Lament

by Maggie Stiefvater

  "Great!" Anakin enthused. "Now we can start."

  Den grinned. "I like your style, kid."

  With a sigh, Obi-Wan took the durasheets. He quickly glanced through the information, absorbing it. Then he handed it to Anakin.

  "You see the problem?" Den asked Obi-Wan.

  He nodded.

  "I don't get it," Anakin said. "Everything seems in order to me.

  He's got top-level security clearance. From the Senate, even. Isn't that hard to get?"

  "Yes," Obi-Wan said."Very hard. That's why there's a problem."

  "Why would a low-level tech worker like Kern need high-security clearance from the Senate?" Den asked.

  "It's odd, but it doesn't necessarily have significance," Obi-Wan said. "It probably just means that he worked on sensitive material at one point. Everyone has a past."

  Den collapsed in a nearby chair. "If you're going to think that everything I bring you is useless, we're not going to get anywhere."

  "Relax, Den. I didn't say we wouldn't follow up." Motioning to Anakin, Obi-Wan stood. "As a matter of fact, I'd like a more complete tour this morning. Do you think you can lead us to the tech center?"

  Den indicated Kern with a nod as they entered the tech center. He was a good ten years older than Obi-Wan, with close-cropped light hair and eyes set close together.

  "This is our info-tech center," Den began. "As you might imagine, the readout panels are extensive. Every single aspect of the ship is monitored, from damage control to how our plants are growing in the greenhouses."

  "A complex operation," Obi-Wan observed. He gave Anakin a look. He had already briefed his Padawan on what he should do.

  While Den continued to talk and Obi-Wan murmured admiring comments or questions, Anakin slipped away. He stood examining a readout console.

  When he knew Kern was looking at him, he glanced up and caught his eye.

  "I've never seen a board like this one," he said.

  "It's a big ship." Kern turned away, bored by the prospects of conversation with a young boy.

  "Do the readout monitors really capture every single thing that could go wrong?" Anakin asked.

  "Yes."

  "Are there separate readouts for every engine part?"

  "Yes."

  "The thrust trace dampers, even?" Anakin pitched his voice high. He had an ability to seem younger than he was.

  "Yes," Kern said, exasperation coloring his voice. "Go away, Jedi kid, I'm busy."

  "Let's say your power core overheats, but there's no emergency readout on the converters, and the hyperdrive conduits show a steady lightspeed. Would your readout take into account a faulty hydrostatic field connector?"

  Kern swiveled in his chair. "You know a lot for a kid."

  "Do you know the answer?" Anakin asked.

  "I'd check the readout for the hydrostatic field connector, but first I'd investigate the drive turbine air intake," Kern said. "We've got a couple of sublight engines of the Dyne class, and sometimes those flaps can get gunky if the fuel lines get clogged. Okay, kid?"

  "Okay," Anakin said cheerfully.

  He joined up with Obi-Wan and Den, who was concluding the tour. As soon as they were outside, he repeated the conversation to Obi-Wan.

  "I'm telling you, something's up with this guy," Den said. "Readout tech workers are totally separate from motor experts. They don't know about sublight engines. They just send the information to the mechanics."

  "He could have worked on engines before," Obi-Wan pointed out.

  "But it doesn't say that in his text doc," Den shot back.

  Obi-Wan frowned. "I know. Let's go back to my cabin."

  It was at times like this that Obi-Wan missed Tahl. When he'd been with Qui-Gon, they could always rely on Tahl to do an exhaustive search, using all her contacts. She inevitably turned up clues that brought them to the next step. And she'd done it fast.

  He didn't know Tnani Ikon, the Jedi Knight now in charge of computer searches at theTemple. But Obi-Wan called him and quickly told him that they needed deep research on Kern, sending Tnani all the text-doc information they already had. He asked for priority, but he could never be sure what other Jedi missions were at stake. Obi-Wan cut the communication but did not put away his comlink.

  "What is it?" Anakin asked.

  "I have an idea." Obi-Wan contacted Tnani again. "While you're doing the search, can you also investigate any Kerns who have died within the last twenty years?"

  The impassive Jedi Knight did not question Obi-Wan. "I will do so."

  Obi-Wan cut the communication again. Den looked at him quizzically.

  "What was that about? Sure, the guy is ugly, but he doesn't look dead," Den said.

  "I'm still thinking about that high security clearance," Obi-Wan said, tucking his comlink back into his utility belt. "I remember that Qui-Gon told me that there are secret operatives called "no-names" who are used by the Senate. They use fabricated identities that are retired when they die. Except Qui-Gon knew of several cases where if someone had enough money or influence they could buy a retired identity." Obi-Wan shrugged. "Maybe Kern is a purchased identity. It's worth checking into."

  "I knew I needed you!" Den said, clapping Obi-Wan on the back.

  "But if Kern is a bought identity, that means that somebody powerful wanted him to infiltrate this ship," Anakin said. "Who could it be? And why?"

  "That," Obi-Wan said, "just might turn out to be the most important question of all."

  CHAPTER 17

  Den had to return to his job--"They've got me raising vegetables, can you believe that?"--so while he was waiting for Tnani to reply, Obi-Wan suggested to Anakin that they strike up conversations with some of the residents of the BioCruiser. They spoke to as many beings as they could--a librarian, a tech worker, a teacher, a former ruler of her planet who was now an administrator aboard ship. Each of them spoke glowingly of Uni and their life aboard the BioCruiser. Each of them looked at their decision to leave their worlds as a kind of salvation.

  "What do you think?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin as they headed to a nearby café for themiddaymeal. "Do they seem brainwashed to you?" He was always curious about Anakin's perceptions. Often he was startled to discover they were sharper than his own. Anakin saw things intuitively, while Obi-Wan knew he had a tendency to overanalyze.

  "Not brainwashed," Anakin said."Just sad, somehow."

  "Sad?"

  "Well, they gave up. That's always sad, isn't it? And leaving your family and friends behind makes you sad, too. They push it way down. But it's there. It's there in their dreams. Where else can it go?"

  Intrigued, Obi-Wan mulled over Anakin's words. He would not have phrased it that way or perhaps even formed the same thoughts, but Anakin had put his finger on what was bothering him.

  The only trouble was, they couldn't bring a charge of "instituting sadness" back to the Senate. They hadn't really found any evidence against Uni.

  A group of security officers suddenly wheeled around the corner in lockstep. Obi-Wan watched them curiously at first. Then his instinct kicked in. The officers were coming for the Jedi.

  The officers were armed with blasters (still in their holsters) and electro-jabbers (in their hands). Anakin had picked up on the disturbance in the Force a beat later than Obi-Wan. He tensed and glanced at his Master, uncertain of what to do. Obi-Wan didn't want to engage with security aboard the vessel. This was to be a peaceful investigation, nothing more.

  The lead security officer brandished his electro-jabber. "You must come with us."

  "On whose authority?"Obi-Wan asked.

  "Uni's. Now move."

  The officer raised his electro-jabber and moved toward Anakin. Obi-Wan saw that he meant to use it. Such a blow could paralyze Anakin's arm or leg for some time. The security officer didn't have a chance to blink.

  Obi-Wan's lightsaber was activated and moving before the electro-jabber had shifted even a few centimeters. The lightsaber neatly cleaved the jabber in two. The off
icer crashed to his knees from the strength of the blow. He was unhurt, but dazed.

  Immediately the other security officers sprang forward. Anakin had already whirled away from the first officer and drawn his lightsaber. It was only a training lightsaber on loan from theTemple, but even its low power was effective.

  "No harm, only disarm," Obi-Wan had a chance to murmur before he flipped backward to avoid a security officer who tried to come at him from his left. Obi-Wan turned, his lightsaber a blur of heat and energy, and turned the electro-jabber into a smoking heap on the floor.

  Anakin's training lightsaber circled and whirled before an upward sweep sent the third officer's electro-jabber crashing to the floor in two molten piles. Obi-Wan and Anakin sprang forward to defend themselves against the last two officers, who stumbled backward, unnerved by the display of Jedi skill. One dropped his electro-jabber and fumbled for his blaster. Obi-Wan cleaved the other's electro-jabber in two and turned the blade of the lightsaber close to the last officer's face.

  "Do you really want to draw that weapon?" he asked.

  The security officer's eyes wobbled. He licked his lips. "Not-no."

  "We will come with you voluntarily," Obi-Wan said, looking at each officer in turn. "Do you understand?"

  The first officer stood. "We are well trained," he said to Obi-Wan.

  "We just never met Jedi before. If you'll follow us ..."

  Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and motioned for Anakin to do the same.

  The security officers formed a wary guard around them. The first officer marched toward the turbolift.

  "What do you think this is about?" Anakin murmured.

  "I have no idea," Obi-Wan answered. "Either we've violated some rule, or Uni has decided he's had enough investigation."

  They proceeded to the upper level and were marched to Uni's quarters. The doors slid open. The security officers lined up against the back wall. Vox and Uni stood in the middle of the room, waiting for them.

  Obi-Wan could see that Vox was trembling with rage.

  "As always, we see that we cannot trust the Jedi," Vox spat out.

  "We invited you to share our home, and you have betrayed us. Our confidential files have been broken into!"

  Den, Obi-Wan thought in despair. He should have remembered that Den hadn't been the most accomplished thief, even when it had been his profession.

  "You are accusing us?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "Of course I am accusing you!" Vox almost screamed.

  "We did not break into your files," Obi-Wan said honestly.

  "Can you tell me you were not involved?" Vox sneered. He waved a hand."Never mind. My son and I know firsthand how the Jedi order twists the truth--"

  "We don't!" Anakin burst out. "Jedi don't lie."

  Vox gave Anakin a contemptuous glance. "What do you know, boy? Has your Master told you how he killed another Jedi student and then lied about it? Ah, I thought not."

  "That's not true," Anakin shot back.

  "The past is not at issue here," Uni said, placing a hand on his father's arm. "We are speaking of right now. You have violated our trust, Obi-Wan Kenobi. We demand that you summon your transport to collect you.

  Until then, you are confined to your quarters." Uni spoke more calmly than his father, but Obi-Wan could see the hard fury in his eyes. He picked up a sense of triumph as well, as though Uni had been waiting for Obi-Wan to misstep. He was exhilarated to have an excuse to toss the Jedi off his ship. Things were still personal between them.

  "I am here on the Senate's behalf," Obi-Wan tried. "If you order us to leave before our investigation is complete, a fuller investigation will follow. The Senate will not take kindly to this, especially since you have no evidence that we were involved."

  A flicker of worry passed over Uni's face, but Vox waved his hand as if flapping away a pesky insect. "We are not worried about that," Vox said. "The Senate does not frighten us."

  "Contact your return transport right now," Uni said. "We do not allow outsiders to dock on our ship, but we will make an exception. Then we must confiscate your comlink."

  Obi-Wan considered his options. They could resist. Escape from this room would be easy. He was not threatened in the least by the security officers in the room, although no doubt Uni and Vox gained comfort from their presence.

  But where would they go? They could hide on the ship. Den would help them. But what would that accomplish? He had not seen any evidence that beings aboard the BioCruiser were mistreated. There was no compelling reason for him to defy Uni and Vox at this point.

  The veiled triumph in Uni's gaze now blazed into life. He had Obi-Wan cornered, and he knew it.

  Obi-Wan reached for his comlink and activated it. He punched in Garen's frequency.

  "We are done here," he said. "We need a pickup." He gave Garen the coordinates that Uni handed him.

  "That was fast. You're lucky. I'm nearby, in the Tentrix system. I can be there in an hour," Garen replied.

  They cut the communication. Uni nodded in satisfaction and held out his hand. Obi-Wan put his comlink into it. He then turned to Anakin.

  After a nod from Obi-Wan, Anakin placed his comlink in Uni's hand.

  "These will be returned to you before your departure," Uni said.

  "Unlike you, we are not thieves," Vox sneered.

  "The security officers will escort you back to your quarters," Uni said. "I will not be seeing you again, Obi-Wan Kenobi." For the first time, he smiled. "I must admit I am glad of it."

  CHAPTER 18

  Obi-Wan requested that Anakin be allowed to remain with him in his quarters. After a second of hesitation, the first security officer agreed. The door hissed shut, and they were alone.

  "Do we really have to leave?" Anakin asked.

  "We have an hour," Obi-Wan said. "We should be able to find something out in that time. I wish Uni hadn't asked for our comlinks. We need to hear from Tnani about the background check on Kern."

  "But what can we do locked in here?" Anakin asked.

  "They didn't take our lightsabers," Obi-Wan pointed out. "I think they knew we would not give them up voluntarily. We can get out if we have to. But I don't think we'll need to cut our way out."

  Anakin grinned."Den?"

  Obi-Wan nodded. "I'm sure he'll be along. Now, what were your conclusions about the meeting?"

  Anakin sat on a chair and focused his concentration. "Vox was afraid," he said at last.

  Obi-Wan nodded. "Good."

  "It is hard to separate fear from anger," Anakin went on slowly.

  "Yet I sensed the fear propelling the anger."

  "We don't know if he can pinpoint that we were looking for information on Kern," Obi-Wan said. "I have to assume that Den was smart enough to cover his tracks in that area. But he knows we were searching the text-doc files. That was enough to unnerve him. It's a good sign. Den was right. Something is wrong here. Anything else?"

  "The point where he should have been nervous, he wasn't," Anakin said. "Most beings in his situation would worry about the Senate's reaction to kicking two Jedi off the ship. After all, they had no evidence we were involved in the text-doc theft. Uni looked worried. But that seemed the least of Vox's concerns."