“Yes,” Didi said heavily. “I see that. But I cannot help you, my friend. I do not have anything. Fligh didn’t give me anything but information. This I swear.”
“Not a data pad?” Qui-Gon asked.
Didi shook his head. “Nothing.”
Qui-Gon sighed. “Then there is no alternative. You must close up the cafŠ. Take Astri and leave Coruscant.”
Astri was just returning to the room as Qui-Gon finished. She paused in the act of pressing a cold cloth to her head. “Close up the cafŠ?”
“Just until we know what the bounty hunter is looking for,” Qui-Gon told her. “We can’t stay by your side all day and all night, Astri. I think you are in danger as well as Didi.” He paused, then said gently, “I know you are angry at your father, but you do not want to see him hurt.”
Astri bit her lip and nodded. “But where will we go?”
“I know where,” Didi said. “I have a house in the Cascardi Mountains. “
“You bought a house?” Astri exclaimed. “But you say you have no money!”
“It was a deal I could not refuse,” Didi explained. “I haven’t even been there yet, and I haven’t told anyone about it.”
“Where are the Cascardi Mountains?” Obi-Wan asked.
“On the planet Duneeden,” Qui-Gon said. “A short journey from Coruscant. But the mountains are a good choice. The Cascardis are remote and rugged. It’s a good hideout for a time. Obi-Wan and I will wait while you pack a few things. You must leave quickly.”
Didi sprang up and helped Astri from the room. They went into their bedrooms to pack.
“Do you think they’ll be safe?” Obi-Wan asked Qui-Gon in a low tone.
“Safer than here on Coruscant,” Qui-Gon said. “But the bounty hunter is no doubt an expert tracker. Even though the galaxy is wide, it’s hard for beings to just disappear. No, I fear we must unravel this mystery. No matter where they are, Didi and Astri are still in great danger. She will find them, and it will be sooner rather than later. Of that I have no doubt.”
CHAPTER 10
As they entered the cool halls of the Jedi Temple, Qui-Gon saw the relief Obi-Wan tried to hide. The boy was worn out. Qui-Gon had not expected that a short stop to meet Didi would spiral into a twisting mystery they would be forced to solve.
“I did not plan for this, Padawan,” he told him. “I just wanted to stop by to say hello to a friend.”
Obi-Wan nodded. “But a friend was in danger. You could not refuse to help.”
“You did not approve,” Qui-Gon said.
He saw the hesitation on Obi-Wan’s face. He knew the look well. Obi-Wan hated to disappoint him. But he never lied to him.
“No,” he said. “Not at first. But now I do. You say I need to connect to the living Force. More and more I see what you mean. My first impulse was to turn away from Didi.” Obi-Wan met his Master’s eyes. “I was tired and hungry and I did not like Didi. I thought of my own needs. Now I see what you see. Didi has faults, but he is a good being. It just takes me longer to see these things. I wish,” Obi-Wan said with difficulty, “it did not.”
“You are too hard on yourself, Padawan,” Qui-Gon said quietly. “That can become a fault if you are not careful, for anger at oneself is a destructive thing. Every living being can be impatient, can turn away at a first glance, can avoid getting involved. It is a natural impulse. We are all creatures who want peace and comfort. Yet we are Jedi. Our own peace and comfort is not what drives us. We are dedicated to a larger good. But always remember that the peace and comfort of just one being is what drives us, too.”
Obi-Wan nodded. Qui-Gon put a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Get something to eat, Padawan,” he said. “I am going to speak with Yoda and Tahl.”
Qui-Gon could see Obi-Wan’s hunger and fatigue battle with his desire to remain by his Master’s side. “Are you certain you won’t need me?”
“I will find you when I need you,” Qui-Gon said. “What you need is a bit of rest and food. Then we’ll continue.”
He left Obi-Wan at the juncture toward the food hall. Then he made his way to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, where he was to meet Yoda and Tahl. He had contacted them on his comlink to arrange the meeting.
The cool, moist air revived Qui-Gon better than a meal would have. His eyes rested on the multitude of shades of green in the plants and trees that were arranged amid the winding paths. He paused for a moment to register the beauty around him. He drew a long breath, then another, concentrating on the shades of green, the murmuring fountains, the scent of growth and flowers. He let the moment matter, fill his heart and mind. Refreshed, he headed down the winding paths toward Yoda and Tahl.