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"No school today?" the man asked in a pleasant tone.
Here was a trap. Obi-Wan didn't want to say they were visitors. That would surely send O-Rina and V-Haad on their trail.
"We have permission to be out," Siri said. "Our parents need help at home. Speaking of which, we'd better head there."
"Suit yourself." The man waved them on.
They began to walk past him. But something was wrong. The Force surged, warning Obi-Wan a moment before an electro-jabber swiped at his knees, then his shoulder. They were both glancing blows, enough to send Obi-Wan crashing to the ground. A split second later, Siri crashed next to him. Her breath left her in a hiss. She had never felt an electro-jabber before.
The man picked them up and dumped them like cargo on the rear floor of the landspeeder. Then they roared off.
"O-Lana is gone?" 0-Melie's face went dead white. She stumbled backward, and V-Nen steadied her. She pressed a hand to her mouth. "How could you have let her go?"
"I had to," 0-Yani replied, her eyes darting from 0-Melie to V-Nen.
"They said she was due for her routine med check. There is no reason for concern. She will come back. She will not disappear."
V-Nen shot a glance at 0-Melie. A warning glance, Qui-Gon thought. He saw 0-Melie swallow. The look on her face was transformed. Her constricted facial muscles smoothed out. Her lips tilted upward in a strained smile.
"Of course," she said. "I understand."
They heard the sound of ru
"Ah, we found you!" 0-Rina said.
V-Haad's smile did not falter. "We thought you were to wait in the market."
"We must have misunderstood," Qui-Gon said. "We asked if we could return here. So sorry if we caused you upset."
"O-Lana has been taken," 0-Melie said, struggling to keep a pleasant expression on her face. "0-Yani says the Med Circle Guides came for her. But she just had her routine med exam. Perhaps there is some mistake."
"We shall check on it," 0-Rina assured her. "Do not be concerned. A child can't be too healthy!"
V-Nen looked as ashen as his wife, but his face was frozen into the same pleasant mask. "Parental notification before a med check always takes place. Strange that O-Lana was taken without it."
"Slips can occur, even on Kegan," V-Haad said in a jovial tone. "But that doesn't excuse them," he added quickly.
"Even a moment of worry about a child can be an eternity," 0-Rina said sympathetically. "V-Haad and I will be happy to intercede for you. We'll go right to V-Tan and O-Vieve if we have to."
"We are grateful," V-Nen said through tight lips.
0-Rina turned to the Jedi. "Of course, all this will take time. We know the Jedi are far too crucial to the galaxy to linger. We will completely understand if you must return to your more important tasks."
"Unfortunately we did not find your young aides," V-Haad said pleasantly. "Perhaps you have communication devices that can summon them."
"Thank you for your concern," Qui-Gon answered smoothly. "But I'm afraid you overestimate our demand in the galaxy. We can certainly remain here until the child is found. As for our aides, I'm afraid we're at a loss."
Adi picked up on his strategy. "We have tried to contact them on our comlinks," she said. "They are not responding. Perhaps they lost them, or our technology does not work on your planet. We will have to search for them."
"We are sorry if this causes trouble for you," Qui-Gon added. "We would like permission to travel among your people. You know how the young can be.
They are most likely exploring and have forgotten the time."
The Hospitality Guides were trapped. They could not refuse such a sensible request. But they looked uncertain.
"Kegan is a peaceful planet," V-Haad said haltingly. "Yet our people are unused to foreigners. They could feel fear, which could make them act in unaccustomed ways. We wouldn't want you to run into trouble of any kind.
.."
"Jedi are used to walking among strangers," Adi said, inclining her head. "We are not worried."
"We will be in touch," Qui-Gon said, bowing to the Guides.
The Guides turned away. O-Melie stayed still as a block of stone, but her burning eyes be-seeched the Jedi. Find her!
Then the Hospitality Guides turned back again, and her bland smile returned.
"The mother is frightened," Adi said.
"The father as well," Qui-Gon said. "He hides it slightly better."
Adi sighed. They had paused by the Gardening Circle before going on. "I am afraid that with every step we take, we violate the Council's wishes. We are interfering. We could make enemies here."
"A child is missing," Qui-Gon said. "Never mind that she is Force-sensitive. Her parents are obviously terrified. The situation has changed. And it is because of our presence. If we had not come, the child would be safe."
Adi nodded reluctantly. "The child could be where the Guides say she is. They want to keep us away from her. That doesn't mean they'll harm her. We can't take bold action without ascertaining if the child is in danger."
Qui-Gon knew the child wasn't safe — why else would the parents be so afraid? But he held his tongue. He and Adi Gallia needed to work as a team.
Adi went on thoughtfully. "Our mission is also to demonstrate to Kegan the benefits of joining the galactic alliance. We are promoting peace. All I am saying is that we must tread carefully."
"We are telling each other things we already know," Qui-Gon said restlessly. "Let's raise Obi-Wan and Siri on their comlinks."
He activated his comlink, but Obi-Wan did not answer. Adi did the same with hers, but there was no answer from Siri, either.
"Perhaps they're in a situation where it is better not to answer," Adi suggested. "We told them to mingle with the native population and not advertise that they were Jedi."
"True," Qui-Gon agreed. "Let's try again later. In the meantime, searching for them will give us a good cover to look for 0-Lana. Let's head for the Med Circle."
They roamed through the various clinics, looking into nurseries and care centers. No one stopped them. In their rough tunics with their lightsabers hidden, they could pass for native Keganites.