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V-Tarz shoved it back in Obi-Wan's belt. "Then I don't need it. What's this.. ?"
He'd found Obi-Wan's comlink. He pulled it out of its pouch, then grabbed Siri's.
"You won't be needing these," V-Tarz said, holding them up. "They look new," he said, examining them. "Your parents must work in the Comm Circle in order to have comlinks like these."
He stuck them in his pocket, a delighted smile on his face. Obi-Wan was afraid he'd take their electrobinoculars next.
"For the last time, slab-brain, we're not Keganites," Siri snapped.
V-Tarz raised the electro-jabber. Obi-Wan tensed. Another blow could put Siri out of commission for a very long time.
A carved bust of a serene-looking woman sat on a high shelf over them.
Obi-Wan called on the Force. The bust rocketed to the edge of the shelf and flew off. It missed V-Tarz by millimeters and crashed to the floor, sending chips of marble everywhere. V-Tarz stared down at it in disbelief.
A door near them opened. A Keganite woman stuck her head in. Her hair was pulled back behind her ears in a severe style, and she wore a plain brown tunic over black trousers.
"V-Tarz! What's going on? I'm trying to conduct a class." Her gaze traveled over the broken bust. "You smashed 0-Vieve!"
"It fell, O-Bin," V-Tarz said. "An unfortunate accident. But here are two students for you. Keep your excellent eye on them — they're troublemakers."
O-Bin cast a cool gaze over Siri and Obi-Wan. Then she smiled. Obi-Wan felt a chill move through him. The smile was eerily similar to O-Rina's and V-Haad's.
"There are no troublemakers in The Learning," O-Bin said. "Come."
Glad to get away from V-Tarz, Obi-Wan and Siri followed the teacher through the durasteel door into the classroom. The door clanged shut behind them and an automatic lock snapped shut.
Students dressed in gray tunics sat on long benches that ran the width of the room, row after row. Small data screens rose from the floor in front of each of them at eye-level. The students sat erect, hands at their sides.
Only their eyes moved as they examined Obi-Wan and Siri.
"I'm afraid there's been a mistake," Siri said to O-Bin. "We aren't Keganites. We're…"
Obi-Wan heard a few titters from the class. A slight, sandy-haired boy with hair that brushed his shoulders gave him a sympathetic look, then quickly looked down at his data screen. O-Bin swiveled and fixed her smiling gaze on row after row. The room went still.
"Sit," she told Siri and Obi-Wan.
"But we are not — " Obi-Wan began.
"Sit." The smile didn't waver. "Put on the robes for The Learning." She handed them two gray tunics.
Obi-Wan and Siri exchanged glances. Should they continue to resist, or give in for now? Mindful of Qui-Gon's orders, Obi-Wan slipped into the tunic. Siri did the same.
The same slender boy moved over to make room for them. Obi-Wan and Siri sat. Immediately two data screens rose in front of them.
The teacher looked at them, her fingers poised over her datapad.
"Names, please."
"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Obi-Wan said. "Of Coruscant."
"Three marks for lying," O-Bin said, smiling. "One mark for not giving your full name."
"That is my full name!" Obi-Wan protested.
"Three more marks for lying," O-Bin said. "I see you already have three. That makes… ten marks. Class?"
"Marks reveal the I
"V-Obi is confused," the teacher said, nodding. "His I
The class nodded solemnly.
"Have we landed on Weird World?" Siri whispered to Obi-Wan.
"Two marks for talking, and what is your name?" The teacher turned to Siri.
"Siri — "
"One mark for not giving your full name, O-Siri," the teacher said. "We each have a letter before our names that we share with others. This demonstrates our commitment to the General Good. Class?"
"We are all unique, yet none is better than another. Such is the General Good," the class chanted.
"This is generally crazy," Siri muttered.
"Three marks for talking after being warned, O-Siri," O-Bin said. "Let us return to the lesson."
Obi-Wan's data screen flashed blue. Letters began to crawl across the screen: TRAVEL TO THE INNER CORE IS DANGEROUS. THE FIRST OBSTACLE IS THE DELACRIX SYSTEM.
Obi-Wan frowned. He knew the Delacrix System. They'd passed it on the way to Kegan. Qui-Gon had said it was a thriving system of planets orbiting around three suns. All the worlds traded together in harmony. They had all recently joined the Galactic Senate.
"Who can tell me why the Delacrix System is dangerous?" the teacher asked. "0-lris?"
"The Delacrix System is dangerous because it is controlled by pirates," a small, red-haired girl said in an almost-whisper. "Its third sun is in perpetual nova, so it can melt the engines of passing craft. The pirates divert passing traffic into the outer edges of the exploding sun to force a landing."
Obi-Wan stared at the small girl in amazement. Everything she'd said was untrue.
Observation without interference, Qui-Gon had said. If he kept his mouth closed, he could learn.
Just as Obi-Wan resolved to stay silent no matter what, Siri spoke up.
"But that's not true!" she protested.
"I did not call on you, O-Siri," O-Bin said severely. "If you wish to ask a question, touch your data screen."
Siri touched her data screen.
0-Bin's lips were tight as she smiled and turned back to her. "Yes, O-Siri?"
"The Delacrix System is not overrun by pirates," Siri said.
"That is not a question," O-Bin said. Her cheeks flushed red. "Two marks."
"And its sun is not in perpetual nova," Siri added. "It's a peaceful system with a thriving trade."
"Three marks." 0-Bin's smile was forced. "That makes eleven marks all together. You have caught up to your stubborn companion."
"Come on, Obi-Wan," Siri muttered without moving her lips. "Give me a hand here."