Cloak Of Deception

"Hawk-Bat, right?" the taller of the two said to Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon looked the man in the eye. "Who's asking?" "No offense, Captain,"

the other said, showing his grease — stained hands in a mollifying gesture.

"We just wanted to tell you that you just missed him." Obi-Wan started to say something, but thought better of it.

"We just missed him?" "Launched a couple of hours back," the tall one replied, "with a full complement of crew in a beat-up Corellian freighter."

"Oh, that ship," Qui-Gon said.

The shorter tech adopted a conspiratorial look.

"Are you three part of this Eriadu business?" "What do you think?" Qui- Gon said rhetorically.

The two techs traded meaningful glances. "You wouldn't by chance need a couple of spare hands, would you, Captain?" the taller one asked.

Qui-Gon pretended to assess them. "I've no need for technicians. What are your other talents?" "Same as the ones Cohl was flying with, Captain," the tall one said with increasing assurance. "Light and heavy arms, melee weapons, explosives, you name it." "Small wars and revolutions," the other enthused.

Qui-Gon nodded. "I'll pass the word along to Captain Cohl." The taller one nudged his partner in anticipation.

"Much appreciated, Captain." "Can you tell us what's pla

"Just so we know how to prepare?" Qui-Gon shook his head firmly.

The taller man frowned. "We understand. It's only that we heard it was extermination work." Qui-Gon said nothing in a blank-faced definite way.

"Well, you know where to find us, Captain," the short one said.

Qui-Gon let them take a few steps toward the exit before he called out.

"By the way, was Havac with him?" The question clearly puzzled them.

"Don't know the name, Captain," the shorter of the pair said. "Just Cohl, his Rodian sidekick, and the ones Cohl had hired." The other man gri

" The tall one laughed shortly. "If looks could kill, eh, Captain?" Qui-Gon didn't so much as glance at Obi-Wan until the pair had left the docking bay.

But by that time, Cindar had already made his move.

"You're one lucky fellow," the humanoid said, holding his blaster where he could cover both of them.

"Not from where I'm standing," Qui-Gon said.

"You weren't meant to hear any of that," Cindar went on. "I didn't know anything about Cohl's coming to Karfeddion." "So this was just to keep us away from Eriadu." Cindar sneered. "Yeah, and this is as far as it goes, Jedi. Too bad you left your lightsabers on board." Qui-Gon folded his arms. "We had to make you feel confident about drawing your blaster and revealing yourself."

"Huh?" Obi-Wan threw a small sound toward the ship, and Cindar whirled. When he spun back to the two Jedi, they had moved.

Spying Obi-Wan ten meters to his right, Cindar triggered a bolt, but Qui- Gon called on the Force to shove Cindar's blaster hand, and the bolt went wild. At the same instant, Obi-Wan leapt over Cindar's head, landing directly behind him.

Cindar spun on his heel, prepared to fire.

Obi-Wan swept his right leg through a forward circle, knocking the blaster from Cindar's hand.

Crouching suddenly, he whirled one foot, kicking Cindar's legs out from under him.

The thickset humanoid fell hard on his side, but sprang nimbly to his feet and began to advance, throwing combinations of punches and kicks, which Obi-Wan blocked with his raised forearms and knees.

Frustrated, Cindar threw his arms around Obi-Wan in a front-facing hug, only to end up hugging himself when Obi-Wan made himself slender and dropped out of the embrace. Off — balanced, Cindar staggered forward and crashed into one of the Hawk-Bafs landing struts.

Obi-Wan leapt and landed.

Cindar charged-but with hidden purpose.

Anticipating Obi-Wan's next leap, Cindar stopped short, then threw a powerful roundhouse kick. Tagged in the torso as he was landing, Obi-Wan moved with the force of the blow, cartwheeling to one side, and landing square on both feet, facing Cindar. The humanoid charged once more, catching the impact of Obi-Wan's abrupt back flip, full in the jaw.

Cindar blundered backwards into the same strut.

Evading Obi-Wan's follow-up blows with bobs and twists, he squatted and made a sudden grab for Obi-Wan's right ankle. But Obi — Wan distanced himself by executing another back flip.

The momentary lapse in the fighting was all Cindar needed. From an ankle holster he drew a hold-out blaster.

The first bolt nicked Obi-Wan's right leg and sent him down on one knee.

Qui-Gon appeared out of nowhere to drive him out of the path of the next bolt.

Compact packets of energized light ripped through the docking bay, glancing off the walls and ceiling.

Cindar tried to track the Jedi, but they moved too quickly for him. His next blasts caromed from the underside of the HawkBat and recoiled crazily from the floor.

Then the firing ceased.

Standing rigidly in front of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, Cindar's gaze was unfocused and his mouth a rictus of surprise. When he toppled facedown, they saw the burn of a blaster bolt that had ricocheted into the center of his back.

Qui-Gon went to him and checked for signs of life. "He's told us all he can." Obi-Wan picked himself up from the floor, favoring his sound leg. "What now, Master?" he asked.

Qui-Gon nodded to the Hawk-Bat.

"We race Captain Cohl to Eriadu." "Karfeddion?" Yoda said in puzzlement.

"Off on another quest, is he?" Saesee Tiin glanced at Yaddle before replying.

"None other than the quest that has preoccupied him for the past month."

Yoda touched his forefinger to his lips, closed his eyes, and shook his head in dismay. "Again, Captain Cohl." Eleven of the twelve members of the Jedi Council were gathered in their high tower, with the sun disappearing around the western curve of Coruscant in an eruption of color. Adi Gallia's chair was empty.

"It's not like Qui-Gon to defy the express wishes of the Council and the Supreme Chancellor," Plo Koon said.

Yoda's eyes snapped opened and he raised his cane. "No.