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"What were you doing there?" he demanded. "You could have ruined everything!"
"I thought you would need help — "
"You're a cook, not a Jedi!" Obi-Wan burst out. "How did you find me, anyway? Did you follow me?"
"I read that durasheet you left," Astri said. "I recognized the names. They were the guests at Je
Obi-Wan stared at her in disbelief. "So how did you find out where Reesa On was staying? And how did you find out that the bounty hunter is Reesa On? Did you go to the Senate Liaison Office, too? That could tip her off!"
Astri waved her hand. "I don't have to go through official cha
I'm Didi's daughter, remember? Everyone who comes to the Senate doesn't just go through a security check. They go through a criminal check."
"You mean they're sca
She gri
"How do you know she wasn't in her room?" Obi-Wan asked. He felt a little irritated that Astri was able to focus on Reesa On quicker than he had.
"These guesthouses all use the nearby cafcs and restaurants for food service," Astri explained. "I went to the Galaxy Grill down the street and asked my friend Endami for the service code. Then I pretended to have a meal delivery and punched in the code." She shrugged. "That got me inside.
The service code will also tell you who is staying in what room. It was easy."
Easy! "So did you break into her room?" Obi-Wan asked irritably.
"I knocked and said I had a food delivery," Astri said. "No one answered, so I opened the door."
"But it was locked."
Astri smiled. "I learned how to bypass a basic security lock when I was seven, Obi-Wan. My guess is she's not coming back. There was a travel bag there, but it's filled with things that are supposed to make you think someone is there."
"If that makes sense, I'd sure like to hear why," Obi-Wan grumbled.
"It's got a new personal care kit with soap and bath items, but they haven't been used. A couple of fresh tunics and sleepwear that haven't been worn. My guess is that the bounty hunter never even stayed there at all — she just paid up for her two week minimum so that she'd have an official address."
Astri was probably right, Obi-Wan thought.
They were no closer to finding Reesa On's true identity. In frustration, he turned away and started to walk.
"Where are we going?" Astri asked.
"You are going back to the Temple," Obi-Wan said. "I'm trying to find Qui-Gon. This is Jedi business."
"This is my business." Astri stopped short, forcing Obi-Wan to stop, too. "Didi isn't waking up, Obi-Wan," she said, her dark eyes serious. "Not without that antitoxin. You and I both know that. And Reesa On is our first clue to where Je
Obi-Wan nodded reluctantly.
"So I have just as much reason to find Reesa On as you do. The bounty hunter could lead us to Zan Arbor. And I have another reason. Na
He shook his head. "It's too dangerous." "I can help you, Obi-Wan."
"What are you going to do, cook us out of danger?" Obi-Wan asked skeptically.
"There are other things I can do!" Astri protested. "Do I have to point out that I found Reesa On quicker than you did? You have to admit I have some skills."
"Not with a blaster," Obi-Wan muttered. He thought for a moment. He knew Astri well enough to guess that if he didn't include her, she would try to find the bounty hunter on her own. She would be safer with him.
"We can team up, but I need a couple of conditions," he said. "First of all, you don't use a blaster."
"But I need protection," Astri protested. "And I'm getting better at aiming."
Obi-Wan winced. "Sure. You came within five centimeters of killing me instead of six. I'll make a deal with you. We have to wait until Tahl comes up with information about Reesa On. I'll go back to the Temple with you and choose a new weapon. We'll see how you do with a vibroblade. You should have some kind of protection, I suppose."
"What's the other condition?" Astri asked.
"If things get dangerous, I'm going to ask you to return to the Temple," Obi-Wan said. "A pile of credits isn't going to help Didi if you're dead."
Astri hesitated.
"I know you think I have no right to tell you what to do," Obi-Wan said. "That's true. But I represent the Jedi. You must trust us, not just me."
Reluctantly, Astri nodded. "So we're a team?"
Obi-Wan nodded grimly. "For now."
Astri was hopeless with a blaster, but she was adept with a vibroblade. Obi-Wan gave her a quick lesson in strategy and defense. Her body was agile and strong, and she was surprisingly quick.
"Try to stay behind me or at my side," Obi-Wan told her. "But don't get in the way of my lightsaber."
"Don't worry," Astri told him.
The door to the training room opened and Tahl hurried inside. She immediately turned her face toward Didi's daughter.
"Astri, you're here, too?"
"Yes."
"I have a clue," she said. "It's not much, but it's something. I couldn't find anything on Reesa On, but just on a hunch I ran the name through the language of Sorrus."
"The bounty hunter's home planet," Obi-Wan told Astri.