Jedi Apprentice(17)

“That doesn’t have to change. You could contact him, you know.”

Obi-Wan did not have to ask who she meant.

“You chose as you had to at that moment,” Cerasi continued. “From what you’ve told me of the Jedi, no one will blame you.”

Obi-Wan looked over the plaza toward the gray sky, up into the atmosphere where a few stars were beginning to twinkle. Beyond them lay the other worlds of the galaxy, Coruscant among them. A distance of three days with a fast ship. Yet for Obi-Wan, unreachable.

“One will blame me,” he replied. “Always.”

Tahl and Qui-Gon went through their lists. Every student, teacher, and Temple worker who had access to the various stolen items and could not account for their time during that period was cross-checked against the central list. They hoped to narrow down who they needed to interview.

The computer tallied the names. The list was narrowed to two hundred and sixty-seven.

Tahl groaned aloud when the computer read the number. “It will take days to interview so many.”

“Then we’d better get started,” Qui-Gon said.

One advantage they had was that the interviews could be short. They scheduled each one for five minutes only. All they needed was for Tahl to pick up the scent she’d smelled in Qui-Gon’s quarters.

The short time between interviews meant that students ran into each other outside the room. Gossip buzzed out in the halls. The rumors about the stolen crystals were starting. Soon, there was a continual pileup of students in the hall.

“Where is TooJay when I need her?” Tahl complained wearily at the end of a long day. “Somebody should take charge out there.”

“We’re almost through,” Qui-Gon said. “Bant Eerin is next.”

A gentle knock came on the door, and Qui-Gon activated the release. The door hissed open.

Bant was only eleven, and small for her age. A Calamarian, she thrived in moist, humid climates. Qui-Gon knew that she had been a special friend of Obi-Wan’s. She looked nervous as she approached the table where Qui-Gon and Tahl were sitting. Too nervous?

Tahl didn’t indicate any surprise or special alertness. But underneath the table, she reached out and grabbed Qui-Gon’s knee.

She had smelled the intruder.

Qui-Gon looked at the slender girl again. Surely this couldn’t be the thief! Bant’s silver eyes slid away from his gaze involuntarily. Then she remembered her Jedi training and quickly met his gaze.

“You seem uncomfortable,” Qui-Gon began neutrally. “This is not an inquisition.”

Bant nodded uneasily.

“But you can see that with the thefts, we need to speak with all students.”

Again, she nodded.

“Would you consent to have your room searched?”

“Of-of course,” Bant replied.

“Have you ever violated Temple security?”

“No,” Bant said, her voice wobbling a bit.

Tahl leaned over to murmur in Qui-Gon’s ear. “She is afraid of you.”

Yes, Qui-Gon could feel it, too. Why should Bant be afraid?

“Why are you afraid?” he asked sternly.

Bant swallowed. “B-because you are Qui-Gon Jinn. You took Obi-Wan away. All he wanted was to be your Padawan, but a short while later he left the Jedi. And I wonder …”

“What?” Qui-Gon asked.

“W-what you did to him,” she whispered.

“The girl is innocent,” Tahl said.

“I know,” Qui-Gon replied heavily.

“She didn’t know what she was saying,” Tahl said. “Obi Wan’s leaving was not your fault.”

Qui-Gon didn’t answer. The long day had taken its toll. He could march for hours, fight off ten armed enemies, and here he was exhausted after interviewing children.

Without speaking, they headed for the lake. TooJay had not shown up to bring Tahl back to her quarters. Qui-Gon was grateful not to have her trilling voice calling out every obstruction. If Tahl held his arm, she could move just as quickly as he, even over uneven ground.

They reached the lake, and Tahl slipped her arm out from his. She did not want to take any more help than she needed.

“We should decide on our next step,” Qui-Gon said, staring out at the clear green lake, now dusky with evening shadows. The lake took up five levels of the Temple, and was landscaped with trees and shrubs. Narrow paths wound through the greenery. One had the illusion of being on the planet’s surface instead of suspended high above. “It’s time to flush out the thief. We could -“

“Qui-Gon, I smell it.” Tahl interrupted him excitedly.

Qui-Gon looked around. They were alone. “But there’s no one here.”

She reached down and trailed a hand in the water. “It wasn’t a person I smelled. It was this.” She held up her glistening hand. “I smelled the lake!”