Betrayal
- Chapter 9
Drowning in Lies
Naboo's third moon was just setting over the sunlit, jagged-toothed
mountains when the Jedi arrived at the Lake District Administration
Office. A brief distance from the spaceport, the regal, imposing structure
stood back from the main street, gardens and fountains filling the front
lawn with winding pathways and intimate green corners inviting all to
enjoy its tranquil beauty.
Obi-Wan and Atel had decided to walk, the exercise a form of active
meditation. A relief after the cramped rooms at the hostelry and even
smaller cabins in their ship, they enjoyed the spaciousness of the wide
roads and visions of carved stone buildings covered in lush greenery. It
was a lovely morning, clear and cool with the sweet scent of flowers
drifting through the air. After yesterday's emotional struggles, the peace
was almost palpable.
It was easy enough to find the Governor's office. A polite
acknowledgement at the front desk, directions up a broad flight of marble
stairs past statues and paintings, and a quick right turn brought the Jedi
to an ornately crafted door with its golden script announcing that they
had reached their goal. A secretary met them at the entry, ushering them
in. Scattered around the large office in small knots of activity, the
other staff and interns briefly glanced at the Jedi and then abruptly
turned away, pretending to work. After a few moments, Kenobi and his
apprentice were quietly shown into the inner sanctum. As the heavy doors
closed behind them, the hum of anxious whispers rose and was cut off.
Obi-Wan looked about the elegant room. As with all Naboo
architecture, there were tall, wide windows framing the mountains,
intricate designs adorning the walls of inlaid wood and stone, and
comfortable, beautifully carved chairs. From behind his vast marble desk,
the genial, somewhat rotund administrator smiled slightly and rose to
greet his guests.
"Master Jedi, it is an honor to greet the Republic's
representatives. I am Tov Antilles, Governor of the
Lake District
."
"Thank you, your Excellency. I am Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi
and this is my Padawan, Atel Sl'etah." The two Jedi bowed and, when
Antilles
motioned them forward, they sat, facing him.
The Governor opened his hands wide, looking at them curiously.
"How may I be of service?"
Kenobi paused and then stated clearly. "Governor, I am here to
investigate certain allegations with regards to one of your
constituents." The man nodded slowly. "Sir, do you know a Qui-Gon
Jinn?"
Antilles
's smile disappeared abruptly, a small frown materializing on the
now-strained face. The voice, too, was lower, chilled. "So the rumors
are true. You are here to arrest Qui-Gon."
"No, sir, not to arrest Master Jinn. We are merely making
inquiries about his endeavors." The Knight shifted in his chair,
uneasy. "So you do know him."
"Yes, yes, of course. We are old friends."
"Then you are aware that he is a former Jedi, a Master in the
ways of the Force..."
The Governor nodded slowly, frown deepening.
"It has come to the attention of the Jedi Council and the
Republic Senate that former Master Jinn has become extraordinarily wealthy
in a very short period of time." The administrator's eyes narrowed,
frosted. "It is possible that he is just very lucky and perceptive.
However, we need to make sure that he hasn't misused his powers. As I'm
sure you know, the use of the Force for material gain is a serious
offense."
Incensed, the Governor held up his hand, interrupting the Knight.
"Stop right now! Jedi Kenobi, I will hear no more of this. Qui-Gon
Jinn is a deeply honorable individual, generous to a fault...sometimes
overly generous. I've known
Qui-Gon a long time, nine years, ever since he married my cousin, Le'orath.
He would never do such a thing and these accusations are ridiculous."
His voice tightened with disgust. "I will have you know that he is
one of the heroes of the Battle of Naboo, fighting for our planet while
you Senate mercenaries were off having tea. I cannot believe that the
Republic has nothing better to do than harass upstanding men of Qui-Gon's
character."
Kenobi started to speak but was thwarted again as
Antilles
spat out. "Enough! I will cooperate with Republic officials, of
course. It is my duty to do so but I will not help you."
"Then you do not believe he has used the Force?" Obi-Wan
spoke distinctly, trying to ferret out more information.
"Not to gain wealth or power, no."
Antilles
was confident in his statement.
Kenobi pressed the point. "Then he has used the Force for
other purposes. Can you tell me what they were?"
"Is use of his powers illegal?"
"Not per se..." Obi-Wan hesitated and was quickly
interrupted again.
"I will say nothing more, then. I will tell my staff to
cooperate as is my duty. Do you have any other questions?" The man
was upset, indignant, folding his arms tightly, his demeanor an
impenetrable barrier.
Obi-Wan sighed. It was clear he would get no further information
from Tov Antilles. The Knight kept his tone neutral and correct, trying to
avoid any reason for the Governor to complain to the Jedi Council about
his actions or his methods.
"Your Excellency, we will need to complete our investigation.
We must have access to governmental accounts, spaceport files, donation
listings, tax records...."
The Governor stood up and gave Kenobi an icy glare. "I will
see that they are available to you. And now, I have another appointment.
Please see my attach... about your needs. Good day."
The Jedi both stood up and bowed. Apparently, the interview was
over.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It could not be said that the Jedi were thrown out of the
Administration Office but it was a near thing. The attach... was of even
less help than the Governor and it was with much grumbling and delaying
tactics that the codes for access to the requested records were finally
available. When questioned about the governmental dataports, the attach...
just sniffed, told Kenobi with a growl that the public facilities were
across the street, and left.
Atel was faintly amused by the whole incident. "I guess we are
not welcome here, Master."
Obi-Wan quipped back. "We should be grateful. At least they
are not shooting at us." Her sardonic "Not yet" brought a
sly sideways glance and a slight huff of approval from her Master.
The dataport office was crowded. It took some time but, at last,
they were able to get a tiny room with dual access. Pulling out her own
small datapad, Atel perused the information supplied to them by the Jedi
Council. As remembered, it was sketchy at best.
Obi-Wan shook his head, sighing. "The data from the Council is
almost useless. Atel, I want you to download Qui-Gon's tax records with
the access codes we were given. We need to know about his income sources
and the businesses in which he is a partner or has had an active part, the
charities as well. I will look through the spaceport records and get some
idea of his movements over the past nine years."
"Why charities, Master? That can't be important to our
investigation, surely."
"Why not? Unscrupulous individuals often conceal their true
intentions by inventing charitable organizations and then using them to
hide their activities. No one will question the movement of goods or money
for altruistic purposes. Since you insist that Jinn is a rogue, I thought
it wise to cover all possibilities." His apprentice has the good
sense to mutter "Oh" before turning back toward her 'port.
Little was said for some time. While Atel sat hunched and
unblinking over her own research, Kenobi frowned fiercely at the
information he had gleaned. Qui-Gon's movements were tracked quite easily.
He had gone to a number of locations: Coruscant, Sullust, Bandomeer, Kuat
Shipyards, among others, obstensively for business dealings. When checked
against records of his transactions, everything appeared to be perfectly
legal and above board. However, he also traveled to Tatooine and Ryloth
several times in the last four years, no reason given, and was often
accompanied by Skywalker or Mace Windu.
Kenobi started at that and scowled, deep in thought. **Mace Windu? That's odd....he's here and with Qui-Gon. I can understand Anakin.
He's Qui-Gon's apprentice and should go with him, but Master Windu. What
is going on?** Turning back to the records, he looked more closely,
noting the dates and specific locations. They seemed to travel first to
Mos Espa, then further afield to other locations across Tatooine. Obi-Wan
had never been to that desert planet but, over the years, he had heard
wild tales of its depravities and illegal activities - drugs, slavery,
murder, a veritable hive of scum and villainy. He couldn't help wondering
just what Qui-Gon was doing there. As for Ryloth, Obi-Wan had been sent on
a mission with his Master some years ago to that strange, twilight world
and knew just what places were safe for travelers and which were not. In
all cases, Jinn had gone to the more dangerous locales, perfect for
nefarious doings, perfect for...**Stop
it Kenobi. It's just not possible. Qui-Gon would not be dealing with
criminals. Maybe he's helping those pathetic lifeforms I was always
ranting about. Maybe...**
"Master?" Atel was looking at him, confused.
"Master, are you all right?" He glanced at her and nodded,
slowly. "You had the strangest look on your face."
"I'm fine. How far have you gotten with the task at
hand?"
"My initial analysis is complete. I've downloaded the list of
businesses that Jinn has acquired as well as dates they changed hands,
former owners, business partners and any public information on how they
were obtained. They look to be entirely legal at this point. Do you want
me to dig further?"
"Yes, please do. Any criminal activity would be buried deep.
Did you get the list of charities?"
"Yes, Master. Several of the organizations were already in
place before former Master Jinn moved here. They have benefited from his
generosity but have not gone beyond their initial mandates. There were
only two that I thought would
be of interest. The Abolitionist Union had been in existence for some time
but has expanded quite a bit since Jinn started donating time and money.
The Bendu Philosophical Group was founded by Jinn along with several other
beings."
"Their names?"
"Mace Windu, Adi Gallia, Garen Muln and Siri Tachi were the
most prominent names. Do you recognize them?"
Obi-Wan was stunned. "What!" He looked at Atel with
astonishment, unable to speak for a moment. She was equally bewildered and
uncertain when he said. "They were all Jedi, dismissed from the Order
over the last ten years. Windu and
Gallia
were on the Council and Garen is or was one of my best friends before he
disappeared. I mentioned him to you back at the
Temple
."
"That Garen?"
"Yes, that Garen. I've known him since we were both in the crèche.
And I went on several missions with Siri when I was a Padawan." He
frowned at this new development. "Atel, I will deal with the
charities. If there are more former Jedi in this Bendu group, I may
recognize the names."
The Padawan agreed. "Master, our initial information did
indicate that there were ex-Jedi on Naboo."
"True, but it also implied that there were only two or three
at most. I'll need to look at the list but I have a feeling that it is
more than just a few."
"And if there are...?"
"I don't know. We'll just have to see." With that, Atel
peered into Obi-Wan's troubled eyes for a moment, and then turned,
shrugging. It was her Master's problem now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The directory of active members of the Bendu Philosophical Group
was extensive; hundreds of names appeared on the public roster. Obi-Wan
easily recognized more than fifty of the former Jedi, some of whom had
been discharged almost ten years ago during the first great wave of
dismissals. Kenobi was happy that all of these individuals had finally
found a home; he knew the great price they paid for their unwarranted
expulsions. But he was concerned that these Force users, these Bendu,
might just be unhappy enough and powerful enough to challenge the might
and will of the Jedi Order.
He needed more information. From memory, he could name
approximately one hundred of those dismissed: close friends, teachers, and
partners from missions long past. He knew that there had been far more
Jedi that he had not known or seen only in passing on the discharge
rosters. But memory was not enough. He only hoped that the Council would
give him the data needed and not see this as another example of
incompetence.
"Padawan..." Atel looked up from the 'port screen,
blinking, grimacing as the abrupt change in posture sent a quicksilver
pain slithering down her cramped back. "Sorry to interrupt you but I will be contacting the
Temple
to get a list of Jedi no longer with the Order. It was not included in our
mission briefing and I find I have need of it. Do you require any
information on Master Jinn that I might not be able to supply?"
"Yes, Master. Descriptions
of his missions and contacts would be very useful."
Obi-wan chuckled. "That could take some time." But he
nodded, grinning, when she sent him a wounded look. "Very well,
Padawan. Stand by while I try to get through."
The datacenter had a holographic communications array, available
for a minimal fee. Gritting his teeth, knowing that he would be
reprimanded for unauthorized use of funds but unable to think of another
way to get the needed information, he called the
Temple
. It took some time, going through the many layers of bureaucracy. Each
lackey had to hear the reasons for his communication, loudly berate him
for wasting their time and then, with much feigned exasperation, send him
up to the next level where it all began again. At last, just when Obi-Wan
was about to give up, he was able to reach Trest Sle'fey, head of the Jedi
Missions Committee, and ultimately responsible for mission information and
briefings before the Council.
"Kenobi, what are you doing contacting me at this time of
night?" The Bothan was not pleased, white fur whirling in annoyance.
"Forgive me, Master Sle'fey, but I find that I need additional
data in my investigation of Master Qui-Gon Jinn. "
"Kenobi, you should know better than come to me with such
petty problems. See my assistant." As the Bothan began to wave his
paw towards cutting the connection, Obi-Wan lurched forward, gesturing him
to stop.
"Please, Master, your assistant sent me to you. I need
information that is confidential in nature and she seemed to think that only you could authorize it."
Sle'fey stopped, a brief flash of immense power and satisfaction
lurking in the smoky hidden depths of his eyes, before he stepped back.
"Well, what is it?"
"Master, I need a copy of former Master Jinn's mission reports
as well as his contacts."
Sle'fey laughed at that, a barking yip of real amusement. "Do
you know how long that will take? He was a Jedi operative for a very long
time and went on countless missions. Really, Kenobi, you ask too
much."
Obi-Wan tried to sound contrite, hoping to ease the Councilor's
clear distain. "I realize that, Master Sle'fey, but we need it in
order to further investigate his business dealings."
The Bothan's voice was rising again, beady eyes glittering with
indignation. "Are you saying that the mission briefing that I sent
you...that I personally oversaw...was inadequate?"
"No, Master, not at all. We feel that additional information
would expedite the inquiry."
Sle'fey was amused now. "Anything else while you're asking for
all of Coruscant?"
"Yes, Master, I need a list of Jedi who have been dismissed
over the last ten years."
Astonishment was clear in the sweep of the Bothan's ivory fur and
the movement of clawed paws. "You can't be serious. Whatever
for?"
"The Bendu organization, to which Qui-Gon Jinn belongs, seems
to have quite an extensive Jedi presence, more than was indicated earlier.
I wish to make sure that the names on the membership list are indeed
former Jedi."
"Well, that's quite a request. Do you want the entire list or
only the ones still living?"
Atel stood quietly by Obi-Wan's side but her thoughts were
emphatic. /* All of them, Master.*/
"A complete list might be best, Master Sle'fey"
Closing his eyes for a
moment, the Councilor appeared to be deep in thought. Finally, he looked
at the two Jedi standing there, lifted his paws in a gesture of indignant
surrender and sighed. "Very well, then. I will be downloading this
information to you momentarily. Keep in mind that the dismissal records
are incomplete. The last six months have not been updated yet. The mission
descriptions will take a while. Expect them within 12 hours." He
paused and looked directly at Kenobi, frowning sternly, fierce eyes
narrowed. "Remember that this is all completely confidential. Need to
know only. I do not want any of this information to find its way into
unscrupulous hands or bandied about the
Temple
. Not even a rumor, Kenobi or the punishment will be severe. Do I make
myself extremely clear?" When Obi-Wan nodded warily, he continued.
"Is there anything else?"
"Yes, Master, quite clear and no, Master, there is nothing
else. You have been very helpful. I thank you." With that, the Bothan
gave a final sniff and the transmission ended.
Kenobi turned to his apprentice, curious. "Well, that was
interesting. Atel, why did you insist on all of the records?"
"Master, it was something Anakin said to me in the barn. It
was very odd and I hadn't mentioned it to you since the implication was
absurd." She paused and Obi-Wan gestured for her to continue.
"He was quite angry when I first told him who you were. He insisted
that you were there to kill Jinn."
"What!" Obi-Wan was clearly indignant at such an
accusation but Atel was not finished.
"He said something about tossing people out of the Order like
so much garbage and then they get killed. It didn't make much sense at the
time, I thought he was addled or a fool, but when Master Sle'fey asked you
that, it sounded important."
"One more mystery to solve. Thank you, Atel. I'm sure that
Anakin was just upset but I'll look into it while I'm going through the
records. It shouldn't take much time. How many dead could there be, after
all? A dozen, maybe two. It's
not as if there were some malevolent force going around killing former
Jedi. The thought is ludicrous."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
True to his word, the Jedi Councilor sent the requested listing of
former Jedi within minutes of the petition. Since it would be hours before
the mission summaries were received, Atel had gone back to the intense and
tangled investigation of business transactions.
It was easy enough to have the dataport computer compare the
listing of former Jedi with the Bendu followers. The current membership,
at least what was known of that obscure sect, included over 2500 adult
sentients. Obi-Wan assumed that most of the Bendu were non-Force users,
individuals sympathetic to their credo of compassion, service and justice
to all. It seemed to be a high and noble cause, worthy of the followers of
Light. It was also suspiciously similar to the ways of the founding Jedi
Order, begun in the mists of a time so long ago that it was almost myth.
Then, the Jedi were dedicated to helping those less fortunate, regardless
of wealth or station. Now, their duty to the Republic Senate superseded
everything.
Obi-Wan sighed. **Compassion,
justice and service to any who ask...it has not been like that for a very
long time and the Order is unlikely to change. Not enough resources and
certainly not acceptable in the eyes of the Council or the Senate.**
He saddened at the thought.
With a soft ping, the computer announced that the analysis was
complete. Obi-Wan began to roam through the gargantuan list, recognizing
name after name among the Bendu Philosophical Group. Finally, in
frustration, he looked at the numbers - almost 1600 former Jedi were now
Bendu. That was astounding, well above what Obi-Wan had expected. It was
also thoroughly disconcerting. With so many ex-Jedi, a new
Temple
would be easy to establish. Some of the Jedi holdings outside Coruscant,
in the days before all this began, had had far less. A rogue group of this
size, no matter what they called it, would still be a potential threat to
the Order; the Council would have to be informed when he returned home.
Kenobi frowned and looked again at the listing, troubled. He knew
that the first great wave of dismissals had included a large number of
Jedi with many Masters and older Knights but there never had been any
conclusive count. Each additional cluster of terminations was quietly
done. There were no announcements and certainly no information of who or
how many were thrown out of the Order; only rumor informed the curious
that dismissals had even taken place.
Obi-Wan dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to ignore
an inevitable conclusion that was unsettling, daunting. If there were such
a large contingent of Bendu Jedi here on Naboo, that would mean that the
Order would have had to expel thousands. Surely, that must be wrong.
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan returned to the original listing, pages
long, of Jedi who had been discharged over the years. When he tallied the
final result, he was stunned. Over five thousand had been thrown out of
the
Temple
in the past ten years, five thousand from a group that was never high in
numbers! **This is unbelievable.
More than half of the Jedi are gone from the Order. Half!!** He shook
his head, trying to make some sense of it. **How could I have missed it? How could the Council? Surely they must
know...**
His eyes widened, throat tightening in contempt. **The
Council did know, had to know. How could they not? And yet they have done
nothing to stem the problem, nothing...only tried to cover it up. No
wonder Sle'fey didn't want to release the information. The Bothan had
insisted on confidentiality and threatened punishment if any whiff of this
got out. How very convenient...**
Obi-Wan must have made some small noise of despair. His worried
apprentice looked up, a question in her violet eyes but he wasn't willing
to discuss this just yet. He needed to think long and hard about what he
must do before talking it over with his young and often rule-bound
Padawan. He merely shook his head and bend down towards his work.
He wondered, **What else have
they hidden? What else...is Anakin right? How many dead are there?**
Turning back to the dataport computer, Kenobi had the listing
sorted again. After a few seconds, the gruesome results were in. The
number of dead was more than 1250, a staggering amount. Obi-Wan was numb.
This was not possible. Jedi, even former Jedi, should have been able to
deal with accidents, even attempted murder but this...it was
not...possible. Only other Force-users or overpowering numbers could
execute such a foul tragedy. And not a rumor, not a word of this had
graced the halls of the
Temple
.
He was angry then, furious at the Council and at his own inept
behavior. **Surely, someone must
know of this abomination. Surely, the Council must know...** He made
another quiet grunt, sorrow buried deep in his chest. **Of course they knew. Sle'fey himself asked if he wanted all the data or
just those still living. And yet they did nothing...**
The enormity of it was overwhelming. Unthinking, he began to go
through the lists, hoping that his friends and colleagues were not among
the dead, the murdered ones. And yet it was inevitable. First, he found
gentle Pasht, a teacher who was strong in the Force and even stronger in
compassion. A crèchemate, Briathia, a fighter and able with the blade,
was gone. Another teacher, Dresshe, one of the best philosophy debaters at
the
Temple
had become one with the Force. A Master, Offeet'tha, a fierce diplomat
with whom Kenobi had shared adventures and missions, would never fight
again.
And then Obi-Wan stopped. There, captured on the harsh screen in
razored shades of darkness and white ice, was the name of Bant - gentle,
compassionate, wonderful Bant, his best friend, whose courage and
understanding kept him going after the Melida/Daan madness, the one to
whom he could always turn before she was inevitably thrown out of the
Temple. She was dead, two years now, and he hadn't even known. He never
had the chance to say goodbye and now it was too late.
For a few moments, he felt nothing, too dazed to think. Then,
suddenly, his chest hurt, as the harsh notes of anguish boiled upward,
tearing at his throat, the moans of twinned guilt and remorse coursing
through his body. He began to curl inward, wrapping his arms tightly about
him, rocking slightly. His face was wet, he wasn't sure how. But ginger
hair curtained Obi-Wan's face as he leaned down to hide his shame.
"Master, what's wrong? Master...please speak to me. Tell me
what's wrong, please Master Obi-Wan." Gentle arms surrounding him, a
warm hand making soft circles on his back, Obi-Wan tried to gather his
courage to face his apprentice. She was standing next to him, bent down,
her face a mask of worry. He pulled her to him, hiding himself in her
tunics.
His voice was muffled, distorted with grief. "She's dead.
She's dead and I didn't know. Couldn't help her. They just tossed her out
of the
Temple
like garbage, my gentle Bant, and they killed her."
"Master, who are you talking about? Who is this Bant, a friend
of yours?" He nodded, cloth rough against his face, then pulled back,
blinking away the unshed tears.
He breathed regret and despair. Looking down, at the sterile floor,
away from his Padawan's questing eyes, he whispered. "Oh, Atel, they
murdered her - just as surely as if they had taken a vibroblade and
plunged it into her heart."
She knelt down, catching Obi-Wan's stormy eyes with her own. Her
hand was still gently stroking his arm, trying to calm the distraught
Knight. "Master, you are not making sense. Who killed her?"
He began to mutter angrily "The Jedi Council" but
stopped, his throat tight with grief.
Atel, however, caught the thought as soon as it was formed. She
drew back, her eyes flashing with indignation. Voice cool, she chided.
"Master Obi-Wan, you can't be serious. That's impossible."
Kenobi merely nodded, trying to suppress the anguish so that he
could think clearly. The image of Bant, floating bloated in a wind-tossed
sea, lifeless eyes bulging, her chest pierced with a lightsaber blade, one
arm cauterized neatly at the wrist, kept intruding in his thoughts as
though it were some abhorrent vision of the past. He swallowed hard.
Breathing deeply, he straightened up, and sent a vehement look towards his
apprentice.
"Look at the numbers. Look at them." He thrust his hand
towards the dataport screen, voice cracking as he murmured. "Just
look. The Order has thrown away more than 5400 Jedi. Tossed them away and
for what..." His voice rose in sudden fury. "Money. Those bloody
bastards have destroyed everything that the Jedi stood for."
"Master, stop this. I cannot hear any more or I will have to
inform the Council. Please stop."
He nodded sharply. "Oh, yes, the Council and I will be having
a little discussion when we return. You can be sure of that."
She looked at him, unbelieving. "Master, do not say such
things. The Jedi Council have always acted in the best interests of the
Order. Those who were dismissed deserved it. Surely you must...."
Obi-Wan interrupted her, his voice winter-cold. "I do not
agree. How can you defend the Council's actions? They did not deserve such
a fate. If you truly think that, I....what lessons have you learned at the
Temple
that you could spout such filth?"
She frowned. "Lessons I learned through your example...loyalty
to the Order, following the will and instructions of the Jedi Council
without question, completing the mission at all costs. Master Obi-Wan, we
are a great Master/Padawan team, the best in the
Temple
. We do that by following the rules. You have taught me that. What else is
there to learn?"
"Compassion, for one." His eyes were storm-grey and full of sorrow.
She shook her head again, fiercely unhappy. "Master, I do feel
compassion for those who deserve it. The expelled ones did not live up to
the Jedi ideals or expectations of the Council. They failed the
Jedi." Her eyes softened, sympathy in her gaze. "I am sorry,
very sorry for your friend. Even those who were gone from the Order do not
merit death."
"Atel, you don't understand. It's more than just Bant's
death." He scowled at her, jaw clenched with grim determination.
"Anakin was right."
"It's not possible. He was just making it up." She backed
away from Obi-Wan and shook her head.
"No, look." He grabbed Atel's arm, pulling her forward to
face the dataport screen. "Look at the numbers. Jedi, loyal, faithful
Jedi, are being forced out of the
Temple
on the flimsiest of excuses and then someone or something is killing
them." His voice chilled further. "Sle'fey knew it and the
Council must know it. We've never heard even the slightest of rumors.
Padawan, they've been suppressing the truth for years."
The apprentice drew back, mouth tight and flat with censure,
alarmed at his words. "No, I'm sorry about your friend but the
Council didn't have anything to do with her death or the others. They
couldn't have."
He snorted bitterly at that. "Not directly, of course. But
these people were thrown out, without friends or family or money. Easy
targets, easy prey." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "And the
Council did nothing about it. No protection, no warnings, nothing. Just
kept on with the status quo..."
"Master, the Jedi did not have the money to protect them. They
could hardly keep up with those still with the Order, with the cutbacks
and budget problems. You cannot blame the Council for this."
"Then who should I blame?" He looked at her, hard, eyes
narrowed.
"The Senate controls the money. Perhaps, the answers can be
found there."
Frowning in concentration, Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "The
Senate...."
"Master, leave it for now. We're both tired and you've just
found out about your friend. You need to come to terms with this
knowledge. Perhaps, dinner and then mediation?"
"Very well, Padawan. I will leave it alone for the moment.
But, be assured, that this is not the end. I will find out the
truth."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The diner was small, shabby and crowded. Tucked into a small
alleyway near the spaceport, the eatery had a reputation for good, filling
and, more importantly, cheap food. And so the place was crawling with
beings of all types: humans, Barabels, Twi'leks and several species that
were too exotic to name. Most dressed in simple working garb, roughly-used
clothing, garments fraying about the edges, stained and worn; the two
Jedi, with their tattered and threadbare robes, merited hardly a glance.
Atel sat there quietly, watching her Master, peering at him from
time to time out of the corner of her eye. He was staring off into space,
his sea-green eyes hooded, a thoughtful frown etching his face. She was
beginning to worry seriously about this mission and about him. It had
seemed straightforward, a simple arrest and deliver, but Master Kenobi was
strangely reluctant to pursue the directives of the Council. He had been
sidetracked often, too often, first in dealing with Qui-Gon Jinn and then
with the revelations of Jedi dismissals and his friend's death.
She did understand his
grief and anger. She, too, had lost friends; a Jedi's life is a hard one
and often short. But her Master was beginning to see enemies behind every
bush when he should be focusing on this mission, on doing as the Jedi
Council had instructed, on following the Code. The Padawan recognized that
her Master had discovered important information but she was confident that
the Council would deal with it; they were, after all, the wisest of all
the Jedi and much more in tune with the will of the Force than she.
Besides, it was not her concern; Master Obi-Wan was.
Atel wasn't sure how to pierce the barrier of stony silence now
surrounding them. She had argued twice with her Master, twice in less than
a day, and the disagreements were both intense and ferocious. This was
unprecedented. Obi-Wan was a kind and patient teacher, willing to explain
even the simplest of lessons, and, until this mission, they had never
argued - disagreed sometimes - but never to this extent. She was beginning
to think that there was something seriously wrong with Master Kenobi. Was
he losing his reason or his grasp on the reality of the situation? She
would have to watch him more closely - for his sake.
With that thought, she glanced at him again, meeting his troubled
eyes. "Master, I am sorry. I didn't mean to upset you,
especially....."
He just shook his head. "Atel, the news of ...Bant was
unsettling but I should not have argued with you about it. As your Master,
it is my duty to instruct without anger, to lead you to enlightenment
within the Force and I did not do that." He paused. "We do seem
to be at odds on this mission but perhaps it is to be expected." His
eyes unfocused for a moment and then he looked at her directly.
"After all, you are growing up, learning to be independent, a Jedi
and soon you will on your own. I will not be there to guide you."
"But you do guide me, every day. You have been a wonderful
teacher."
Obi-Wan grimaced at that, saddened. "Perhaps...perhaps not. It
appears that I haven't yet taught you that rules are sometimes made to be
broken." She scowled and sat back, arms tightly crossed. He
continued, "No, it is my failing, not yours, Padawan. I think that I
will need to meditate on this for some time, to see my way clearly."
He was contrite. "Enough for now. Tell me what you have
discovered today."
She began to outline the paths of enterprise of the Jinn fortune.
He owned the farm outright with all its peripherals, land, equipment,
offices in town; he was also partnered in the Arcona Mineral Harvest
Corporation, Kuat Shipping, the Thyferran Bacta League and three small
biotechnology firms.
Obi-Wan smiled for a moment. "Is Si Teemba still a member of
the Arcona mining firm? He was a good friend many years ago."
"Yes, Master, he is now a vice president. In fact, Master Jinn
contacted him initially about the partnership and it seems to have worked
out quite well."
"Good. And have you found any wrong-doing with regard to
Qui-Gon in any of these?"
"That is the odd thing, Master. Kuat representatives are
well-known for semi-legal and illegal transactions as is the Bacta League
but I can find no link to Master Jinn. It appears that he is strictly
above board in all of his dealings and I have investigated thoroughly. If
there were something, I should have found it."
"Then your analysis is complete?" he queried.
"No, Master. I have one more lead that I would like to pursue
tomorrow. Jinn is part of two mining consortiums, the Arcona group I just
mentioned and something called Offworld...."
Obi-Wan started at that, scowling. "Offworld. He couldn't...he
wouldn't have dealings with them."
"Master, the records are clear. He owns a sizable portion of
Offworld Mining. Is there a problem?" Atel grew worried as he
continued to stare, his unfocused eyes cloudy. "Master?"
He shuddered imperceptibly. "Maybe. My Padawan, dig deep
tomorrow. Offworld is recognized for its intensive use of theft, murder
and deception in business." He looked at her, a heavy frown troubling
his face. "Atel, this is important. I can feel it. Dig deep."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was night when they left the busy diner. The pale moons were not
due to rise for some hours; darkness seemed to blanket the area, edged by
the glaring circles of fiery streetlamps and the space-black alleyways.
Slowly walking down towards the spaceport, the pair soon found themselves
among a seamy mixture of rundown taverns, parlors of pleasure and pain,
and hideously-painted cantinas filled with loud disagreements. The street,
too, was teaming with sentient beings, looking for a good time.
Apparently, the port had more than its share of independent pilots and
crew, and shore leave was always a priority...
Kenobi was not particularly concerned; the two Jedi had often
traveled in less august circles with little trouble. He knew, too, that
they could easily handle the furtive shadow trailing them.
"Master, you realize that we are being followed." Atel
murmured, glancing imperceptibly towards the evasive humanoid skulking a
few meters behind them, hidden in the deep recesses of a tawdry shop's
doorway.
"Of course. He's been tracking us for quite some time."
He smiled slightly, without warmth. "Padawan, I was fishing for
information last night and I believe that we have netted an
informant." Shrugging, he stopped before a noisy tavern, leaning up
against the dingy, peeling wall. "He wants to talk to me about his
concerns and I am going to let him."
Their elusive pursuer hesitated for a moment, pretending to look
the storefront's garish display. Standing there, lightsabers gleaming in
the light, the Jedi were certainly daunting. Suddenly unsure if following
them had been such a good idea, the man seemed to waver. But then he
straightened and strode past the two, muttering softly. "Follow
me."
Obi-Wan nodded briefly, waiting for the fellow to get some distance
before both Jedi began to saunter in the same direction. He glanced at his
apprentice. "He may want
to be a little less conspicuous. Let's find a more welcoming environment,
shall we?"
They trailed him for some distance, the crowds and pulsating lights
of the shops dwindling to a few lamps here and there. Finally, the man
disappeared into a midnight-dark alleyway and Obi-Wan did not hesitate to
follow. Their potential informant was waiting just inside the squalid
space, nervously playing with his black nerfhide jacket, the concealed
blaster peering out from time to time as he moved.
Obi-Wan stood calmly, at ready stance. "Sir, we are at your
disposal."
The man's dark eyes flicked anxiously from Obi-Wan to Atel and back
again. A raspy voice muttered, "I heard you're looking for dirt on
Jinn. That true?"
Kenobi nodded slightly. "It is true that we are looking for
information on one Qui-Gon Jinn. And you are..."
"You want my name? Are you nuts?" The fellow seemed
incredulous and shook his head frantically. "No, no names."
Obi-Wan spoke softly, hoping to calm their informant. "All
right, friend. No names. Do you have anything?"
"Yeah, for a price. How much you got?"
The derisive laugh was sharp as Kenobi shook his head. "Not
much. The Jedi Council does not pay for information. We are a poor order
and..."
The annoyed growl interrupted him. "Yeah, yeah, so I heard.
Damn... I figured sure that you would have something sweet for this kind
of info. All right, all right. I'm here now and I owe Jinn for that little
number he did on me. So here it is..."
"What little number? Did he hurt you?"
"No, that would be too dirty for the likes of him, might get
his hands all soiled, might ruin his lily white reputation. That's a
laugh. He just makes sure you never work again if you cross him or his
little band. Sometimes, though, some of his enemies...well, they
disappear. Don't know if he does it or maybe it's his sickeningly
pretentious Bendu group. Don't know." The man shook his head,
frowning. "I had a few....sidelines, making good money, too, until he
ratted on me to the security forces. Was out of circulation for a few
years and all because of that bastard. Now, I get to rat on him. Ironic,
isn't it?"
Kenobi's sarcasm was lost on the odious man. "Yes, quite
ironic. And what do you have for me?"
"It's a real good piece of dirt. Our dear upstanding citizen
Qui-Gon Jinn's been going to Tatooine and Ryloth several times a year, him
or his friends. Well....every time, he comes back with large packages,
very large." Noname began to chuckle wickedly at that, nodding, his
mouth a vicious smirk. "Yeah, he's been buying slaves, lots of
them."
Closing his clouded eyes for a brief moment, his face a stony mask,
the despair that boiled within Obi-Wan was deep, ferocious. He breathed a
small "No" before the brute could continue with his lies - or
his truth.
Atel's violet eyes went wide with dismay as they flicked worriedly
towards her Master, standing there so still and straight. Only his
apprentice noticed the slight tremble of his hands or could feel the depth
of his grief. He looked lost.
And he no longer knew what to believe.
"Yeah, Jedi, you heard right. Slaves. Lots of them. Sometimes
they come back with small groups, sometimes large. After he unloads them
at the dock, they get moved over to the Bendu Sanctuary for a little
while." He shrugged. "Then they disappear, right off the face of
Naboo. Probably sells them pretty quickly to a consortium or something.
Slick, mightily slick. Slavery is one hugely profitable scam, just capture
and move them out. No fuss, no money up front, almost pure profit."
He smiled, enjoying the spiteful thought. "Seems that Jinn's hands
aren't so clean after all."
Obi-Wan couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Finally, staring at the
repulsive man, he mumbled. "Yes, apparently not clean at all."
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