The Call to Vengeance

  smashed their way through the line.

  Initially, the officers kept behind their shields. But as the battle

  waned and the blaster fire petered out, they grew more bold. Some drew

  their blasters and fired.

  "Now, Padawan!" Qui-Gon shouted, deflecting fire.

  The two Jedi leaped over a line of security vehicles. Blaster fire

  ripped into the vehicles a split second later. With another great leap,

  Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon landed on the other side of the park wall. Obi-Wan had

  just enough time to see Eritha's twisted look of rage as they reached

  safety. That told him everything he needed to know.

  They took off through the darkness of the park. Obi-Wan heard the

  distant sound of a revving hoverscout.

  "Master, Eritha planted a tracking device on you somehow," Obi-Wan

  said. "At the Legislature today."

  "When she embraced me," Qui-Gon said. As he ran, he carefully felt

  his clothing and skin. He found the whisper-light device on the back of his

  utility belt. He threw it away into the darkness, then veered off in the

  opposite direction.

  The bright lights of the hoverscout swept the park, but it turned

  toward the tracking device. Now they could hear security officers crashing

  through the trees. The attackers would follow the device for a time.

  The Jedi kept under the cover of giant trees with leaves that offered

  a degree of protection. The trees were planted so close together that even

  swoops would have a hard time maneuvering through them.

  Qui-Gon led them along a zigzagging path through the park, ducking

  when he saw lights overhead and then moving on. He seemed to know the park

  well, Obi-Wan noted. Soon they were close to the other end of the park.

  They leaped over the wall and hurried down the dark streets. After a few

  blocks Obi-Wan recognized where he was. Qui-Gon had brought them to the

  Worker Sector.

  They paused to catch their breath in the shadow of an alley between

  two tall buildings.

  "Thank you, Padawan," Qui-Gon said. "I did not think I needed help.

  Obviously, I did. How did you know that Eritha would betray me?"

  "Instinct," Obi-Wan said. "Alani confirmed it. They are not afraid of

  anything, let alone the Jedi. Alani said that they no longer feared

  exposure."

  "That must mean they are in possession of the list," Qui-Gon mused.

  "So we can stop chasing it."

  "Alani gave the impression that Balog is not the killer of Oleg and

  Pleni," Obi-Wan said. "She said you were chasing air."

  "But I saw him right before Oleg was killed," Qui-Gon said.

  "Maybe he wasn't after Oleg. Maybe he was after you," Obi-Wan pointed

  out.

  "That is possible," Qui-Gon said slowly.

  "Where to next?" Obi-Wan asked. He hoped his Master would allow him

  to stay by his side. He had already decided that if Qui-Gon told him he

  must return to Mace, he would not go.

  "Mota," Qui-Gon said. "He holds the key."

  Qui-Gon activated the laser pointer to indicate to Mota that he had

  visitors outside. It seemed a long time before the door slid open. Mota

  stood in the doorway.

  "I'm closed," he said. "Even I need my rest. Come back tomorrow."

  Holding out a hand, Qui-Gon used the Force to keep the door open.

  Mota stared at the door, then at Qui-Gon. He shrugged.

  "On the other hand, why should I turn down business?" he asked. He

  turned and disappeared into the warehouse.

  The Jedi followed him. They knew the way down the ramp to the lower

  levels where Mota kept his stash of black-market items.

  Mota was waiting. Instead of the Worker unisuit he had worn to do

  business, he was now dressed in a sleep tunic, his white legs thrust into a

  threadbare pair of slippers.

  "What is it this time, Jedi? Another probe droid? Did you lose

  another one? You have the worst luck of anyone I've ever met."

  "We want information," Qui-Gon said.

  Mota eyed him. "Information has a price, too."

  Obi-Wan saw his Master's frustration boil over. He had never seen

  Qui-Gon this angry before.

  "The price will be that I do not break apart every item in this

  warehouse," Qui-Gon said, taking a step toward Mota.

  The man suddenly looked frail in his nightshirt next to Qui-Gon's

  size and strength. "N-now, relax, we're all friends here," he stuttered.

  "I'm not your friend, and I'm not here to relax!" Qui-Gon thundered.

  "I'm here to find out why my droids were reprogrammed. And you have the

  answer."

  Mota backed up until a table was between him and Qui-Gon.

  "I'm not sure what you mean," he said.

  Obi-Wan spoke quickly, wanting to give Qui-Gon a moment to control

  his anger. If he could control it. Obi-Wan's worry increased. This was a

  Qui-Gon he had never seen. Qui-Gon's sense of urgency had always been

  controlled. If anger came, it came in flashes of lightning that left

  serenity behind.

  "We know that the probe droids were reprogrammed, Mota," Obi-Wan said

  in a calmer tone. "They never went after Balog at all. Instead they

  attacked two other beings. The question is, did you do it?"

  Mota swallowed. "It wasn't me," he said quickly. "I don't know who it

  was. Someone broke into my files. I have a warning system built in, so I

  knew the next time I accessed them."

  "When?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "Within hours after you left," Mota said. "I don't know how. Or who.

  You can't trust anyone these days."

  "How did the security forces know that Qui-Gon had bought those

  droids?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "They asked me," Mota said in a small voice. "All my droids are

  coded. They tracked the droids here. I told them the Jedi Qui-Gon had

  bought them. I had to tell the truth. You wouldn't want me to land in jail,

  would you?" Mota tried to smile.

  Qui-Gon gave him an even stare. Mota backed up even farther. "Ah, I

  guess I should have mentioned to the officers that I suspected the droids

  were reprogrammed. But when speaking to security officers, it's better not

  to answer questions they don't ask. They might have gone through all my

  files. I wouldn't be able to protect my clients. And I would be out of

  business. Nobody wants that. You might need another probe droid, for

  example - "

  "We need access to your computers," Obi-Wan said brusquely. "Right

  now."

  "Of course, help yourself." Mota hurriedly pointed to his datascreen.

  "Just don't erase any profits, heh heh."

  Qui-Gon immediately began clicking keys and accessing datafiles. "Did

  you try to trace the break-in?"

  "No," Mota admitted. "I'm not that advanced. I just know how to track

  inventory and money."

  Qui-Gon continued to move through Mota's files with astonishing

  speed. Obi-Wan knew he was missing nothing. He could see the level of

  concentration on his Master's face.

  Qui-Gon hit a few keys, activating a search mode Obi-Wan didn't

  recognize. Within seconds, he got a reply.

  "Do you recognize this code?" he asked, pointing to the datascreen.

  Mota leaned closer. "It's the Worker data address," he said. "It's

&
nbsp; already in my files." "Who uses it?" Qui-Gon asked.

  Mota's face was tinged blue from the data-screen. "Irini and Lenz,"

  he said.

  CHAPTER 15

  Obi-Wan dashed after Qui-Gon. His Master had moved so quickly he had

  not had time to gather his thoughts or decide on a direction. He had

  expected him to head for the ramp to the street, but instead Qui-Gon ran to

  the lower level. He needed fast transport.

  "Open those bay doors!" Qui-Gon yelled to Mota as he ran.

  Unease thudded with every heartbeat as Obi-Wan chased after Qui-Gon.

  He had never seen his Master like this. Qui-Gon seemed to barely register

  his surroundings or Obi-Wan's presence. All his will was directed at his

  goal.

  It was the goal that worried Obi-Wan. Was it justice... or revenge?

  By the time they reached the lower level, the door at the end of the

  long warehouse space stood open. Qui-Gon jumped into an airspeeder. Obi-Wan

  barely had time to scramble into the passenger seat when Qui-Gon throttled

  the engines and zoomed down the tunnel.

  The engines were pushed almost to full, much too fast to maneuver in

  the tunnel. Obi-Wan could see that the bay doors at the end of the tunnel

  had not had a chance to open. Still Qui-Gon did not reduce his speed.

  Obi-Wan whipped his head around to face him. Qui-Gon wasn't just

  pressing his luck. This was pure recklessness. "Master!"

  Qui-Gon's face seemed carved from the gray stone of New Apsolon. His

  lips were a thin line. His hands stayed steady on the controls. He seemed

  not to hear Obi-Wan.

  A crack of gray light appeared ahead. It widened. The doors were

  opening, but too slowly for Obi-Wan's comfort.

  "Hang on!" Qui-Gon warned.

  Obi-Wan just had time to clutch for support as Qui-Gon flipped the

  airspeeder sideways. Without slackening speed, he zoomed through the

  opening, clearing it by centimeters. They flew into the dark night.

  Obi-Wan pressed himself back into the seat, trying to still his

  ragged breathing. Qui-Gon seemed poised on the brink of losing control.

  There didn't seem anything Obi-Wan could do or say to stop him or get him

  to slow down. Obi-Wan tried to stifle his own panic. He had to trust his

  Master.

  But for the first time in their long partnership, he didn't think he

  could. That knowledge made fear grasp him by the throat.

  Qui-Gon piloted the craft expertly through the deserted streets. He

  pulled up in front of Lenz's hideout and flew up the stairs. He pounded on

  Lenz's door. They heard the creak of a floorboard.

  "Don't try your escape route," Qui-Gon warned. "We'll find you."

  The door opened. Lenz looked at them warily. He looked more frail

  than usual, his skin pale and shiny. "It's the middle of the night."

  Qui-Gon slammed the door open wider and strode inside. "I need to

  speak with you and Irini. If she's not here, contact her."

  "She is here. But you can't see her," Lenz said quietly. "She's ill -

  "

  Qui-Gon ignored him and pulled open a closed door. He stopped short.

  Obi-Wan came up behind him. lrini lay on a sleep couch, covered in a

  blanket. She was shivering, and her face shone with sweat. "What is it?

  What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked. Lenz pushed past him to kneel by Irini's

  side.

  "A blaster attack. She won't see a medic." Obi-Wan hurried forward.

  "She needs bacta." "I know," Lenz said.

  "Who did this?" Qui-Gon demanded. "Balog," Irini said through

  clenched teeth. "He has the list now."

  "So you had the list all along?" Qui-Gon asked her.

  "No. I stole it from Legislator Pleni."

  Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon. Did that mean that lrini had reprogrammed

  the droids to attack the Legislator? Was she a murderer?

  She saw the look that passed between them. "I... had to get... that

  list," she said, in obvious pain. "I didn't want anyone to die. But I

  couldn't let anyone stand in my way, either."

  "And you wanted me to get blamed for it?" Qui-Gon asked.

  She shook her head. "I was surprised at that. But I could hardly come

  forward to clear you."

  Qui-Gon bent down and swiftly examined lrini's wounds. His anger

  seemed to have drained away at the sight of her distress. She needed help.

  "Your wounds won't kill you if you see a medic. But I see signs of

  infection already."

  "That's what I told her," Lenz said. He brushed back damp hair from

  Irini's forehead. "She still refuses."

  "Did you send your probe droids after Oleg, too?" Obi-Wan asked.

  Irini nodded. "I was tracking him. I told Qui-Gon I wanted to protect

  Oleg, but it was a lie. He betrayed us. We needed the list. If he had only

  given it up... if Pleni had only given it up... none of this would have

  happened."

  "Why?" Obi-Wan asked. "You said you had renounced violence."

  Irini pressed her lips together and did not answer.

  "She did it for me," Lenz said.

  "Lenz - " Irini began warningly.

  "It has gone too far, Irini." Lenz's voice was tender. "You have

  protected me too long. Do you think I will watch you die for me, too?" He

  turned to the Jedi. "My name is on the list."

  "You were an informer?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "He was tortured," Irini said. She let out a small gasp and closed

  her eyes in pain. "What they did to him... no one should have to endure."

  "That is not an excuse," Lenz said firmly. "I confessed to Irini, and

  she forgave me. Others would not. I gave the Absolutes information - "

  Irini struggled to sit up, but the pain made her lie flat again.

  "Don't tell them, Lenz," she begged. "It is our secret. It can remain our

  secret. Your career is too important. You are a great leader - "

  "No," Lenz said sadly. "I am no longer, if I ever was. The Workers

  will go on without me." He turned to the Jedi. "This was five years ago.

  The Absolutes raided a meeting place. Two Workers were killed, the rest

  imprisoned. They let me go." He looked at Irini sadly. "Now we both have

  two deaths on our conscience, Irini."

  He stood. "I am going to call a med team." lrini protested, but Lenz

  went on firmly. "Balog has the list now. He has won. He will remove his own

  name from the list, and all the secrets will be revealed. He will discredit

  his enemies, including me." Lenz looked tenderly at Irini. "As for my

  Irini, I would rather have her alive and imprisoned than dead."

  Irini turned her face to the wall. Obi-Wan saw her shoulders shake

  with sobs.

  Lenz turned to the Jedi. "I did not know what Irini had done, and I'm

  sorry to hear that you were blamed for her crimes. We owe you our help now

  more than ever. You know that Alani is running for Supreme Governor.

  Recently we have realized that though she wants Worker support, she does

  not need it. Someone else is supporting her - with finances that we do not

  have. This has made us suspicious. I have received news tonight from our

  spy in the Supreme Governor's residence. He's discovered that there is a

  secret tunnel between the residence and the Absolute Museum. In the old

  days it was used when those captured were secretly transported to Absolut
e

  headquarters. The museum is closed now. It is just a guess, but wouldn't it

  be the perfect place for Balog and the Absolutes to hide? The twins could

  smuggle him in and out easily until Alani is elected tomorrow."

  It made sense, Obi-Wan realized. It would be like Balog to hide in

  the one place so obvious that they would never think to look there, the