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Adi looked exasperated. "Surely we have better things to do." She sca
"It is," Qui-Gon said. "And I'm thirsty."
Adi raised an eyebrow instead of smiling, but he was used to that.
They ordered a pot of Tarine tea and sat at a table outside. The chill in the air began to lessen as the sun began to rise. The Rondais began to emerge from their homes and go off to work. They walked past, some with purpose, some enjoying the morning. Several stopped in at the cafe. It seemed to be a popular morning spot. Qui-Gon was glad of the company. It would conceal them more effectively. Rondai-2 was a cosmopolitan world with many visitors. No one gave them a second glance.
Everything here was mild — the weather, which never dipped to freezing; the landscape, which had no high mountains, only rolling hills; and the tempo of the cities, which was busy, but not frenzied. Everything at the conference center had been designed to conceal its high security and make it blend in with its pleasant surroundings.
A security wall curved around the conference center. The entrance was staffed with two security guards. The wall was softened by fountains that flowed invisibly from the top and splashed down in a continuous, musical stream to a long pool that served as a moat around the curving structure. Colored lights that were concealed underwater presented a constantly changing array of soft blues and violets. In front of the pool, flowering shrubs massed in the same colors, shading to deep purple and navy.
The conference center behind the wall was built in a radial design, with wings that extended from a central lobby like outflung arms. It was faced in durasteel that had been buffed to a medium blue. In sunlight, Qui-Gon thought, it would blend with the sky. It was a building that tried to make itself as invisible as it could.
Airspeeders and air taxis floated by. The pace was begi
"Security traps in the wall," Adi murmured. "Motion sensors at the gate. Iris scans for guests. It won't be easy to launch an attack here."
"Which is why it will be here," Qui-Gon said. "They feel safe here. And why else would Argente hire five bounty hunters? He knows that he's asking the impossible."
"So," Adi said, "how will they make the impossible possible?"
"Each bounty hunter has different skills," Qui-Gon said. "Gorm is brute force. Lunasa is the impersonator. Raptor is the efficient killer. Pilot is the best at pla
"And Magus?"
"He's the mastermind. He comes up with the plan. If we can put the pieces together, we can figure it out before it happens."
"In other words," Adi said, "we have to be masterminds, too." Suddenly she gave him a sharp look. "You're waiting for something. What?"
Qui-Gon took a sip of tea. "In hotels such as this, they pride themselves on not using droids to clean rooms or deliver food. Not even protocol droids. They only use living beings. They say it gives the service a 'living touch.' That beings can anticipate needs and make you comfortable, do things that droids can't."
"So?"
Qui-Gon shrugged. "Rooms have to be cleaned." He swirled his teacup. "Did you notice how Lunasa looked on the ship during the battle?"
"I noticed the weaponry she pointed in my direction," Adi said. "Can you get to the point?"
"Her hair was different."
The familiar line of exasperation appeared between Adi's eyebrows. "I don't pay attention to hairdos, Qui-Gon."
"When we first saw her, she was fair-haired. She wore her hair in braids. During the battle, her hair was short and dark." Qui-Gon noted Adi's impatience but willed himself not to smile. Adi did not spend much time in tune with the Living Force. "Did you notice that the natives of Rondai-Two are all dark-haired?"
Adi pressed her lips together. She knew now that Qui-Gon was leading her somewhere. Adi did not like to be led.
"Ah, here come the service workers," Qui-Gon said.
Across the avenue an air bus pulled up. A group of Rondai natives got off. They wore trim black uniforms. They headed up toward the security office. The officer yawned and waved them in.
"No security check," Adi breathed.
"They come every day. Guards get bored. They cut corners. That's what makes every security system fallible." Qui-Gon took a gulp of tea. "See anyone you know?"
Adi drew in her breath sharply. "It's her. Lunasa. She's walking right in! Let's go!"
"Wait a moment. The others will be arriving. I have a feeling the attack will come this morning."
"Qui-Gon." Adi's voice was sharp. "That cloud car. Look."
Qui-Gon glanced to where Adi indicated. Pilot and Raptor were in a speeder, cruising by. Squeezed between them was Taly. The boy didn't see them. He stared straight ahead. It was clear that he was trying not to look as terrified as he felt.
"They've got Taly," Qui-Gon said. "So where are Obi-Wan and Sid?"
Adi shook her head, her dark eyes troubled.
"Why are they keeping him alive?" she asked. "And for how long?" Qui-Gon wondered.
Chapter 18
Afraid of attracting suspicion, Qui-Gon and Adi left the cafe. They strolled down the street and doubled back, concealing themselves in the foyer of a building while office workers streamed past them.
"She will get the others in," Qui-Gon said. "Each of them — they've already pla
"Except for Pilot and Raptor," Adi said. "And someone has to watch Taly, if they… if they don't kill him."
"If they were going to, they would have done so already. Pilot will watch Taly. He's responsible for the getaway. But Raptor still has to get inside. We know that for sure. He could be the last piece. When he gets in, the plan begins."
"We should notify security."
Qui-Gon shook his head. "Not yet. If the place goes on alert, it could hamper us from getting in. That is, if they even believe us. These bounty hunters are used to security officers. They'll mow them down in a flash. They won't be any help, and they'll lose their lives. I think we should do this ourselves."
Adi considered this. "Agreed." As much as Adi hated taking direction from someone else, she never let that interfere with her judgment.