by Джуд Уотсон
But with so many eyes on them the Jedi did not dare search the rest of the ship for him. At least not yet.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon squeezed into the back row and sat down. As he settled into his seat, Qui-Gon's knees pressed comically against the row ahead of him. There was not nearly enough room to accommodate the Jedi's large frame.
Several of the motley passengers ahead had turned to glare at them.
This is not a typical tour group, Qui-Gon noted. The passengers on the charter seemed surlier than the average pleasure travelers to Coruscant. Jocasta Nu had warned them that members of the Sith Sects might be anyone and that they would be difficult to pick out of a crowd. Suddenly Qui-Gon wondered if they had stumbled into the middle of a sect. Why had Lisal sounded so familiar?
The captain struggled to close the ship's doors. After pushing and then pounding several buttons he ripped the control panel off and began to tug on the sparking wires inside.
"I hope the engine is in better condition," Obi-Wan observed, gaining the Jedi a few more hard stares.
Qui-Gon wished he had had a little more time to reflect on how this mission was shaping up and what exactly he and his apprentice were getting into. It was all happening too quickly. This morning they had been asked to keep an eye on an influential professor, and now they were suddenly headed off-planet.
In the back of his mind Qui-Gon had a strange feeling that this trip wasn't what it appeared to be. He was suddenly filled with a feeling of foreboding. This could easily be a trap.
Qui-Gon stood. Perhaps there was still time to get off the vessel.
But before he could decide what to do, the captain's swearing turned to angry shouts. Someone was screaming Dr. Lundi's name and struggling to get through the partially closed door.
It only took Qui-Gon a moment to recognize the young man trying to board. It was Norval, the dark-haired student from the front row.
The captain did his best to push the intruder back out the half-open door. Several passengers crowded around. It was not clear whether they were trying to help Norval in or help the captain force him out. Then, in a shower of sparks from the control panel, the doors suddenly opened. Norval and several passengers fell into a heap on the floor.
"You'll pay triple!" the captain bellowed, pointing at Norval and splattering him and several other passengers with spittle.
"He won't be staying," said a soft, familiar voice behind the captain. It was the professor. In the chaos Qui-Gon had not seen him appear.
"Please take me with you," Norval begged. He grabbed the edge of Dr.
Lundi's robes. "You need me," he whimpered. "Nobody knows your texts as well as I do. I've studied every word. You must show me how to use the — "
"Guards," Lundi snapped. "Guards, remove this boy immediately."
Two enormous hangar guards appeared on the gangplank and pulled Norval to his feet.
"You are too old to use it on your own!" Norval continued to shriek as they pulled him out of the ship and down the ramp. "You need me!"
Murk Lundi did not move. Even after Norval's pleas had faded and the captain had succeeded in sealing the door, he still stood staring at the durasteel hatch.
Qui-Gon seized the opportunity to leave his seat. He squeezed past the distracted passengers, pulling Obi-Wan along with him. They would not be leaving the ship. The mission was more important than he'd originally thought.
It looked as though there was a Sith Holocron and Murk Lundi was going after it.
Chapter 4
Obi-Wan tried the door even though he did not expect it to open — none of the other doors in the corridor had. So he was surprised when this one slid easily into the wall. The stale odor that billowed from the room confirmed that although the door was unlocked, it hadn't been opened in some time. The musty room would be perfect.
After motioning to his Master, Obi-Wan stepped inside to look around.
It appeared he had found an abandoned laundry room. Piles of uniforms littered the floor and stagnant water filled two large basins.
Qui-Gon wrinkled his nose when he walked in. "Good work, Obi-Wan," he said quietly as he closed the door. "No one will look for us here." Pulling his comlink from his belt, the Jedi Master contacted the Temple.
"Right to follow him, you are," Yoda said after hearing Qui-Gon's report. "Find the Holocron first, we must."
And Lundi is our only clue to finding it, Obi-Wan thought.
Bant and Kit Fisto hadn't been able to give them any ideas about where the Holocron might be located. Their best option was to follow Lundi — so they could take the Holocron from him if he found it.
Qui-Gon ended his transmission. Obi-Wan could tell that he felt the same way. Unless they knew where they were going, it would be nearly impossible to get to the Holocron first.
"We need more information," Qui-Gon muttered, reactivating his comlink. A moment later Jocasta Nu's voice echoed in the small room.
"There have been rumors of Sith Holocrons in existence in several places across the galaxy. Lisal, Korriban, Kodai, Doli. Most of the claims have been investigated by Jedi teams, but nothing has ever been found."
"Thank you, Jocasta," Qui-Gon said. "As usual you have been helpful."
"I'm always here to assist with information. Feel free to contact me should you need anything else," Jocasta replied.
"Of course." Qui-Gon signed off and turned to his Padawan. "Lundi must be looking for the Lisal Holocron," he said.
That's too easy, Obi-Wan thought. "We need to know more. I'm going to find Lundi," the Padawan said. He stripped off the tunic he'd worn to blend in with the students.
"Patience, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon reprimanded quietly. "It will take time for things to unfold."
Obi-Wan knew his Master was right. But frustration was welling up inside of him. He kicked at the pile of uniforms at his feet until he saw one that looked about his size. After holding it against his shoulders, he pulled it on. It fit well enough.
"We will not discover anything tonight," Qui-Gon said. "We must give Lundi time to relax, to let down his guard. Lisal is a two-day journey. We have time." Qui-Gon arranged himself on one of the cleaner laundry piles and prepared to sleep.
Obi-Wan sighed and did the same. Qui-Gon was right, he supposed. But for him, waiting was often the hardest part of a mission. It made him anxious. And when he was anxious he could not easily sleep.
Obi-Wan awoke suddenly. Something was not right. Sitting up quickly, he reached out to the Force to try and find the source of the danger he felt. When he was sure that there was no one in the laundry facility besides himself and his Master, he removed his hand from his saber hilt.
Beside him, Qui-Gon breathed steadily, either asleep or deep in meditation. Whatever had disturbed Obi-Wan did not seem to be upsetting his Master.
Obi-Wan lay back and closed his eyes to try and recapture an image of what had frightened him. Had it been a dream? A presence? Just a feeling?
Pyramid-shaped Holocrons floated in his mind. Certainly it was disturbing to think that such potent capsules were at large in the galaxy.
But he did not think that was what had awakened him.
The Holocrons faded and another image grew. A figure. Obi-Wan allowed his fear to grow with the image. Then he relaxed and let the fear go, focusing on the figure. But no matter how he tried, he could not see a face. The visage remained in shadow and a feeling became clear — the feeling that someone had discovered them.
When Obi-Wan surfaced from his meditation, he saw that Qui-Gon was awake and had been aware of his agitation. "It is a warning," Qui-Gon said after Obi-Wan told him about it. "We must proceed with extra caution and find out where we are headed. Quickly."
Obi-Wan laughed when Qui-Gon emerged in the corridor wearing a mechanic's uniform. The pants stopped close to the top of his boots, and the sleeves were rolled up in an effort to disguise the fact that they were at least ten centimeters too short. But Obi-Wan had to admit that nobody would recognize Qui-Gon as
a Jedi Master.
"You don't look any better," Qui-Gon chided his apprentice.
Obi-Wan knew it was true. Wearing the soiled uniform he had pulled from the pile the night before, he even smelled like a grubby mechanic.
"I think Lundi must have arranged for a private room. Let's separate and search the ship. We need to find him or his quarters," Qui-Gon said, getting down to business. "Do not let the captain see you."
Obi-Wan nodded and moved quietly down the corridor, away from Qui- Gon. He tried doors and reached out with his senses. Lundi had such a strong presence that Obi-Wan did not think he would be hard to find.
After a few minutes Obi-Wan saw the open doors to the ship's bridge.
Pressing himself against the corridor wall, he paused and listened. The captain was at the helm, of course. But someone else was there as well.
It only took Obi-Wan a moment to realize it was Lundi. But what was he doing at the ship's controls?
Looking around, Obi-Wan quickly spotted a maintenance ladder. It led to a catwalk that trailed over the bridge and toward several hyperdrive access panels. If he pulled himself along on his stomach, and the captain and Lundi did not look up, he could get close enough to hear what they were saying. Obi-Wan climbed up.
"You don't seem to be understanding me, captain," Lundi said in a low, menacing voice. "I am not asking you to stop on Nolar. I am telling you."
"And you don't seem to understand that this ship is not going to Nolar. It's going to Lisal!" the captain bellowed. He slammed a meaty fist down on the controls, sending a small piece flying.
"But I don't need to go to Lisal," Lundi said, holding his ground.
Obi-Wan inched farther out on the catwalk until he was almost directly over Lundi and the captain.
Lundi's head moved slowly back and forth as he fiddled with something under his robe. The captain followed the Quermian's small head with his eyes.
"I will only say this once more," Lundi said, his head still swaying.
"The equipment I need is on Nolar. You will stop on Nolar. I will make it very worth your trip."
With a great effort the captain looked away from the Quermian's face and down at the folds of the professor's robe.
Obi-Wan could barely see something sparkle in Lundi's hands — he could have had something very valuable. Whatever it was, it seemed to change the captain's mind.
"I'll stop, but I'm not waiting," the captain finally spat.
"You will not regret it," Lundi growled back.
Chapter 5
The ship landed on Nolar within an hour. Obi-Wan barely had time to find his Master and brief him on what he'd heard on the bridge.
After Lundi quickly disembarked on Nolar, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon pushed their way past the puzzled captain. The Jedi followed as the professor made his way into a tiny, adjoining hangar. There was one small ship inside, and Lundi spoke briefly with its pilot before leaving the hangar.
"It looks like he just booked continuing passage," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully as the Jedi followed Lundi into the city. "But I was under the impression that Nolar was his final destination. Where do you think he's going?"
Qui-Gon let out a slow breath. "We shall soon see."
The capital city of Nolari was bustling. There was a great deal of both air and foot traffic. The city was populated by beings from many parts of the galaxy.
Obi-Wan tried to stay close to his Master, who strode purposefully ahead.
It wasn't difficult to keep track of Murk Lundi. His long neck, multiple arms, and tiny head made him an easy visual target, even in a densely populated metropolis like Nolari. But it was not long before an uneasy feeling came over Obi-Wan. He sensed that someone or something was following them. But what, or who?
Without slowing down, Qui-Gon turned back to his apprentice. "Stay close to me," he said quietly. "I think we are being followed."
"I feel a presence too, Master," Obi-Wan replied. "But I am not getting any sense of who it might be."
Qui-Gon began to move more quickly through the crowds. Obi-Wan was accustomed to his Master's long, powerful strides, but he found it difficult to move inconspicuously. In spite of the varied populace, their smelly mechanics' uniforms seemed to stick out.
Looking fleetingly over his shoulder, Obi-Wan suddenly spotted their pursuer — a humanoid figure wearing a long cape and a helmet.
"I see him, Master," Obi-Wan spoke quietly. "About forty paces behind us, to the right."
Qui-Gon nodded curtly. "We're going to have to split up," he said. "I will follow Murk. You should lead our new friend away from me, and then double back to see who he or she is."
Obi-Wan nodded. He looked over his shoulder a second time. By the time he cast his eyes forward again, Qui-Gon had disappeared into the throng.
Obi-Wan made a sharp left turn. Using his peripheral vision he saw his pursuer stop for an instant, as if unsure of which way to go. A moment later, he continued to follow Obi-Wan.
Relieved, Obi-Wan moved ahead. He zigzagged through a crowded marketplace, barely pausing to look at the delectable fruits and vegetables sold at various stands. Several vendors called out to him, aggressively trying to sell their foods. Obi-Wan's stomach growled. Unfortunately there was no time for a snack.
On the far side of the open market, Obi-Wan ducked behind a stack of crates. His tracker passed by quickly, but by the time Obi-Wan emerged from his hiding place he had disappeared again. Quickly scanning the crowd, Obi- Wan pressed on. But he was not able to find a lone figure in a helmet wandering the streets.
Obi-Wan was beginning to worry that he had failed his assignment when he suddenly spotted a flutter of gray fabric ahead. Hurrying forward, he saw the figure vanish around a corner.
He definitely looks humanoid, Obi-Wan thought. But male or female?
Obi-Wan rounded the corner quickly and nearly collided with a group of seedy-looking characters. Annoyed by the intrusion, two of the group glared openly at the Jedi. A third pulled out a blaster and leveled it at Obi-Wan's chest.
"Wrong turn," he growled. His arm was heavily bandaged above the wrist, but the heavy blaster did not waver in his hand.
Obi-Wan kept his eyes on the man's face as he pulled his lightsaber from his belt. Had he been at Dr. Lundi's lecture on Coruscant? Or on the ship? The young Jedi had been fairly sure that he and Qui-Gon were the only passengers to disembark besides the professor.
"I'm afraid this is your unlucky day," another thug spat.
Obi-Wan stepped forward slightly and ignited his lightsaber. That action alone was usually enough to intimidate an adversary. But the thugs didn't back down. In fact, now there were two blasters aimed at him.
"Ah, a lightsaber," one of the armed lowlifes mocked. "But does he use it wisely for power and vengeance, or foolishly for peace?"
The rest of the thugs smirked, and Obi-Wan's mind jolted. He'd heard those words before, and recently — at Dr. Lundi's lecture. These lowlifes were obviously familiar with Lundi and his work. Was this an ambush? Obi- Wan wanted to ask, but one of the hoodlums fired before he could get a word out.
Obi-Wan swung. Too late. The bolt grazed his shoulder, and he felt a hot pain tear through his flesh. He ignored the fierce throbbing as he leaped forward and swung again. This time he hit his target and severed a thug's finger from its hand.
The lowlife howled in pain. "You can't win, Jedi," he growled.
Clutching his wounded hand, he fled deeper into the alley. His wide-eyed companions were quick to follow.
After clipping his lightsaber to his belt, Obi-Wan checked his shoulder. The throbbing had subsided. The wound was minor and would heal quickly.
By the time Obi-Wan stepped into the open street, he had lost track of his pursuer. He stood completely still for a few moments, refocusing his energy to determine which way he should go. The answer was not entirely clear.
Obi-Wan started off in a new direction, heading away from the crowded marketplace. The city center soon gave way to large,
storehouse?type buildings. Obi-Wan was satisfied that his pursuer was long gone when he sensed Qui-Gon's presence. Obi-Wan stopped before one of the storehouses.
Then, doubling back to the door, he ducked inside.
Obi-Wan knew immediately that his Master was not alone in the storehouse. Murk Lundi was here as well. Moving carefully behind large crates and machinery, Obi-Wan made his way toward the center of the large room. Soon he could hear two men carrying on a conversation.
"I need a Nolarian 6000 drill immediately," one of the voices said.