Jedi Apprentice(29)

Qui-Gon saw Deila’s eyes slide to Joli before she nodded. “He heard that the Elders had arms, he said. Nield gave him permission. What could I do? Nield is governor.”

So Mawat had just taken what he wanted. He’d known that Obi-Wan would refuse to open the warehouse. But how had the Elders gotten their weapons?

Joli’s round face was red. He looked at Deila nervously. “I think we should tell them,” he said.

“Be quiet, Joli!” Deila snapped.

“I don’t want to fight in a war again!” Joli cried. “You said you didn’t either! That’s why we’re hiding here, remember?”

“What do you want to tell us, Joli?” Qui-Gon asked.

“Mawat armed the Elders that day,” Joli burst out.

“Mawat?” Obi-Wan asked, shocked. “But why?”

“Because he wanted a confrontation,” Qui-Gon guessed. “Isn’t that right, Joli?”

Joli nodded. “If a battle broke out, Nield would be held responsible. Mawat wanted to make sure there would be trouble. He … he even put sharpshooters on the roof to start the battle if Nield or Wehutti backed down. He needed war.”

“So that he could grab power,” Qui-Gon suggested.

“He thinks Nield is weak,” Joli said, slumping back against the wall. “Now he’s planned another battle.”

“Today?” Obi-Wan guessed. “Is that why you’re hiding?”

Deila bit her lip. “He tried to recruit us. We hid instead. We don’t want to fight. Especially since no one can find Nield. Mawat is planning a big action, but we’re not sure what. He’s acting on his own. He wanted me to set some explosives.

But he doesn’t have the authority to start a war with the Elders!”

“I think both Mawat and Nield are crazy,” Joli said. “We had peace on our world. Why can’t we hold on to it?”

“That is a very good question, Joli,” Qui-Gon said. “I wish every planet in the galaxy could answer it.”

“So one of the sharpshooters killed Cerasi,” Obi-Wan said as they reached the street. He felt dazed by what he’d learned. “Because of Mawat, she’s dead. The funny thing is, Mawat loved Cerasi, too.”

“The important thing is that Nield did not kill Cerasi,” Qui-Gon said. “He needs to know that, and he needs to know of Mawat’s betrayal. Do you know where Nield could be?”

“Any one of a dozen places,” Obi-Wan said, thinking. “The tunnels. The park …”

“Let’s split up,” Qui-Gon said grimly. “We’re running out of time.”

He reached into his cloak and brought out Obi-Wan’s lightsaber. He tossed it to Obi-Wan. “Here. I have a feeling you’re going to need this.”

Obi-Wan’s hand curled over the hilt of the lightsaber. As he hefted it, the Force suddenly surged through him.

As he slung it into his belt, he lifted his chin and met Qui-Gon’s gaze. For the first time since Qui-Gon’s arrival, he felt no shame.

It didn’t matter what Qui-Gon thought. He was still a Jedi.

Obi-Wan went to Lake Weir, where Nield had spent happy times as a boy. He went to the Unified Congress Building. He went everywhere he could think of until suddenly he stopped dead and knew exactly where Nield was.

He was with Cerasi.

Obi-Wan rushed through the strangely deserted streets. Had the citizens of Zehava heard that a battle was forming? He didn’t have time to worry about it.

Obi-Wan arrived at the Hall of Evidence. The entrance was pockmarked with blaster fire and beamdrill holes. He pushed open the door and stepped into darkness. He waited for his eyes to adjust, then walked down the aisle to where Cerasi’s marker had been placed.

Nield lay on the floor, one arm curled around Cerasi’s marker. A lump rose in Obi-Wan’s throat. Any anger he’d felt vanished in an instant. He remembered Cerasi’s tales of Nield’s childhood. One person after another who loved him had been killed - father, mother, brothers, and a cousin who raised him afterward. He’d become a homeless orphan, afraid to trust or love anyone. Then he’d met Cerasi. If Obi-Wan’s grief was terrible, Nield’s must be even worse.

As soon as Nield saw Obi-Wan, he shot to his feet. “How dare you come here,” he said shakily.

“I had to find you,” Obi-Wan said. “I found out something that you need to know.”

“You can’t tell me anything I need to know,” Nield shot back contemptuously.

“It wasn’t you who killed Cerasi,” Obi-Wan said quickly.

“You’re right - it was you!” Nield cried.

“Nield,” Obi-Wan said softly. “You know I miss her, too. We were friends once. What happened? Why do you hate me so much?”