The Deadly Hunter

  Inn didn't worry about security.

  They hurried up the creaking stairs to the third level. Qui-Gon

  knocked on the door marked 2. There was no answer.

  "I am Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi Knight," Qui-Gon called through the door.

  "We mean you no harm. We just wish to ask you some questions. I

  respectfully request permission to enter."

  Again, there was no answer. But after a moment, the door slowly slid

  open. Obi-Wan sensed a slither of movement near the floor, but no other

  disturbance. The door seemed to have opened on its own. It was dark inside

  the room, and he could not see anyone. He felt danger shimmer out at him

  like cracks in broken transparisteel.

  Qui-Gon must have felt the warning as well. Yet he walked boldly into

  the room without drawing his lightsaber. Obi-Wan did the same.

  Qui-Gon headed directly to a window. He tilted the shade and pale

  yellow light filtered in.

  The bounty hunter sat facing them on a stool, her back against the

  wall. Her shaved head picked up the light and gleamed like a pale moon. Her

  dark eyes studied her visitors without interest. Underneath the plastoid

  chest plate and thigh-high boots, her body was powerful and strong. When

  she stood, she would be close to Qui-Gon's height.

  "We come on behalf of Didi Oddo," Qui-Gon said politely. "You are

  trying to capture him, yet he has done no wrong. He requests that you check

  your information or contact the government or party that has sent you. He

  is sure that you have located the wrong person. Will you do this?"

  The bounty hunter said nothing. Her eyes stayed on Qui-Gon, but they

  were expressionless.

  "Didi Oddo runs a caf©," Qui-Gon said. "He is not a criminal. He

  rarely leaves Coruscant." Silence.

  "If you would allow me to check the warrant, I could clear this up

  immediately," Qui-Gon said. "Then we could be on our way."

  More silence. Obi-Wan forced himself to remain still. He knew better

  than to fidget. This was a contest of wills. Qui-Gon stood easily, the same

  polite expression on his face. He would not show the bounty hunter that she

  had intimidated him with her silence. No one intimidated Qui-Gon.

  "I'm afraid I must insist," Qui-Gon said, his voice hardening a

  fraction. "If a wrong has occurred, we should check it immediately. You

  would want the same."

  Again, the bounty hunter did not reply. She appeared bored by her

  visitors. Or maybe she slept with her eyes open...

  The movement came out of nowhere, taking him by surprise. He had been

  watching her face in order to determine what she would do. She barely moved

  a muscle, but with a casual flick of her fingers a whip arched into the

  air, its spiked tip heading straight for his face.

  Obi-Wan backed up, but the whip curled around his neck several times.

  It tightened as he clawed at it.

  Qui-Gon's extraordinarily fast reflexes were sharper than Padawan's.

  His lightsaber activated in a blur of light. He sprang forward to slash at

  the whip in order to sever it.

  But the bounty hunter's agile fingers flicked again, and the whip

  reversed its twist and uncoiled off Obi-Wan's neck. It was just out of the

  lightsaber's reach, taunting Qui-Gon's blade.

  The bounty hunter sprang to her feet. The whip flashed again, this

  time wrapping around Obi-Wan's ankles as he stepped forward to attack.

  Obi-Wan stumbled and had to break his fall with one hand. Heat blazed

  in his face. He hated being clumsy. This was the second time the bounty

  hunter had surprised him. Fury clouded his vision for a moment, and he had

  trouble focusing on the calmness he would need for the battle.

  The whip retracted. Suddenly, it glowed red in the dim room. It had

  been turned to laser mode.

  Qui-Gon's lightsaber tangled with the whip. Smoke rose as the two

  lasers buzzed. Even while entangled with the lightsaber, the bounty hunter

  manipulated the end of the whip so that it slashed at Qui-Gon's forearm.

  Qui-Gon was forced to retreat and come at his opponent from another

  direction.

  Obi-Wan leaped forward to help him, already flexing so that he could

  come at her with a reverse backhand sweep. She flipped backward three times

  to avoid him, then dropped unexpectedly to the floor and rolled in a ball

  back to the window. Her movements were liquid, as though she were boneless.

  Obi-Wan had never seen such acrobatic skill.

  The window was open a few centimeters at the bottom. To Obi-Wan's

  astonishment, the bounty hunter shed her armor and flattened herself enough

  to slip through the small opening like water, pulling the armor behind her.

  In another moment, she was gone.

  Qui-Gon deactivated his lightsaber. He stood staring after the bounty

  hunter. "A formidable opponent."

  "How did she do that?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "At least now we know where she is from," Qui-Gon said, shutting down

  his lightsaber. "The planet Sorrus. Sorrusians have a skeletal system that

  can compress, allowing them to squeeze through tight places. She is

  remarkably flexible. Not to mention very good with a whip."

  Obi-Wan touched his neck. "She certainly knows how to use it."

  "I've never seen that weapon before," Qui-Gon mused. "It has two

  modes, one a laser. She was remarkably fast, Padawan. Don't question

  yourself. Your reflexes will get faster as you gain more control of the

  Force."

  "You were already moving when I was strangling," Obi-Wan said

  ruefully.

  "I was expecting the whip," Qui-Gon said. "Didi told us about it. I

  was watching her wrist. Next time, you will be as well."

  Qui-Gon twisted around to look at his shoulder. Obi-Wan saw that his

  tunic was tattered. Blood soaked the edges. "You're hurt!"

  "The spikes caught me. A little bacta and I'll be fine. Come,

  Padawan. We'd better get back to Didi with the bad news." Qui-Gon grimaced

  as he peeled back the cloth from the wound. "I don't think this bounty

  hunter is going away."

  CHAPTER 4

  "She injured your person!" Didi cried as soon as he saw Qui-Gon. "I

  cannot believe such a thing!" His hands flew to his mouth. "That means she

  is truly dangerous. Oh, I am in more trouble than I thought!"

  "Never mind your troubles for the moment. We need water so we can

  clean the wound," Obi-Wan said sharply to Didi.

  "Of course, of course, let me help. I have a med kit here somewhere..

  ." Didi began to fuss around the desk, pushing aside datasheets, receipts,

  tins, and boxes.

  "Never mind. Obi-Wan, it is okay to leave me. Go get your medpac,"

  Qui-Gon said.

  Quickly, Obi-Wan found his medpac. Didi brought a basin of water.

  Obi-Wan moved forward but Didi waved him away.

  Obi-Wan watched as Didi cut away the tunic and carefully cleaned the

  wound, making sure no dirt or fabric remained in the torn flesh. His plump

  fingers were surprisingly delicate. He worked quickly and expertly, with no

  trace of hesitation. Obi-Wan couldn't help but admire his skill. He would

  have expected the excitable Didi to feel faint, or moan with sickness at

  the sight of blood.


  Didi dripped bacta into the wound and then with great gentleness

  wrapped a clean bandage around it.

  "Thank you," Qui-Gon said. "I could not ask for better care."

  "You'll need a fresh tunic," Obi-Wan said. "I can fetch one - " Didi

  began.

  "In a moment." Qui-Gon frowned at Didi. "This bounty hunter is not

  giving up. Either she is very stubborn, or there truly is a warrant out for

  your arrest."

  "Impossible," Didi said, shaking his head.

  "Or there could be no warrant at all, just someone who wants to do

  Didi harm," Obi-Wan pointed out. "Bounty hunters often take private

  commissions."

  Didi swiveled and stared at Obi-Wan, his mouth open. "Oh, do not say

  that, Obi-Wan. That is even worse. It would mean that someone has placed a

  death mark on my head."

  Obi-Wan was taken aback at the sight of Didi's pale face. "I didn't

  mean to scare you."

  "I appreciate that very much, dear boy," Didi said. "Very kind of

  you. But you did. Why would someone do such a thing? I have no enemies.

  Only friends."

  "Obi-Wan, you make a good point," Qui-Gon said thoughtfully. "We

  should have considered this before. It is logical, considering the bounty

  hunter's attitude and how Didi makes his living."

  "Serving food and drink?" Didi asked, baffled. "I admit some have

  gotten sick after supper, but I've never actually poisoned anyone. At

  least, not on purpose."

  "I am not talking about your dubious cooking skills," Qui-Gon said to

  Didi. "I'm talking about your sideline. You traffic in information.

  Information that could benefit or harm criminals as well as security forces

  and members of the Senate. What if you know something that someone doesn't

  want to get out?"

  "But what could it be?" Didi asked. "I don't know anything."

  "You must," Qui-Gon insisted. "You just don't know what it is."

  "How can I know something without knowing it?" Didi cried in

  frustration. "Is this worth a death sentence, I ask you? I hear something

  and pass it along for a tiny profit, and suddenly I am dead? Is that fair?"

  Didi would have gone on, but Qui-Gon silenced him with an impatient

  gesture. "Let me see if we can narrow this down. If we knew who hired the

  bounty hunter, we could begin to investigate. Let me contact Tahl."

  Didi slumped in a chair. Obi-Wan drew closer to Qui-Gon. "You're

  going to involve the Temple resources?" he asked in a low tone.

  "Tahl is a friend of Didi's, too," Qui-Gon said, activating his

  comlink. "She'll want to help."

  Seconds later, Obi-Wan heard Tahl's crisp voice over the comlink.

  After Qui-Gon filled her in on the situation, she said, "Didi is in

  trouble? Of course I want to help."

  "I know the bounty hunter is Sorrusian," Qui-Gon said. "She didn't

  speak. She's about my size, and very muscular. She wears plastoid armor and

  has a shaved head."

  "I know of her," Tahl said. "I don't know her name. Nobody does.

  We've received reports that are somewhat alarming, so Yoda asked me to keep

  track of her movements. It's hard because she tends to disappear into thin

  air. I didn't know she was on Coruscant. She doesn't work for governments,

  just private individuals with great wealth. She gained her reputation with

  a series of for-hire killings. Some of her victims have been in high-level

  government or finance."

  "In other words," Qui-Gon said grimly, "she is able to get around

  high-level security."

  "Exactly. And word is that she will take any assignment if the price

  is right. She's very good, Qui-Gon. Very dangerous."

  A moan came from the desk.

  Tahl's warm laugh came through the comlink. "I hear you, Didi. Do not

  fret. With Qui-Gon helping you, everything will turn out fine. Qui-Gon, I

  will see you and Obi-Wan soon, I'm sure. Yoda is expecting you shortly."

  Tahl's voice was warm as she spoke to Didi. Obi-Wan didn't

  understand. Obviously, he missed whatever charms Didi had for the other

  Jedi.

  Qui-Gon cut the communication. "The situation is getting interesting,

  " he observed.

  "I would hardly use that word," Didi said mournfully. "Terrifying,

  maybe. Horrible. Unfair. Hopeless - "

  "The question is," Qui-Gon interrupted, ignoring Didi, "why would

  such a high-priced killer be hired to take care of a low-level scrounger

  like Didi?"

  Didi sat erect. "Low-level? Just a minute. I resent that

  characterization. Haven't you noticed that we painted the windowsills? And

  as for scrounging - "

  "Didi, focus your mind," Qui-Gon interrupted urgently. "Think!"

  "Hardly my best ability," Didi said. "But I'll try. Information has

  dried up recently. And I've been busy with the caf©. Astri doesn't like my.

  .. sideline, so I have to be careful now. However, there are a couple of

  pieces that came my way recently by way of a regular informant, Fligh. But

  neither of them seems at all important. I wasn't even sure who to sell them

  to..."

  "What are they?" Qui-Gon asked impatiently.

  Didi held up one fat finger. "First, Senator Uta S'orn from the

  planet Belasco is resigning." He held up a second. "And the Tech Raiders

  are moving their headquarters to Vandor-3."

  Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon. "Tech Raiders?"

  "Black market traders in space vessels and weapons," Qui-Gon

  explained.

  "But why would the gang care if I knew their new location?" Didi

  asked. "They know I wouldn't sell it to the security forces. I myself have

  used the gang to find parts for my pocket cruiser." At Qui-Gon's raised

  eyebrow, he quickly added, "Well, they are cheaper! It's not illegal.

  Technically."

  "Even if the parts are stolen?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "I don't know if they're stolen!" Didi insisted. "Why should I ask? I

  know / didn't steal them."

  "What about Senator S'orn?" Qui-Gon asked.

  Didi shrugged. "She's not on any important committees or planning a

  war or anything. It's a piece of gossip, nothing more. I'm planning to call

  on a few journalists. One will probably pay a few credits. I'll have to

  hurry to beat Fligh. He's been known to sell information more than once. I

  assure you, this is all routine news. Nothing worth killing anyone over.

  Especially me."

  "We don't know that for sure," Qui-Gon said thoughtfully. "We'll have

  to investigate both items."

  Why us? Obi-Wan thought. They had done one favor for Didi. Did Qui-

  Gon mean to involve them further?

  The door opened and a slender female rushed into the room. She wore a

  utility cap that was tugged low over her forehead. Curly dark hair poked

  out of it, waving around her ears and neck. She wore a floor-length apron

  that was snowy white except for one brilliant splotch of red. As she

  walked, she left floury footprints. She held a pan full of soup that was

  the obvious source of the apron stain.

  She thrust a spoon at Obi-Wan. "Taste this, will you?"

  Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon, mindful of his directive not to eat the

  food.

  "Don't be shy. Here." She pushed the spoon towar
d him.

  Obi-Wan had no choice. Tentatively, he spooned up the soup and

  swallowed. A smooth, tangy liquid slid down his throat.

  "It's good," he said, surprised.

  "Really?" Didi and the young woman said together, also surprised.

  "Really," Obi-Wan told her.

  She turned and saw Qui-Gon. "Qui-Gon! Didi said you were here. How

  good it is to see you." She placed the pot on the desk, spilling a little

  over the top. She took the edge of her apron and wiped the spill, knocking

  a shower of durasheets onto the floor. "Oops."