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It was all he needed. Without another word, Obi-Wan whirled and ran.
"You're too late, Obi-Wan!" Alani shouted after him. "Just like you were too late for Tahl!"
Chapter 14
Obi-Wan raced down the wide boulevard, heading for the government buildings. He fervently hoped he wasn't too late.
The World Security headquarters loomed ahead, a squat gray building.
He saw two figures hurrying toward it. On one side of the building was a large pen that held hovercraft and swoops. On the other side was the high stone wall that separated the parkland from the road.
"Qui-Gon!" he shouted.
Qui-Gon turned and saw him. Eritha touched his arm, obviously urging him to ignore Obi-Wan and enter the building. Obi-Wan put on a burst of speed and reached out to the Force. He leaped.
At the top of his leap, the doors to the security headquarters flew open. Officers and attack droids spilled down the stairs.
The Force must have warned Qui-Gon, for his lightsaber was activated and in his hand before Obi-Wan hit the ground near him. With one hand, Qui- Gon pushed Eritha out of the danger and leaped forward to cover her.
By now Obi-Wan was close enough to speak to Qui-Gon. "They won't harm her. She betrayed you," he said, taking up his position next to Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon didn't react. He kept his eyes on the officers and droids, which were wheeling in formation in front.
"We must take out the droids," Qui-Gon told him. "Don't harm an officer. I'm wanted. They're only doing their job. As soon as the last attack droid goes down, we leave. What do you say we take the offensive?"
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan leaped together in one motion. The droids began to pepper them with blaster fire. The security officers stayed behind duraplast shields, waiting for the droids to do their work.
The Jedi's lightsabers moved in tandem, blocking blaster fire and sending it zinging back in the droids' direction. The security officers ducked behind their shields at the surprising return of fire.
The droids fa
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.