kegan allow this?"

"It began as an anti-crime measure," 0-Melie  explained.  "Society  was
stable, but petty theft and pilfering was  common  after  we  changed  to  a
bartering system. V-Tan and O-Vieve proposed we use autohoppers as  security
devices, and we all voted on it. Originally they were supposed to patrol the
market only. Then it was extended to the Dwelling Circle and beyond. No  one
expected that it would be used to monitor conversations and  activities.  It
happened slowly, and now we are watched all the time."

"But if every citizen on Kegan gets a  vote,  couldn't  you  vote  them
out?" Adi asked.

V-Nen shook his head. "Every citizen gets a vote, but V-Tan and O-Vieve
decide what we should vote on."

0-Melie gave a sad smile. "We have the illusion of democracy.  Not  the
reality."

"Tell us how we can help you," Adi said  gently.  "What  do  you  think
happened to O-Lana?"

0-Melie and V-Nen exchanged a frightened glance. "We are worried  about
her safety," V-Nen said  quietly.  "There  are  whispers  and  rumors  about
children who vanish."

Qui-Gon recalled something that had bothered him at the time. "Is  that
what O-Yani meant when she said O-Lana would not disappear!"

0-Melie nodded. "Some children enroll at the Learning  Circle  and  are
never heard from again."

"The Learning Circle?" Qui-Gon asked quickly. "Where is that?"

"That Circle is not in the city of Kegan, but  in  an  outlying  area,"
V-Nen explained. "The

Learning is a course of teaching developed by O-Vieve and V-Tan. It was
introduced about fifteen  years  ago.  Before  that  there  was  no  central
authority and children were schooled at home."

"We don't know where it is, only that  it  is  in  the  open  country,"
0-Melie answered. "It is thought better for the children if parents are  not
allowed there. Children attend the Learning Circle from  the  age  of  four.
There are no exceptions. Truants are dealt with harshly."

"That's why there are no children on the streets," Adi said.

"Obi-Wan and Siri!" Qui-Gon exclaimed.  "Could  they  have  been  taken
there by mistake?"

"It's possible," V-Nen said. "We  hear  that  the  Truant  Guides  take
action first and ask questions  later.  And  they  might  not  believe  your
Padawans if they say they are not from Kegan. There are  very  few  citizens
who know the Jedi are here. O-Vieve  and  V-Tan  thought  it  best  if  your
arrival was kept secret."

"You see, we contacted you without  V-Tan  and  0-Vieve's  permission,"
0-Melie said. "We took the chance that our Benevolent Guides would not  dare
refuse the Jedi. They did not. They allowed you to come. But they would  not
let us see you alone."

"They claim it is for our protection," V-Nen

told them. "They believe that darkness surrounds the Jedi."

Qui-Gon was startled. "I don't understand."

"O-Vieve has prophetic visions," O-Melie explained. "V-Tan has  dreams.
Many of their predictions have come true. That is why the  people  of  Kegan
trust them. O-Vieve had a vision of the Jedi. She claims that an evil  force
will engulf those who are close to the Jedi. All Keganites are afraid of the
Jedi."

So Adi was right. That was what she  had  picked  up  from  V-Haad  and
0-Rina. Fear.

"But we doubt O-Vieve's vision," V-Nen said. "We want what's  best  for
our daughter. We had to contact you. We know Lana wasn't taken  for  routine
testing. We would have heard something by now."

A sob broke loose from O-Melie.

V-Nen put his arm protectively around his wife. He laid his hand on her
hair, holding her head against him gently. He spoke with his  cheek  resting
against her hair. "I'm sorry to say these things out loud, Melie, but I know
you are thinking them, too. We must be strong for Lana's sake. We must allow
the Jedi to help us. We can't do it alone."

Slowly, O-Melie raised her head. Tears sparkled in her  eyes.  "Men  is
right," she said shakily. "We need your help."

"And we are here to give it," Qui-Gon said.

V-Nen put his hand on  Qui-Gon's  forearm.  O-Melie  put  hers  on  Adi
Gallia's.

V-Nen said, "Now we are Nen and Melie to you. Our fate is  twined  with
yours."

"We will find your daughter," Qui-Gon assured them.

"You must be careful," Nen told them. "We are  part  of  a  faction  on
Kegan that opposes O-Vieve and V-Tan. We believe that the  isolation  policy
is wrong. Trade and exploration could be good for Kegan. The surveillance is
what has made our anti-isolationist movement so difficult. It's not that  we
are arrested or forbidden to discuss things - on  the  contrary,  V-Tan  and
O-Vieve insist that Kegan is an open society. Yet somehow those  of  us  who
ask why we cannot travel beyond Kegan are punished - moved to job sectors we
do not like, forced to share housing unexpectedly, given  low  priority  for
requests ... things that make life difficult on Kegan. You may imagine  that
the movement has thus lost  many  members.  The  rest  have  learned  to  be
careful."

"But now they have gone too far. They have taken our  daughter,"  Melie
said. "I do not want to be careful any longer."

"V-Tan and O-Vieve have said that if one Keganite leaves the planet  it
will cause our destruction," Men continued. "They will prevent Lana  leaving
in whatever way they can."

"We must find  her  before  it's  too  late,"  Melie  said,  her  voice
trembling.

"Yet every move is watched. Every word we say is heard," Nen  added  in
despair.

"I have an idea," Qui-Gon said. "Auto-hoppers are controlled by CIPs  -
Central Instruction Processors."

"Yes," Nen agreed. "The CIP is in a guarded building right here in  the
Comm Circle."

"If Adi and I can disable  the  CIP,  they  will  need  to  recall  the
autohoppers until it is repaired. In the meantime, the people will  be  able
to share information more freely. You will be able to mobilize  your  group,
and we will have time to search for Lana."

"Qui-Gon, I must speak to you," Adi said sternly.

She drew Qui-Gon into the corner.

"I must object to this plan," she said in a low tone that vibrated with
worry. "It is totally opposed to the  Council's  wishes.  We  will  directly
interfere with the Kegan government if we disable a CIP."

"But how else can we complete our mission?" Qui-Gon argued. "We  didn't
know  before  we  arrived  that  the  people  here   were   under   constant
surveillance. We didn't know that two

powerful rulers were controlling them. And our Padawans and an innocent
child weren't missing!"

Adi pressed her  lips  together.  She  cast  her  eyes  on  the  floor,
thinking.

"Adi, we must find them," Qui-Gon said softly. "This is the only way."

Adi raised her head. Her deep brown eyes still were clouded  by  doubt.
She did not speak.

"I understand if you don't wish to help me," Qui-Gon said firmly.  "But
I will disable that CIP. The question is, will you come with me?"

Davi, Obi-Wan, and Siri sat in a dark corner of the food hall.

"What are we waiting for?" Siri whispered to Davi.

"Lockdown," Davi said. "The lights will go on and off three times.  The
Security Guides will change shifts. V-Tarz is on tonight. He'll sit  at  the
surveillance post in the admin center. If anyone steps foot out of the  dorm
quads, an alarm will sound."

"So how will we escape?" Siri asked.

"V-Tarz waits five minutes after lockdown, then turns off  security  in
Quad 7 and raids the kitchen," Davi said with a grin. "I found this out  the
night I met Scurry." He placed the ferbil on his  palm  and  fed  it  a  few
seeds. "Scurry was in the food prep area. He must have gotten in somehow and
couldn't find his way out. I knew if they found him he'd be ...  gotten  rid
of. I was

trying to figure out how to keep him when the lockdown warning came.  I
decided to spend the night where I was. It's six punishment marks if  you're
caught out after lockdown. V-Tarz came in for a snack, so I hid."

"How do you know he does it every night?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Because you can see the security light blink off in  the  dorm,"  Davi
explained. "I come out here almost every night. Sometimes I'm ... I'm afraid
to be alone in the dark."

"But you sleep in a room with twenty other boys," Obi-Wan said.

"I'm still alone," Davi said. Embarrassed, he looked  down  quickly  to
pet the ferbil.

"Listen, I know what you mean," Siri said bluntly.  "This  place  could
give anyone the wild shivers."

Davi looked up with a shy smile. Once again, Siri's  forthright  manner
had reassured him, Obi-Wan noted. He would never have imagined that Siri was
capable of comforting anyone.

"Scurry helps," Davi said. "And my other pets. I find them in the  yard
during rec period. Most of them are hungry or scared or hurt. I smuggle them
in and keep them by my bed. At night I sneak in here to get food  for  them.
Sometimes I sneak outside just to see the stars."

"How do we get out?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Through the windows in the cleansing room of Quad 7," Davi said.  "You
can use the shower heads to swing up. It's an easy drop to the ground.  Then
you'll have to steal a landspeeder. I can give you the  coordinates  of  the
city."

The lights turned on and off three times. A soft signal sounded.

"In another five minutes, the floor will be alarmed,"  Davi  whispered.
"But then V-Tarz will turn it off again. I'll show you the way."

"Why don't you come with us, Davi?" Siri asked.

Davi shrank back. "Why would I do that?"

"Don't you want to find out what's really  happening  in  the  galaxy?"
Siri asked. "Don't you want a chance to do what you want to do?"

"But the galaxy is a dangerous place," Davi said.

"Some of it is dangerous," Obi-Wan said. "Not all."

"There are places on  Coruscant,  where  we  live,  that  place  orphan
children with parents," Siri told him. "You could have a family.  You  could
keep pets and work with animals."

"I have a family," Davi said nervously. "The General Good is a family."

"But Davi, The Learning is telling you lies,"  Siri  said.  "Don't  you
trust us?"

"It's not that I don't trust you," Davi said worriedly. "But the  power
of evil that controls the galaxy might be telling  you  things  that  aren't
true. Misinformation is spread to confuse the people and keep them in line."

"But that's exactly what's happening here," Siri protested.

"If I leave, the Masked Soldiers will  come  and  attack  Kegan,"  Davi
said, shaking his head. "This is the vision of O-Vieve  and  V-Tan.  No  one
must leave. The General Good will suffer, and invaders will come."

Siri and Obi-Wan exchanged a frustrated glance. Davi had  been  trained
in The Learning for too long. He could not accept  what  they  told  him  as
true.

They heard the heavy  tread  of  V-Tarz.  The  massive  Keganite  moved
through the food hall, heading for the kitchens.  Obi-Wan  stayed  perfectly
still. In only a few minutes, he and Siri would be free.

If everything went according to plan ...

A voice suddenly split the silence. "V-Tarz!"

Another Security Guide stood in the doorway. "What are you doing?"

"Security alert in the kitchens," V-Tarz said quickly. "Probably just a
malfunction. Maybe the infrared alarm. I was just checking it out."

"I'll go with you. New orders are for  two  posted  guards  during  the
lockdown hours. We'd better get Quad 7 back online quickly." The other Guide
moved toward V-Tarz.

"There goes V-Tarz's snack," Siri murmured.

"We'd better get back to our dorm quarters," Davi said  nervously.  "We
won't be able to escape tonight. I'm sorry. They've never put two guards  on
at night before."

They waited until the Guides had turned the corner. Then Davi led  them
out of the food hall.

"We can get back to the dorms through the  admin  center,"  Davi  said.
"Hurry, it won't take them long to check out the kitchen security."

They raced through the halls and entered the admin center, a round room
that was in the center of the building. All the  different  quads  spun  off
from this central location.

"Almost there," Davi said as he hurried toward the door that led to the
Quad 7 dorm, where they were all quartered.

But just then they heard familiar footsteps behind them.  There  wasn't
enough time to make it to the door. Quickly, Davi sprang  behind  a  row  of
desks. Siri hurried after him. Obi-Wan was bringing up the rear. He  slipped
behind a wall of shelves that held data files.

They could hear V-Tarz grumbling as he moved toward the security wall.

"Run the infrared check, he says," he muttered. "There's nothing  wrong
with the infrared. What's wrong is that I'm starving."

"V-Tarz? Are you there?" The voice came  through  the  comlink  on  the
console.

"I'm here."

"Run check."

"Running," V-Tarz said. "You idiot."

"What?"

"Nothing. Running check." V-Tarz's stomach rumbled. He sighed.

Obi-Wan leaned against the console to peer around  it.  Would  they  be
able to slip past V-Tarz? Not if he didn't move. V-Tarz had a  perfect  view
of the door they needed to pass through.

As Obi-Wan retreated back behind the  shelves,  he  brushed  against  a
container that was overstuffed with data files. One of them slipped off  the
top. Obi-Wan's reflexes were excellent, and he caught it soundlessly.

It was a file for  someone  named  0-Uni.  Obi-Wan  leafed  through  it
quietly. The girl had excellent reports from her teachers. A few  visits  to
the med circle. Then a paper stamped reclassified to re-learning circle.

Obi-Wan carefully replaced the file. The Re-Learning Circle?  What  was
that?

"Check complete," V-Tarz said into the comlink. "No problems."

"Copy that. Making one last check of kitchen and food hall before I get
back."

"I'll give you a hand."

"Don't bother. I've got it covered."

"Didn't copy that. I'll check the kitchen."  V-Tarz  switched  off  the
comlink. "Maybe I can sneak  some  veg  patties  when  you're  not  looking,
killjoy."

He lumbered off. Davi immediately poked his head out.

"Let's go," he hissed.

They hurried toward the door, but Obi-Wan stopped Davi  for  a  moment.
"What's the Re-Learning Circle?"

"I'm not sure," Davi said. "But I know I don't want to  end  up  there.
You get sent there if you have enough punishment marks. But then  some  kids
who are never in  trouble  get  sent  there,  too.  Nobody  knows  why."  He
shuddered. "But nobody ever comes back."

The morning gong shattered the silence before dawn. Instantly, students
threw back their covers and stood, lining up to use the wash basins that ran
along the wall.

Obi-Wan felt the shock of cold water against his  skin.  His  mind  was
already clear. The next gong sounded, the signal to dress and proceed to the
food hall within three minutes. Davi had explained what  was  required  last
night before they'd separated.

Obi-Wan reflected how different life at the Temple had been.  There,  a
soft light began slowly and grew in brightness, mimicking a rising sun.  The
students all had their own quarters, as privacy was respected. Early morning
was a time of meditation and gentle exercise before the day  began.  It  was
not harsh noise and hurry.

Here the students did not seem to mind the

abrupt start of the day or the strict schedule they had to follow. They
did not seem to notice the contrast between the smiles  of  the  Guides  and
their sharp orders. And nobody seemed to mind the food.

Across the room, Siri sat with the other girls. She lifted  a  spoonful
of grain mash and made a face at him. Obi-Wan laughed quietly to himself.

"Two punishments marks, V-Obi," one of the  Guides  said,  entering  it
into a touch pad. "Concentration on nutrition is  what  we  do  during  meal
service. Interaction with others is saved for free time."

Obi-Wan chewed on the tasteless meal. Siri was right. They had  to  get
out of here.

"Today we will play Response Time," 0-Bin announced. "You all know  how
this is done. A topic will flash on your screen. Whoever hits their response
button first will tell the class what the significant facts about the  topic
are. Good luck."

Obi-Wan glanced at his data screen. corus-cant flashed  across  it.  He
did not hit his response button. The best thing he could do  today  was  try
not to attract any attention from the Teaching Guides.

Jedi responses are lightning fast. The light on

top of Siri's data screen lit up first. Obi-Wan  threw  her  a  warning
glance, but she ignored it.

0-Bin was clearly not pleased at having to call on Siri. "O-Siri?"  she
asked through pursed lips.

"Coruscant is a world made up of one  city.  It  is  the  home  of  the
Galactic Senate. Billions of beings live  on  Coruscant.  It  is  known  for
government and culture and its excellent transit and security systems -"

"I must interrupt you, O-Siri," O-Bin said with a smile. "That  is  all
wrong. Can anyone correct O-Siri?"

Data screen lights glowed throughout the classroom. O-Bin consulted her
screen to see who had been first. "V-Mina?"

"Coruscant is a world of corruption," V-Mina said.  "Slavery  is  legal
there."

"Precisely," O-Bin said.

Siri's face was burning. Obi-Wan fixed her with  a  steady  gaze.  They
both had to keep quiet. They should not attract any more attention.

jedi order.

This time, O-Bin deliberately ignored Siri's glowing light. "V-Taun?"

"The Jedi Order is surrounded by darkness. They -"

Siri sprang to her feet. "The Jedi  path  is  one  of  service  to  the
galaxy!"

"Sit down, O-Siri! Five punishment marks! And you know what that  means
.. ."

Obi-Wan groaned loudly.

"Food service cleanup after the evening meal," 0-Bin hissed through her
teeth. "And V-Obi, from your groan I'm sure you'll be happy to join  O-Siri.
So much better for the General Good."

"I am capable of keeping my mouth shut," Siri told  Obi-Wan  later.  "I
just don't want to. What difference does it make if we're washing dishes? At
least we're not sitting in a class listening to 0-Bin tell us that the  Core
Worlds are corrupted."

Obi-Wan regarded the stack of dishes crusted with the  remains  of  the
evening meal. It was the second time they had been given cleanup  duty  that
day. "I think I'd rather be sitting in class."

"I have a suggestion." Siri threw the dishrag  into  the  sink.  "Let's
forget the dishes and escape. Tonight. If  we  can't  outsmart  that  greedy
V-Tarz, we don't deserve to be Jedi."

"All right," he agreed.

"Obi-Wan, you've got to listen to me sometime. You're not the only  one
who can -" Siri did a double take. "Did you just agree with me?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "You're right. We saw how the security system operates.
Let's do it. Qui-Gon and Adi must be really worried now."

"There will be two guards," Siri said. "And V-Tarz might not be able to
go for his snack. What do you have in mind?"

"The other Security Guide thinks the system malfunctioned  last  night,
but they don't know where the problem is, right?"

Siri nodded.

"So let's create a real problem," Obi-Wan said. "They'll have  to  shut
down the system to check and  repair  it.  Meanwhile  we'll  sneak  out  the
cleansing room window."

"How can we sabotage the system?" Siri asked. "We can't sneak into  the
admin center now. It's full of Guides."

"We have to sabotage  it  here,"  Obi-Wan  said,  glancing  around  the
kitchen. "Any ideas?"

They examined the security devices set into the ceiling corners.

"Didn't V-Tarz say something about the infrared sensor?" Siri asked.

"He claimed that it could be malfunctioning," Obi-Wan said.

"Can we rig something to set it off again?" Siri  asked.  She  ran  her
hand along the big warming unit. "What if we turned the stoves on

low? They'd heat the room and eventually the infrareds  would  go  off.
They'd have to turn off the system to figure it out."

"Simple, but genius," Obi-Wan said. "Let's do it. But we'd better  wash
the dishes first. If a Guide comes in to check our work,  he  or  she  might
notice the stoves are on."

"I knew there was a drawback," Siri groaned.

Working quickly, the  two  finished  their  task.  The  warning  lights
flashed for lockdown, and they ran for  their  dorm  quarters.  They  paused
outside the admin center.

"We don't have time to say good-bye to Davi," Siri said in concern.

"He'll know what happened when he finds out we're  gone.  We  can  come
back for him with Qui-Gon and Adi. Meet me here  as  soon  as  the  security
light goes out," Obi-Wan said. "Then we'll head for the Quad 7 exit."

Siri nodded. Obi-Wan headed to his dorm quarters. He  managed  to  slip
into bed just before the lights  went  out.  He  waited,  listening  to  the
breathing slow around him. The students worked so hard and long  during  the
day that everyone fell deeply asleep within minutes of lying down.

At last the security light blinked off. Obi-Wan slipped into his  boots
and tiptoed out. He hesitated near Davi's sleep couch. It was better not

to awaken him. Anything could go wrong, and he didn't want to get  Davi
in trouble.

When he reached the hall outside the admin center, Siri was waiting.

"I just saw V-Tarz and the other Security Guide take off to check  that
sensor," she said. "It's an all clear."

They hurried down the long hallway, past  the  other  dorm  rooms.  The
cleansing room was at the very end of the long, circular building. They  had
almost reached it when they heard the scrape of a door opening slightly.

Without hesitating a fraction, Obi-Wan and Siri leaped together  toward
the curve of the hallway, where they would be out of  sight.  They  hit  the
floor and began to run. If someone had caught a glimpse  of  them,  or  even
merely heard them,  Security  Guides  might  be  called.  Each  student  was
encouraged to inform on the others.

But would they?

An alarm pierced the silence. The door to the  cleansing  room  was  in
sight. They raced toward it. But before they could reach it, Security Guides
spilled out into the hallway and surrounded them.

They could have fought them. But that meant they  would  have  to  draw
their lightsabers. Obi-Wan was still reluctant to do that, since Yoda

had cautioned them against it. There had to be a  better  way.  He  saw
Siri's hand drift to her lightsaber hilt, and he shook his head.  But  would
Siri listen to him?

Students spilled  out  into  the  hall  to  see  what  had  caused  the
disturbance. 0-Bin and several other Teaching Guides hurried out, dressed in
their sleepwear.

"I know these two well," O-Bin said. "What are you  doing  out  in  the
hallways after curfew?"

A shaky voice came from behind them. "It was me."

They turned. Davi stood nervously, his eyes on  the  floor,  afraid  to
look at 0-Bin.

"I was heading for  the  food  prep  area,"  Davi  said.  "I...  forgot
something."

"I'll say he did!" V-Tarz hurried forward. "He left all the stoves  on!
Tripped the sensors!"

0-Bin plastered her chiding smile on her face. "This is  very  careless
of you, V-Davi. We will have to consult to figure out  how  many  punishment
marks you will receive."

"I know," Davi mumbled. "I realize that I endangered the General  Good.
I am repentant."

"Well. We shall  discuss  this  tomorrow."  O-Bin  clapped  her  hands.
"Everyone return to your quarters."

Amid the crush of students, Obi-Wan and Siri made their way to Davi.

"Why did you do that?" Siri whispered.

"I don't have as many punishment marks as you," Davi whispered back.

"Davi, why are you wearing your boots and outer tunic?"  Obi-Wan  asked
shrewdly.

"I saw you leave," Davi said. "I knew  you  were  going  to  escape.  I
wanted to come with you!"

"V-Davi!" O-Bin's voice was shrill. "If you want .to  repent  for  your
disobedience, you should not be talking to two troublemakers!"

With a last glance at them, Davi backed up. But suddenly something shot
out of his pocket. Obi-Wan knew immediately what it was: Davi's pet  ferbil,
Scurry. Davi would not leave the Learning Circle without his pet.

"What is that?" 0-Bin snapped. "Catch it!"

Davi went down on his hands and knees. He made a  chirping  noise  with
his mouth and cupped his hands. The ferbil ran into his palm.

"That," 0-Bin said, "is a pet."

Davi said nothing. His face flamed.

"It's just a little ferbil," Siri said.

"Two punishment marks, 0-Siri. I was not talking to you. V-Tarz!"

V-Tarz rumbled forward.  "Please  search  V-Davi's  dorm  area,"  0-Bin
ordered.

Obi-Wan and Siri followed. While the students stood around, it did  not
take V-Tarz long

to find two iridescent lizards, another baby  fer-bil,  and  a  bag  of
seeds.

O-Bin pressed her lips together. "What do we say, students?"

All the students faced Davi.

"SHAME. SHAME. SHAME," they repeated over and over.

"Take ... those ... things," O-Bin told V-Tarz, her teeth clenched in a
smile. "And get rid of them."

V-Tarz scooped up the lizards and put both ferbils in his pocket.

"No! "Davi cried. "Please..."

"SHAME. SHAME. SHAME."

Inside V-Tarz's pocket, the ferbils chirped anxiously.

Davi's eyes filled. Tears slowly dripped down his cheeks. "Please,"  he
whispered.

As soon as the lights powered up the next morning, Obi-Wan  hurried  to
Davi's sleep couch to give him words of encouragement. They would find a way
out. They would take him with them.

But Davi was gone.

Qui-Gon and Adi hid behind a low wall, their eyes on the high  security
building  that  housed  the  CIP.  Nen  had  brought  them  through  several
checkpoints, but he was not authorized to enter the building. It was  up  to
them to get past the guards.

"We cannot attack any Keganite," Adi murmured. "We must use  the  Force
to bypass security."

"There is only one guard," Qui-Gon said. "It should be easy.  Kegan  is
not used to unlawful activity."

They rose from their hiding place and strolled toward the guard.

"Greetings," Qui-Gon said. "V-Tan and 0-Vieve  have  sent  us  here  to
observe. You will be happy to let us pass through."

"I am happy to let you pass through," the

guard said, succumbing to the mind trick and waving  them  through  the
doorway.

Once they were inside,  Qui-Gon  and  Adi  quickly  found  the  Central
Instruction Processor. Adi's fingers flew at the keyboard as she  entered  a
series of contradictory instructions.

"This should send them all to landing sites," she said. "I  don't  want
them to crash in a populated area. This  program  should  confuse  the  tech
personnel and give us time."

"How long?" Qui-Gon asked.

Adi's eyes never left the data screen. "Hard to say. It should give  us
at least two hours. Maybe three. They aren't technologically advanced, so it
could take them a while."

"I don't want another night to  fall  without  finding  our  Padawans,"
Qui-Gon said grimly.

Adi agreed quietly. "We will find them. And Lana, too."

When Adi was finished, they turned toward the exit hallway, but Qui-Gon
stopped by a door marked central instruction file records.

"Let's just look in here a minute," he said. "We could find a clue."

The room was lined with holographic file units.  They  were  dated  and
lined up alphabetically. Qui-Gon accessed a drawer of files, Adi another.

"There's a file on every citizen of Kegan

here," Adi Gallia said in disbelief. "Recorded conversations ..."

"Whom they meet, whom they  dine  with  ..."  Qui-Gon  said,  accessing
another file.

"What they use, what they eat..."

"What they write to their children at school..."

Qui-Gon studied a file for a thirteen-year-old  named  O-Nena.  "Didn't
Nen tell us about The Learning Circle?"

Adi Gallia murmured assent as she accessed another file. "Did you  find
out where it is?"

"No," Qui-Gon said. "But here's a reference to a  /?e-Learning  Circle.
What could that be?"

"Sounds like something to check out."

"Let's look up Lana," Qui-Gon suggested, flicking past files to get  to
her name. "There's nothing here."

"I'll try Melie and Nen." Adi searched through the files, flashing  one
name after another. "Here. I'll take Nen, you take Melie." She read  through
the files quickly.

Qui-Gon scanned the file. "Plenty of recorded conversations. Records of
meetings with other dissidents. And record of all our conversations in their
house. But nothing about Lana. Not even the recording of her birth."

"They've erased all the information." Adi met Qui-Gon's gaze. "I  don't
like this. It's as though they wiped out any evidence of her existence."

"Except in her parents' memories."

Simultaneously, the two Jedi closed the files.

"There's no time to lose," Adi said.

They left the building and hurried to Nen  and  Melie's  dwelling.  Adi
quickly explained that the autohoppers would be  grounded  for  about  three
hours.

"We'll gather as many dissidents as we can," Nen said.  "We'll  try  to
find out if anyone has seen your Padawans."

"We must find out where the Learning Circle is located,"  Qui-Gon  told
them. "I have a feeling the key  is  there.  Have  you  ever  heard  of  the
Re-Learning Circle?"

"I've heard it mentioned," Nen said. "Nobody really knows what  it  is.
Some sort of training facility."

"The mothers talk," Melie said. "They say if your child  is  reassigned
they are not allowed to contact you again. Do you think  that's  where  Lana
is?"

O-Yani, the elder caregiver, stood in the doorway. "No," she whispered.

Melie turned, her gaze suddenly sharp. "O-Yani,  your  grandson  V-Onin
was sent to the Re-Learning Circle six years ago."

"It was not my fault he was ill," O-Yani said quickly.

"I know," Melie said gently. "I saw how you cared for him. Why  was  he
taken away?"

"For the General Good," O-Yani said promptly.

"O-Yani, we have disabled the autohoppers," Qui-Gon said to  her.  "You
don't hear them flying, do you? You can speak freely."

O-Yani paused. She looked out the window,  waiting  for  the  sight  or
sound of the autohoppers. "They gave  me  this  job.  I  like  working  with
children," she said wistfully.

"You won't lose your job," Nen told her. "We know that what happened to
Lana wasn't your fault."

"But if you know where she is, please tell us," Melie said.

"The medics didn't know how to treat V-Onin. They said they had a place
for him to go ... a place where  research  was  done.  What  could  we  do?"
O-Yani's face was bleak. "I never saw him again."

"Do you know where they took him?" Melie pressed.

"A trader came one day and knocked on my door," O-Yani  said.  "He  had
seen a boy in the country who was traveling  with  Guides.  The  Guides  had
trouble with their airspeeder and were repairing it.  The  boy  stopped  the
trader.

He gave him something to bring to me. A goodbye gift."

"What was it?" Nen asked.

"Wildflowers," 0-Yani said. "I pressed them in a book. Wait."

She disappeared and came out a moment later with a leather-bound  book.
She cracked it open and carefully extracted a delicate, pressed bloom.

"May I see it?" Melie asked respectfully. At 0-Yani's hesitant nod, she
plucked it from her hand and examined it. "I know this bloom. It  comes  off
the calla tree. They only grow on the highest plateau of Kegan.  It's  about
two hours away by landspeeder."

Thanks to the Jedi's faster craft, they could cut that amount  of  time
in less than half, Qui-Gon calculated. "How big is the plateau  itself?"  he
asked.

"You could cover it in a matter of minutes with  the  right  craft  and
surveillance devices," Melie answered. "It's not very large."

"Let's go," Qui-Gon said to Adi.

Suddenly the door flew open. Six Enforcement Guides  stormed  into  the
room.

"Qui-Gon Jinn and Adi Gallia, we are here to escort  you  to  the  High
Court. You have been found guilty of mind control. Come quietly or you  will
be shot."

Siri used the bustle of departure from the food hall to drift close  to
Obi-Wan.

"Davi was taken to The Re-Learning Circle,"  she  told  him  in  a  low
voice. "I overheard O-Bin talking to another Teaching Guide. We've got to do
something."

"I thought you wanted to escape," Obi-Wan said.

Siri bit her lip. "Not until we find Davi."

"I feel the same way," Obi-Wan agreed.

"I think the Re-Learning Circle is right here, in the  Learning  Circle
itself," Siri told him.

"We have rec time today. Let's try to sneak  away  and  explore  then,"
Obi-Wan suggested. "Just don't cause trouble in class, or we'll have cleanup
duty instead."

Siri nodded.  They  walked  in  orderly  rows  to  class.  The  morning
stretched on. Often O-Bin would glance at Siri during the lesson, waiting

for her objection. But Siri remained silent, her face  serene.  Obi-Wan
could feel members of the class wondering if O-Bin had won  the  battle  and
subdued her.

At last, classes ended  and  the  students  filed  outdoors.  Rec  time
consisted of running along a track that spanned a good part of the  Learning
Circle. Along the track various stations were  set  up  for  exercises  that
tested balance, coordination, and strength. They did not  race  against  one
other but against their own former times. Each student wore  a  sensor  that
recorded his or her progress after every lap. The sensors were connected  to
a large readout screen. The goal was to complete five  circuits.  Then  they
would be free to stroll around the part of the Circle set apart for  outdoor
activities.

Several classes ran the  course  at  the  same  time.  Teaching  Guides
supervised them, but they were more interested in drinking  in  the  sun  or
talking among themselves than patrolling the students.

"Let's run the course as fast  as  we  can,"  Obi-Wan  suggested.  "The
sooner our five scores are recorded, the more free time we'll have."

Obi-Wan and Siri ran easily side by side.  Within  seconds,  they  were
ahead of the pack. They reached the first station, a narrow  beam  suspended
several meters above the ground.

The beam curved in a twisting shape in order to test  balance.  Without
breaking stride, Siri,  then  Obi-Wan,  leaped  up  on  it,  landed  without
wavering even a fraction, and lightly  ran  through  its  twists  and  turns
without a pause. Siri leaped off the end, somersaulted, and landed.  Obi-Wan
followed her lead.

The next station was a durasteel wall  that  had  small  handholds  and
footholds to aid climbing. It glistened in the sun.

"I think it's coated to make it more slippery," Obi-Wan said to Siri as
he raced alongside her. "Might be tricky to climb."

She grinned. "Why bother?"

Using the Force, Siri leaped and landed on top of the wall, then sprang
off and flew through the air. Again, Obi-Wan followed. He landed on  top  of
the wall and jumped down easily.

They were far ahead now. The track course  was  an  easy  exercise  for
them. They had been studying balance and coordination at the Temple from  an
early age. They rounded the first lap and their  score  was  recorded.  Soon
they outran others still on their first lap.

Around and around Siri and Obi-Wan ran. Students  flooded  the  course,
the faster ones in their second lap, the slower still on the first.  It  was
easy to lose themselves in the crowd.

When they completed the fifth lap, they jogged easily along until  they
got to a part of the course that curved away from where the Teaching  Guides
sat on benches, enjoying the sun. Then they simply strolled away.

They noted utility sheds, more  classrooms,  Security  Guide  outposts,
sleeping quarters for workers, supply sheds, and a landing platform. Nowhere
did they see a building that could be the Re-Learning Circle.

"Maybe I was wrong," Siri said, discouraged. "But  0-Bin  clearly  said
that Davi packed his belongings and V-Tarz walked  him  there.  They  didn't
take a speeder."

"We've covered most of the compound," Obi-Wan said. "The rest  is  just
cultivated gardens and fields for food production."

Siri gazed over the fields. "Is quinto grain valuable  on  Kegan?"  she
asked.

"Not especially," Obi-Wan said. "It's Kegan's basic crop. It's the base
for those veg patties that you love so much."

"If it's not valuable, why are ten Security Guides guarding  it?"  Siri
asked.

Obi-Wan looked in the distance. Siri's sharp eyes had noted the  Guides
lined up in a field.

"Let's get closer," he suggested.

Using the field of grain as cover, they moved toward the  Guides.  When
they got closer, they

took out electrobinoculars from their utility belts.

The Guides stood ten paces  apart.  They  looked  bored.  One  of  them
yawned. Another stamped his feet.

"I don't see anything unusual," Siri said.

"Look at the dirt near the third guard, the one who stamped his  feet,"
Obi-Wan said.

Siri trained her electrobinoculars on the  loose  dirt  that  had  been
disturbed. "Something is buried there," she said excitedly. "I see metal."

"Hold on," Obi-Wan said. The  ground  was  moving.  The  guard  stepped
quickly away as a panel slid open and a ramp leading downward was revealed.

A Kegan woman emerged, wearing the white tunic of  a  medic.  The  door
closed behind her and she hurried down the path in the direction of the  Med
Dome.

"That's got to be it," Siri said. "But how can we break in? We have  to
find a way to activate that ramp."

"I know how to get in," Obi-Wan said. "It's all up to you. And it  will
be easy."

"Me? How?" Siri asked warily.

He grinned. "Just do what comes naturally."

Qui-Gon and Adi stood in the center of the coliseum. Opposite them  was
a circular table full of Keganites in red tunics. They were Judgment Guides.

"You have been found guilty of mind control in the case of 0-Melie  and
V-Nen," an elder Keganite said. "The penalty is deportation.  Your  ship  is
fueled and ready. Escort  starfighters  will  accompany  you  to  the  outer
atmosphere."

Qui-Gon and Adi said nothing. They knew that  V-Tan  and  O-Vieve  were
behind this. It would be wasted effort to argue. But that did not mean  they
would submit.

They were led to the landing platform by a platoon of Security Guides.

One of them spoke. "We have taken the liberty of disabling all  weapons
and defense systems. We wish you good travel."

A door hissed open, and V-Tan and O-Vieve appeared. They walked  toward
the Jedi, kind smiles on their faces.

"Before you leave, we wish to assure you that we  mean  you  no  harm,"
O-Vieve said.

"Where are our Padawans?" Qui-Gon asked.

"We think they were taken in a Truant Sweep," V-Tan answered. "We  will
locate them at the Learning Circle and send them back to Coruscant. We  give
you our personal assurance that this will be so."

"I'm sorry, that isn't good enough," Qui-Gon answered politely.

"You do not trust us. Yet you should." O-Vieve leaned closer to Qui-Gon
and touched his shoulder reassuringly. Suddenly, her face drained of  color.
Even her bright blue eyes seemed to fade. She weaved unsteadily.

"Are you all right?" Qui-Gon asked, touching her hand. It was ice-cold.

O-Vieve dropped her hand  from  Qui-Gon's  shoulder.  "It  is  nothing.
Sometimes I see things. They come without warning. This is  why  we've  done
what we have done. We only serve to protect our people."

"We agreed to your coming with friendship in our hearts,"  V-Tan  said.
"What we cannot tolerate is interference in our affairs. It disrupts the

General Good. You pushed the limits of what we were  willing  to  give.
Kegan is not interested in other worlds. We want to be left alone."

"You told the people that if one person left Kegan, the planet would be
destroyed," Adi said. "Surely you don't believe that."

"But we do," 0-Vieve said gently. "I have seen it."

"We understand your concern," Qui-Gon  said.  "And  we  recognize  your
right to evict us. But you must know that if you force us to  leave  without
our Padawans, we will return with an investigative team  from  the  Galactic
Senate. Kegan will no longer be able to isolate itself."

V-Tan and 0-Vieve exchanged a nervous glance.

0-Vieve tucked her hands into the wide sleeves of her white tunic.  "If
you would indulge us, kind Jedi, and listen. I  have  seen  visions  of  the
future since I was a little girl. V-Tan has dreams in which he sees  things,
too. When we met each other, we discovered that our  visions  matched.  That
convinced us of the truth of them. We have predicted things that have  taken
place. Now we see an invasion of evil on Kegan. We created a way  of  living
that might avoid what we see."

"Everything we have done is to protect our citizens from  a  fate  they
cannot imagine," V-Tan

said. "Perhaps some of our measures seem harsh, but they are  only  for
the General Good."

"We have both seen flashes of a future  destructive  event  on  Kegan,"
O-Vieve told them. "We see evil cloaking our planet like a black cloud."

"How?" Qui-Gon asked. "When?"

"We do not know the answers to those questions," 0-Vieve said. "That is
the agony we live with. We are not sure how to  prevent  it.  We  only  have
clues. The Jedi ... the Jedi are involved."

"The Jedi?" Adi asked. "How?"

"We see the Jedi surrounded by darkness," V-Tan said. "That is  all  we
know. The darkness comes from within them and then spreads to engulf them."

"Perhaps our destruction will come from an  explosive  device  sent  to
destroy an entire planet without a shiver," O-Vieve said.

"There is no explosive  device  powerful  enough  to  destroy  a  whole
planet," Qui-Gon said.

"Not yet, perhaps," 0-Vieve corrected softly, and Qui-Gon felt a shiver
go up his spine.

"We see masked soldiers," V-Tan said. "We do not know who they are,  or
what they  want.  Only  that  they  are  evil.  They  will  bring  fear  and
suffering."

"But your visions could be wrong," Adi said.

"Visions sometimes are. The Jedi themselves are not unused to them. Yet
we recognize that we can only see things that may be."

"That is why we act as we  do."  0-Vieve  looked  at  Qui-Gon  with  an
intense gaze. "If you could choose your death, Qui-Gon, wouldn't you  rather
die in peace and comfort than violently in battle, in shock and despair?"

Qui-Gon fixed her with an icy stare. "We are not allowed to choose  our
deaths."

"And it is not up to you to choose what is best for your  people,"  Adi
said. "You say that each citizen has a vote. Yet you  control  the  process.
You monitor their thoughts and conversations. All because of a  vision  that
may not come to pass. Is that fair? Is it fair to  take  a  child  from  her
parents based on a dream of an unnamed evil?"

0-Vieve looked away. Obviously, the question had disturbed her.

Qui-Gon took the opportunity to press the point. "Adi Gallia and I have
seen your Tech Circle and your Med Circle. We have seen  what  you  do  have
compared to what you could have. There have been advances  in  medicine  and
technology that could save your people suffering and hardship. Is  it  right
to deny them?"

"We do not deny them," V-Tan said, shaking his head. "We save them."

"There must be some sacrifice in order to

preserve the General Good," 0-Vieve said, turning  back  to  them.  Her
voice once again rang with firm authority. "This meeting is  over.  We  will
send your Padawans after you. We have a good  ship,  well-stocked,  equipped
with a hyper-drive for them. We send you good wishes on your  journey."  Her
blue eyes suddenly held the glint of steel. "But if you  try  to  remain  in
Kegan atmosphere, know this: Your ship will be blasted out of the sky."

Obi-Wan and Siri were able to slip back into  the  throng  of  students
crowding around the large data screen while  the  stragglers  completed  the
course.

0-Bin read the scores, her usual fixed smile on her face. It faltered.

"O-Siri and V-Obi, step forward."

Obi-Wan and Siri stepped forward.

"You have  tampered  with  the  data  screen,"  she  rapped  out.  "Ten
punishment marks apiece -"

"Excuse me, Guide O-Bin." The soft-spoken girl named O-lris  spoke  up.
"V-Obi and O-Siri completed the course that fast. I saw them leap up on  the
durasteel wall."

"And I saw them navigate the twisting  beam  in  only  three  seconds,"
another boy said. "No one has ever done that."

"They were already through the first lap

while I was only a third through the first," someone else said.

0-Bin's smile disappeared. She cleared her throat. "I see. Well. Let us
see if O-Siri and V-Obi can  match  their  skill  on  the  rec  course  with
obedience in class."

She walked off quickly. The students lined up to follow.  Many  glanced
at Obi-Wan and Siri, speculation in their eyes.  Obi-Wan  had  not  foreseen
that their prowess on  the  rec  course  would  gain  them  more  attention.
Obviously, no one had ever run the course so fast.

Back in class, 0-Bin began the lesson.

"Today we will cover the Kegan system  of  government  as  compared  to
other worlds. After studying other societies throughout  the  galaxy,  V-Tan
and O-Vieve have devised the best form of  government.  No  one  citizen  on
Kegan is more important than any other -"

"Really?" Siri said bluntly. "Then why do V-Tan and  O-Vieve  tell  you
what to think and what to do?"

"Three marks, O-Siri. You're amassing quite a collection," 0-Bin  said,
her smile tight. "I suppose you enjoy kitchen duty."

"It sure beats sitting in class," Siri shot back.

This time, Obi-Wan heard a few students stifle a giggle.

"Two more marks," O-Bin said. "Getting back to the lesson, the freedoms
we enjoy here on Kegan are unparalleled -"

Again, Siri interrupted. "Is that why all the children are confined  to
a walled compound and can't leave without triggering an alarm?"

"0-Siri!"

"And why aren't citizens free to travel off-planet?" Obi-Wan chimed in.

"V-Obi! Four marks for both of you!"

"But Guide O-Bin, they have a point," 0-lris  said.  "Can  you  address
it?"

0-Bin's lips thinned. "No, I cannot. It is not a valid observation."

"It seems valid to me," V-ldo said hesitantly.

"And if we're free, why can't we choose  what  jobs  we  want  to  do?"
another student asked.

"My father wanted to work in the  Tech  Circle,  but  was  assigned  to
Traffic Control," someone said. "He hates it."

"They say they are not of our  world,"  0-lris  said.  "You  call  them
liars. Yet we saw how they ran the course. No one on Kegan has that kind  of
skill."

"That's enough!" 0-Bin's face was red. She turned to Siri and  Obi-Wan.
For once, her anger was evident, not covered up with a bland,  false  smile.
"This is all your fault!" she said shrilly. "Yours is not  to  question  The
Learning! It has

been devised by those far wiser than you. It is  taught  by  those  who
know more than you."

"Then you should be able to explain it," Siri pointed out.

"If we are so free, why can't we speak out?" O-lris asked.

"Enough!" O-Bin shouted. She stabbed at  a  red  button  by  the  door.
Seconds later, Security Guides burst in.

She pointed to Obi-Wan and Siri. "Take them away! They  have  disrupted
my class! They are enemies of the General Good!"

Obi-Wan and Siri were pulled out  of  class  and  taken  to  the  admin
center. There, a stern  Control  Guide  told  them  that  because  of  their
repeated disruptions, they were being reassigned.

Their destination was the Re-Learning Circle.

Obi-Wan and Siri exchanged a glance of satisfaction. It was exactly  as
they'd hoped.

They were marched across the yard and into the  field,  then  down  the
ramp into the facility. Immediately, all air and light were blocked out. The
Re-Learning Circle was dank and cold, the walls and floors the same shade of
dull gray. >

They were separated immediately. Obi-Wan was taken to a cell and locked
inside. The light was dim. There was a mat on the floor to  sleep  on.  That
was all.

He did not know what he had expected. But he had not expected this.

Within minutes, his door hissed open. A Guide in  a  navy  chromasheath
tunic and pants walked in, a bundle in his arms.

"I am the Guide who will start you on  the  path  of  Re-Learning,"  he
said. "Put this on." He held out a sensory-deprivation suit.

Obi-Wan knew he had to go along for now, until he could find  Davi.  He
climbed into the suit and the Guide fastened it securely. He could  not  see
or hear. The world around him dropped away.  He  could  only  hear  his  own
breathing.

A lecture began in the padded earphones that covered his ears. He could
not dislodge it no matter how he twisted. It was  similar  to  the  blackout
hood he had worn at the Temple for the cooperation exercise. The  difference
was he could not remove this himself. He was trapped.

Kegan is a perfect society dedicated to the General  Good.  The  Guides
are here to help you. Do not trust others. Only trust your Guides.

The Inner Core worlds are full of dangers...

Travel is difficult and unnecessary...

Kegan medicine is the most advanced in the galaxy...

"Wrong!" Obi-Wan screamed despairingly. "It's all wrong!"

But he could not block out the voice.

Qui-Gon and Adi entered their transport. Adi  took  the  controls.  She
coolly eyed their star-fighter escorts as she fired up the engines.

"Those are so old they should be junked," she said. "We won't have  any
problem outrunning them."

"Let's hope those laser cannons are  just  as  old,"  Qui-Gon  remarked
mildly.

They  rose  smoothly  and  headed  for  the   upper   atmosphere,   the
starfighters flanking them closely. Adi was one  of  the  best  Jedi  pilots
Qui-Gon knew. Her response time was amazingly fast, and  her  feel  for  her
craft was instinctive.  If  anyone  could  lose  four  starfighters  without
risking damage to their craft, it was Adi.

Because they knew one thing: They would not leave Kegan  without  their
Padawans.

Qui-Gon had thought Adi too cautious at

times during this mission. Now he saw how determined she could be.

"Ready for a ride?" she asked Qui-Gon.

He checked to make sure he was securely strapped in his seat. "Ready."

With one deft movement, Adi flipped the craft over, nearly clipping the
wings of the starfighter next to it. She dived down at  a  screaming  speed,
then rolled several times. Trying to keep up, one starfighter spiraled  out.
The starfighter pilot fought to stabilize his craft.

"That model doesn't  have  the  maneuverability  this  one  does,"  she
murmured. "Pity."

Adi pushed the engines to maximum speed and turned hard right,  pushing
the ship to the limits of its maneuverability. Warning blaster fire  erupted
off their port side, but Adi was already turning  as  she  climbed,  and  it
passed harmlessly by the  wing.  It  ripped  into  the  wing  of  the  other
starfighter, however. Flames erupted from its fuel line.

"Hoped that would happen," Adi muttered. The  second  starfighter  took
off, back down to the planet for repairs.

Now Adi  reversed  direction.  Instead  of  trying  to  elude  the  two
remaining ships, she headed straight for them. Thinking  she  was  about  to
crash into them, both starfighters went into a dive and fired  at  the  same
time.

Adi was able to easily avoid the fire  with  a  few  quick  turns.  The
starfighters were below them now, still diving. Adi pushed  the  engines  to
the maximum. They zoomed off and soon lost the two craft.

"Good flying," Qui-Gon complimented her. "And here I thought Yoda  sent
you on this mission just to watch over me. Maybe  he  knew  we'd  need  your
flying skills."

Adi threw him an amused glance from her dark, almond-shaped eyes. "Yoda
didn't send me to watch you. Not in the way you think. Siri and I are a  new
team. He wanted her to see how a good Master-Padawan team operates."

"So Yoda isn't keeping an eye on us?"

"On the contrary. You and Obi-Wan have proven your effectiveness.  Yoda
felt Siri needed to learn cooperation with another Padawan as well."

Qui-Gon considered this. "I believe I learned the same lesson," he said
softly.

Adi gave him one of her rare smiles. "And I as well."

Qui-Gon plugged in the coordinates for Kegan's high  plateau  and  they
settled back for the short ride. Soon they zoomed over  the  targeted  area.
Mist shrouded the landscape below. Qui-Gon peered first at his data screens,

then with his own keen gaze. The mist parted, and it appeared - a  vast
compound ringed with a high stone wall. Long, low-domed buildings lay within
the larger compound as well as cultivated fields and open space.

"The mist is a good cover," Adi said. "I'll land outside the wall  near
those rocks."

They landed, concealing the ship behind a stand  of  rocks  and  scrub.
They climbed out and quickly crossed a field and scaled the wall.

The mist lay low on the ground, so thick it was hard to see more than a
short distance ahead. Qui-Gon and Adi patrolled the compound, letting  their
keen senses tell them when Guides were near. They moved like shadows through
the fog.

They climbed on top of the buildings and looked through the  skylights.
They peered through every window. They found nothing.

"They aren't here," Adi Gallia said. "Maybe they were, and  they  moved
them. No doubt 0-Vieve and V-Tan have already sent out an alert for us. They
know we'll head here. I think we should leave and consider  our  next  step.
Maybe we should head back to Kegan and see if Melie and  Nen  have  come  up
with anything."

Qu'kGon paused. He lifted his head and

closed his eyes. He felt the Force around him. He reached  out  to  it,
hoping it would tell him if his Padawan was near.

He felt nothing.

"All right," he said reluctantly. "Let's go."

At first he had struggled to block out the voice.

Trust the Guides to show you the way to the General Good. They  monitor
it. They know it. Trust them. Do not trust your friend or neighbor.

Then he realized that he should not struggle. That only made the  voice
more insistent. He practiced the Jedi way and  accepted.  The  voice  washed
over him like water. He did not have to drink it in.

How long would this go on? It seemed to be lasting for hours. He  could
find his calm center; the voice would not penetrate. He knew Siri  could  do
the same. They would not go crazy listening to that  steady,  melodic  voice
that told lie after lie.

But what about Davi?

At last he was released from the sensory-deprivation suit by his Guide.
At first he could

only blink. The soft noises of people and movement  outside  his  door,
the breathing of the Guide seemed loud and intrusive. Obi-Wan imagined  that
this was like being born.

"How long have I been here?" Obi-Wan asked.

"That I cannot say," the Guide said pleasantly. "Now it is time for the
cleansing room. I'll lead you if you can't see quite yet. It's normal."

"I can see." Obi-Wan's eyes were adjusting now. The gray walls and gray
floors were like an extension of the darkness he had been plunged  into  for
so many hours.

He walked next to the Guide down the corridors, passing a Medic  Guide,
this one different from the one he'd seen aboveground so many days before.

No. Today. I saw that Medic Guide earlier today.

He had to hold on to his sense of time. He would find a way to mark  it
in his room.

/ won't be here that long. We came for Davi. We'll  find  him  and  get
out.

They had come because they felt they owed Davi. They had come to help a
friend. They had thought it would be easy to rescue him and  get  out.  They
were wrong. This would not be easy.

It had been impulsive, Obi-Wan realized. And he  had  promised  himself
back at the Temple

that he would not be impulsive again. He would be careful.

Maybe he'd been influenced by Siri. She was always ready  to  jump,  to
move, to take action. He shouldn't have listened to her.

Do not listen to others. Listen only to the Guides.

Obi-Wan shook his head, blocking out the memory of the voice.

The Guide ushered him into the  cleansing  room.  He  pointed  out  the
heating spray and cooling spray, towels, and a fresh tunic.

"I will be back in three minutes," he said.

Obi-Wan felt the pulse of the warm water against his back.  He  felt  a
sudden connection to the land above him, the living  creatures,  the  beings
around him. Qui-Gon was here. He was searching.

He knew it. He felt the strong, sure connection.

I'm here, Qui-Gon. I am below. Don't stop searching.

They had this connection once, but it had frayed.  Would  Qui-Gon  hear
him? Would he answer him?

He felt nothing.

Obi-Wan moved to the  cooling  spray,  then  toweled  himself  off  and
dressed.

He was on his own. He could trust no one.

Only the Guides could be trusted for truth and ...

Obi-Wan stopped in the middle of buckling his utility belt. He had  not
heard those words as spoken by the voice in his ear. He had heard the  words
in his own voice.

Fear snaked through him. They had gotten to him in only one session.

Obi-Wan took a breath. He summoned up his training. He focused  on  the
calmness within. It drove out the fear.

/ am not alone, he told himself firmly. / have Siri. And I trust her.

Food service took place in a large hall filled with  students.  Obi-Wan
could not see their faces. Like him,  they  wore  concealing  hoods.  Strict
silence was maintained. Security Guides patrolled  the  aisles  between  the
long tables, making sure no one started a conversation.

The Learning Circle had been strict. Friendships were  discouraged.  If
one student got too close to another, they would find themselves transferred
to a different quad.  But  conversation  was  allowed  at  food  times,  and
students did interact.

Here, everything was designed to break a student  down.  Isolation  was
the tool.

Obi-Wan tried to peer under hoods to see if Siri was looking  for  him.
He searched for a small, slight form that could be Davi. He could  not  tell
if either of his friends were here.

A harsh buzzer sounded, and there was a

loud scrape of chairs against the floor as everyone stood, finished  or
not. Obi-Wan lined up with the others. How would he be able to make  contact
with Siri? He would have to find a way. Perhaps he could  fake  an  illness.
There seemed to be many med wards in this building . ..

Ahead of him, his sharp eyes had caught a slight  movement.  A  slender
tail flicked out of a tunic pocket. The student quickly put a hand inside.

Davi!

They marched down the long gray hallway  in  a  row.  One  by  one  the
students split off into separate cells. Obi-Wan kept his head down  but  his
eyes fixed on Davi. He made a note of the cell Davi  had  disappeared  into.
There were no numbers on the doors, so he counted the doors until he got  to
his own.

He would contact Davi tonight. There was no  time  to  lose.  Davi  was
sensitive. He was afraid of being alone. What was this place doing to him?

And how would he find Siri? Obi-Wan pondered the problem. He would have
to trust the Force to guide him. He could not delay any longer. He would use
his lightsaber to cut through his cell door after lights out.

That night, he timed the regular stroll  of  the  Security  Guides.  He
calculated the distance

down the hall. He would have just enough time to get Davi, pause inside
his cell for the next patrol, then take off and look for Siri. It  would  be
risky. He would have to count on the Guide to not notice  the  damaged  cell
doors. The lighting was low enough that he just might get away with it.

A buzzer announced lights out, and three seconds later  his  light  was
extinguished. Obi-Wan sat cross-legged on the floor of his  cell.  He  would
wait until he was sure that most students were asleep.

He had waited only a few minutes when a whisper came to him faintly.

"Obi-Wan! What are you doing? Catching a nap?"

"Siri?"

"Who do you think it is, V-Tarz? Stand back."

The glow of molten metal illuminated his room. Siri was cutting a  hole
in the door with her lightsaber. Obi-Wan sprang forward to help. Soon they'd
cut an opening big enough for him to squeeze through.

Siri's bright eyes gleamed at him. "What were you waiting for? Are  you
starting to like it here?"

By now Obi-Wan was used to her sense of humor. "Come on," he  said.  "I
know where Davi is."

They hurried down the hallway. "I think Qui-Gon  is  somewhere  in  the
Learning Circle," he said. "I feel it."

"I don't feel anything," Siri said. "But I  don't  have  that  kind  of
connection to Adi yet. Maybe someday we'll work together as well and you and
Qui-Gon."

It was a backhanded  compliment,  but  it  was  the  first  time  she'd
acknowledged that Obi-Wan had more experience than she did.

They reached Davi's door. Quickly, they cut a hole and climbed through.
Davi rose on his elbows, shocked to see Obi-Wan  and  Siri  climb  into  his
cell.

"What are you  doing  here?"  he  whispered.  "You'll  get  us  all  in
trouble."

"It could get worse than this?" Siri asked, waving  her  lightsaber  at
the bare cell.

Davi didn't smile. He lowered back onto his sleep mat and curled into a
ball. "I'm sure it could," he said. "Go away."

"Davi, you have to come with us," Obi-Wan said urgently.

"You have to trust us," Siri added.

"I only trust the Guides," Davi said. "They show  me  the  way  to  the
General Good. They monitor it. They know it. I trust them."

"That's the voice talking," Obi-Wan said.

"I do not trust my friend or neighbor," Davi

112

whispered. "I trust the Guides." He looked at them pleadingly. "This is
all I know. Please go away."

Siri stepped forward and sat on the floor next to Davi. "There are many
things in the galaxy that are good, Davi. If Kegan let in  the  good  things
from outside, it would be a better place. Perhaps some of the illnesses  you
have here are now curable. Like the Toli-X Virus."

Davi rose on his elbows again. "B-but that  is  incurable.  My  parents
died of it."

"A cure was discovered shortly after  the  virus  began  to  sweep  the
galaxy," Siri said gently. "If Kegan had been in touch with the rest of  the
galaxy, many would have been saved. I'm sorry to tell you this."

"I don't believe you." Davi shook his head back and forth. "The  Guides
don't lie. The Guides don't lie."

"Davi, why are there so many med facilities  here  at  the  Re-Learning
Circle?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"Because the children cannot be cured," Davi  said.  "If  they  are  in
sight of others, it is bad for the General Good."

"If an animal was hurt, would you lock it away, or  would  you  try  to
cure it?" Obi-Wan asked. "This place is wrong, Davi. You must know that."

Davi looked up at them, stricken.

"We are your friends," Siri said urgently. "We would not  lie  to  you.
You know that we come from another world. We have seen  these  things."  She
stood. "Will you come with us?"

Davi hesitated. Outside in the hall, they  heard  the  footsteps  of  a
guard. Would Davi turn them in?

They heard the footsteps walk by, then fade.

Davi stood. "I'm coming with you."

Obi-Wan and Siri reached out and each put a  hand  on  Davi's  forearm.
They smiled at each other.

"Wait." Davi looked at them hesitantly. "Can I take Wali?"

Siri and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance. Rescuing someone else  would  take
time and could endanger them. But they couldn't refuse Davi.

They nodded.

Davi squatted by the wall. Carefully, he eased out  a  stone  from  the
wall. He plucked out a small furry creature and slipped it into his pocket.

"All right. I'm ready."

They moved quietly down the hall. Suddenly, a faint, mewing  cry  split
the silence.

"Davi, you have to make Wali be quiet," Obi-Wan advised him.

"That wasn't Wali," Davi whispered.

They heard the cry again. It was muffled, and Obi-Wan realized now that
it came from one of the rooms off the hall. Then he felt it -

"It's a baby," Siri breathed.

"It's 0-Lana," Obi-Wan declared.

They were almost to the wall when Qui-Gon felt the surge in the  Force.
But all he saw was a field of green grain.

"They are here," he said to Adi.

She nodded. "I feel it, too. But where?"

Qui-Gon crouched down. He put his hands on  the  dirt.  He  closed  his
eyes. "Here."

He felt vibrations. Running footsteps.

"We've been spotted," Adi said.

They activated their  lightsabers  as  the  Security  Guides  thundered
toward them. The Guides were armed with blasters.

The Guides were not used to skilled opponents.  Qui-Gon  and  Adi  used
their lightsabers to deflect fire only.  Working  in  perfect  tandem,  they
flanked the guards and spun and evaded while they maneuvered them backward.

A utility shed stood at the edge of the field. Qui-Gon  and  Adi  moved
the Guides back

toward it, step by step. The Guides stumbled, tried to rally, and  fell
back.

When they were almost to the shed, Qui-Gon circled  around  and  opened
the door. Then he leaped over the Guides to face them again.  Together  with
Adi, he drove them into the shed. Then they closed and locked the door.

"Now what?" Adi Gallia asked. "No doubt they are calling  for  help  on
their comlinks."

"We find the way in," Qui-Gon said.

Obi-Wan and Siri quickly cut a hole in the door.

They found themselves in an infirmary. Children and young people lay on
sleep couches. Some were hooked up to  monitors.  Others  were  attached  to
tubes. Some of them opened their eyes as the Jedi passed, only to  stare  at
them dully. Obi-Wan wondered if they were given sleep potions.

0-Lana lay in a crib with high sides. Crying softly, she pulled herself
to her feet when she saw Obi-Wan and Siri.

"You must not cry, O-Lana," Obi-Wan told her soothingly.

She stopped crying. Then she held out her arms and looked  directly  at
Davi.

After a glance at Obi-Wan and Siri to make

sure it was all right, Davi picked up the child and cradled her against
his chest.

"I'll protect her as we go," he promised.

They hurried out of the infirmary and headed for  the  exit  ramp.  The
next guard patrol was moments away.

But luck wasn't with them. They turned the corner and ran straight into
a group of Security Guides about to change shifts.

Surprised, the Guides fumbled  for  their  weapons.  Obi-Wan  and  Siri
activated their lightsabers. They glowed in the dim hallway, and the  Guides
stopped momentarily, even more surprised. They had  never  seen  lightsabers
before.

"Stay behind us, Davi," Obi-Wan ordered.

He and Siri moved forward. This time he knew she would  not  fight  for
herself. She would fight with him, for all of them.

Blaster fire pinged around them, and their lightsabers met it,  a  blur
of speed and motion. They covered each other and leaped high, dropped to one
knee, reversed direction, changed hands,  all  without  pausing.  Protecting
O-Lana and Davi was their only objective.

An alert sounded. One of the Guides must have activated it.  The  halls
rang with a clanging alarm. Obi-Wan heard footsteps pound behind them.  Soon
they would be surrounded.

"This way," he called.  He  pushed  Davi  and  0-Lana  gently  down  an
adjacent corridor.

The Guides followed, a mass of bodies in chromasheath  armor,  blasters
firing. The small missiles fired by the beam tubes thudded  into  the  walls
around them. The air began to fill with smoke.

Obi-Wan and Siri pressed on. They could see the exit ahead. But Obi-Wan
didn't know whether they could protect Davi and 0-Lana,  continue  to  fight
the Guides, and activate the ramp. It would take time to figure out how  the
ramp was operated. There was most likely some sort of  key  or  code.  Their
backs would be against a wall. Siri glanced over at him, and he knew she had
thought of the same problems ahead.

More Guides suddenly  appeared,  running  down  an  adjacent  corridor.
Obi-Wan felt sweat trickle down his back as he deflected a sudden  burst  of
blaster fire. Would the battle end here? Would they  have  to  surrender  in
order to save 0-Lana and Davi?

Just then he heard a whirr and a clicking sound. The door slid open.  A
ramp shot up to the surface and fresh air flooded the hall. A  split  second
later, Qui-Gon and Adi raced down the  ramp,  their  lightsabers  activated.
With one

quick glance they took in the situation, then leaped into the fray.

The Security Guides had gained confidence as their  numbers  increased.
But four Jedi were too much for them. Their blaster fire was deflected  back
relentlessly. They had to keep diving to the floor or ducking  behind  carts
to avoid it.

Finally, they simply dropped their weapons and ran.

The Jedi turned to one another.  The  battle  was  over.  Obi-Wan  took
O-Lana from Davi's arms. He handed her to Qui-Gon.

"I bet you've been searching for this," he said.

Qui-Gon looked over 0-Lana's head at him. "I have  been  searching  for
you, too, Padawan. I am glad to have found you."

[Image001]

When the citizens  of  Kegan  found  out  what  was  happening  in  the
Re-Learning Circle, they revolted. They were horrified  that  children  were
hidden away and put in solitary confinement  for  questioning  authority  or
having a chronic ailment. It  violated  everything  O-Vieve  and  V-Tan  had
claimed Kegan valued.

Every citizen packed  the  Gathering  Circle  to  debate  the  problem.
Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Adi, and Siri observed as V-Tan and O-Vieve were voted out
as Benevolent Guides. A new council was swiftly appointed. Soon debate raged
regarding travel outside Kegan. At last a vote was taken. A majority favored
sending an envoy to  the  Galactic  Senate.  In  the  meantime,  they  would
petition the Galactic Senate to send medical and scientific advisors to  the
planet to bring Kegan up to date.

Soon after, the Learning Circle was closed.

Students returned home to their  families.  They  were  given  a  short
vacation until a new schooling system could be set up. People  opened  their
homes to the orphans from the Re-Learning Circle, and the rest  returned  to
their parents.

It was time for the Jedi to leave. They stood with Nen, Melie, and Davi
at the landing platform. Melie handed Lana to Siri.

"Nen and I have decided that it is best for  Lana  to  go,"  she  said,
tears in her eyes. "I have seen what the Jedi are and what they can  do.  We
must honor her gift."

"O-Vieve and V-Tan were right about many things,"  Nen  said,  touching
his daughter's cheek. "One of them is that we must sacrifice for the General
Good. It is better for Lana, better for the galaxy, if she  is  able  to  be
taught completely."

"We shall care for her and honor her," Adi Gallia said. "She will  grow
wise in the ways of the Force, and her life will be one of service."

"I can ask for no better life for my daughter," Melie said.

Nen put his arm around Davi. "And a new child has come into our  lives.
Davi has agreed to stay with us."

"If he can stay away from the Animal Circle," Melie teased. "Our friend
Via works there. She is teaching him how to care for the animals."

"I will never forget you," Davi told Obi-Wan and Siri shyly.

Obi-Wan put his hand  on  Davi's  forearm.  "We  will  always  be  your
friends, Davi."

"If you ever need us, you have only to summon us," Siri told him.

"Safe journey," Nen said. "We are grateful to the Jedi for  working  to
restore our world to justice."

Nen, Melie, and Davi walked away. Siri brought Lana into  the  ship  to
settle her in for the journey. Adi went inside to do her last-minute checks.

Obi-Wan took a last look at Kegan  from  the  landing  platform.  "This
world was a puzzle to me," he said. "I still don't understand how an  entire
planet could place its trust so blindly in visions and dreams."

"I'm not surprised," Qui-Gon said. "All living beings find comfort in a
truth that makes their lives easier to bear. Here on Kegan  the  people  did
not have the strife or hunger that we've seen on other planets.  Why  should
the people question a system that brought them ease and comfort?"

"But their freedom was an illusion," Obi-Wan argued.

"We do not know if 0-Vieve and V-Tan's visions  were  wrong,  Padawan,"
Qui-Gon said

thoughtfully. "O-Vieve's vision of the future  was  clouded,  but  that
doesn't make it invalid. Perhaps she just misinterpreted what she saw."

"That I don't believe," Obi-Wan said. "I can't imagine one central evil
controlling the whole galaxy. That would be impossible."

"I hope we do not see it, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said. "But we cannot say it
is impossible. Haven't you experienced enough of  chance  and  evil  in  the
galaxy to realize that?"

Obi-Wan shook his head stubbornly. "She saw darkness  coming  from  the
Jedi itself. That could never happen."

Sun suddenly burst through  the  clouds  overhead,  dazzling  Qui-Gon's
sight. The glare caused Obi-Wan's features  to  blur  and  dissolve.  For  a
moment, Qui-Gon didn't see the boy. He saw an elder man, alone, living on  a
desolate planet, his only companions his dark memories.

Qui-Gon felt the same shiver he'd experienced  in  O-Vieve's  presence.
Did he just have a vision of himself as an elder? Was that the  dark  vision
0-Vieve had seen for him?

Then a sudden truth pierced him. That isn't me. It is Obi-Wan.

Or was it?

The sun retreated behind the clouds.  The  world  became  clear  again.
Qui-Gon studied Obi-Wan. He saw the familiar boyish features,

the shining eyes. He found reassurance in the sight of his  youth.  The
future is not fixed, but fluid, he told himself. Visions  did  not  have  to
come true.

"Qui-Gon, are you all right?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Perhaps we should not  speak  of  evil  and  darkness  just  as  we've
completed a successful mission," Qui-Gon suggested lightly.  "Let  us  enjoy
this moment. Justice has returned to Kegan."

"And if darkness lies ahead of me, I will fight it," Obi-Wan resolved.

Qui-Gon put a hand  on  his  shoulder.  "We  will  fight  it  together,
Padawan."

The Obi-Wan

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Episode I: Anakin Skywalker

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"I thought children were revered on Kegan," Obi-Wan said, his cheek  in
the dirt.

A boot was suddenly placed on his head. His  face  was  pushed  farther
into the dirt. "No back talk. You know very well that truancy is a  criminal
act on Kegan. You're old enough to be punished for it."

"But we're not Keganites!" Siri protested.

"I've heard all the excuses. Shut your mouth."

"We're from another world. We're visitors,"  Siri  insisted  furiously.
"Take your boot off my friend's head."

The boot was removed from Obi-Wan's head and landed on Siri's shoulder.
"Sure," the man said.

Enough, Obi-Wan thought. He struggled to rise, but  the  electro-jabber
had done its work. He knew he wouldn't regain full use of his arms and  legs
for several more hours.  It  would  be  impossible  to  use  his  lightsaber
effectively until then. Besides, he'd been instructed not to show  Keganites
that he was a Jedi. Obi-Wan tried to roll closer to Siri but couldn't  move.
He watched helplessly as the boot increased  pressure  on  Siri's  shoulder,
driving her face into the dirt.

"What did I say about back talk?" the man asked again.

Siri gritted her teeth. Her vivid blue eyes

blazed. She spat out the dirt in her mouth. Still, she didn't answer.

"V-Tarz!" A voice boomed from behind them. Instantly, V-Tarz  took  his
boot off Siri's shoulder.

Obi-Wan saw another man approach, wearing the  same  navy  chromasheath
tunic as V-Tarz.

"Why are these students on the ground?" the second man demanded.

"Resisting capture," V-Tarz responded.

"No need to use physical force," the other man said.  "We've  discussed
this before. The Learning works with love, not fear. Take them to class."

Obi-Wan was hauled to his feet. He locked his knees so  that  he  would
not fall. Siri did the same.

"But we're not Keganites," Obi-Wan protested to the second  guard,  who
seemed more friendly. "We're visitors."

The second guard's dark gaze flicked over Obi-Wan  and  Siri.  "No  one
visits Kegan. Three marks for lying." He turned away. "Take them to class."

V-Tarz nudged them with the handle  end  of  his  electro-jabber.  "You
heard V-Brose. Get moving."

"Let's make a break for it," Siri murmured to Obi-Wan as they  stumbled
across the yard, their muscles like pudding.