[Jedi Apprentice] - 11(17)

They sat on a bench that Yoda favored, where water ran over smooth white pebbles, making a musical sound. Tahl must have heard his step, for she turned her head toward him.

“I hope you allowed Obi-Wan to get a decent meal,” she called in a humorous tone before he could speak. “That poor boy is always hungry.”

Qui-Gon grinned. Tahl never said hello. Instead she always launched right into a conversation. “Do you realize,” he said, seating himself on a bench opposite them, “that you always give me an accusation, never a greeting?”

Tahl smiled. “Of course. How else can I keep you on your toes?”

Qui-Gon let his eyes rest on Tahl’s lovely face. Her sightless green-and-gold striped eyes were alive with humor. Once he had not been able to look upon her without pain. Just the sight of the white scar that marked her dark honey skin had grieved him. But he had come to realize how Tahl had accepted her fate, how she had allowed it to deepen her. Her friendship was invaluable to him.

“I left him at the food hall,” Qui-Gon said. “I am sure he’s on his second helping by now.”

“No news have you?” Yoda asked. “Concerned we are about Didi. A scoundrel he may be, but a friend to the Temple he is.”

“I am sorry to report that things are worse rather than better,” Qui-Gon said. Quickly, he filled them in on the murder of Fligh and the attack on Astri and Didi.

“Fligh’s body was drained of blood?” Tahl frowned. “That sounds familiar.”

“There have been a half dozen similar cases on Coruscant over the past year,” Qui-Gon said. “Mostly drifters, beings with no ties to anyone.”

“Yes, I know that,” Tahl said. “It is something else.” Her frown deepened. “There is one more thing. I did some more investigating on your bounty hunter. It seems she is a master of disguise. She uses wigs, synth-flesh, prosthetics. that is how she moves about undetected.”

“I am not surprised to hear it,” Qui-Gon said. “Obi-Wan saw her turn from an elderly man back into a young woman.”

“Say you did that Fligh stole a data pad from a Senator,” Yoda said. “Who?”

“Someone I did not know,” Qui-Gon said. “Senator Uta S’orn from the planet Belasco.”

“By the way, I contacted the security police,” Tahl told him. “Senator S’orn never reported the theft. It might not be significant. The Senate is full of petty thieves. I’m sure many thefts do not get reported. Still, I thought I’d mention it. Senator S’orn also announced her resignation today. She said it was for personal reasons.”

“Know Senator S’orn, I do,” Yoda said. “Several talks she had with the Jedi.”

Startled, Qui-Gon turned to Yoda. “About what?”

“A son she had,” Yoda continued. “Ren S’orn. Force-sensitive, he was. Accepted him for training, we did. Part with him, his mother could not. Harness the Force, understand it, he could not. Wandered he did through the galaxy.”

Tahl gave a sharp intake of breath. “Of course,” she whispered. Yoda nodded.

“What is it?” Qui-Gon asked, leaning forward urgently. He saw that Yoda and Tahl knew something important.

“Ren became a lost being, a drifter,” Tahl said. “He lost contact with his mother. At last she came to us for help. Several teams of Jedi were sent to find him and help him. He rejected them.”

“Hoped we did that he would reach out one day,” Yoda said. “Feared we did that he would use the Force for evil. Yet the Force merely confused and angered him. Different he was. Different he did not want to be. Peace he could not find.”

“Such a tragedy,” Tahl said. “He could not find a way to flourish. He could not find a place that felt like home. So as it often happens he fell in with bad companions. We received word that he had been killed.”

“Not long ago, it was,” Yoda said. “Six months, I think. On Simpla-12.”

“This is sad news,” Qui-Gon said. “But why is it significant?”

“Because of the manner of his death,” Tahl said quietly. “Ren had been strangled. And his body had been drained of blood.”





CHAPTER 11


Obi-Wan saw at once from Qui-Gon’s grim face that he would not get to savor his tart. He scrambled to his feet.

“I am sorry, Padawan. But it is time to go,” Qui-Gon said.

Obi-Wan snatched up the tart and wolfed it down while they walked. Qui-Gon checked out a speeder from the transport pool. Within seconds, they were heading back toward the Senate building.

It was late evening, and the air lanes still buzzed with traffic. The glow lights made the buildings and walkways blaze as bright as daylight. Beings strolled below them, crowding the restaurants and walkways.