[Jedi Apprentice] - 17(9)

“Of course not, Zanita,” Lena assured her. She squeezed her mother-in-law’s shoulder. “I know the violence and corruption are not your doing.”

Zanita seemed to become empowered while her mind worked. It reminded Qui-Gon of Lena. “It will take me some time to get the documents. Perhaps by tomorrow night,” she said. “I must be very, very careful. If Solan were to suspect - “

Suddenly a loud voice boomed just outside the library door. Qui-Gon’s face registered concern. It was a man’s voice, and it sounded angry.

Lena let go of her mother-in-law’s arm and put a finger to her lips. Without wasting a second she got to her feet and ducked behind a heavy curtain covering the library’s transparisteel portal.

A moment later the door slid open and Solan thundered into the room. “Mother,” he said sternly, looking at her as if she were a child who needed scolding. “What are you doing in here?”

Zanita looked evenly at her son. She was not a child, and it appeared that she did not appreciate being treated like one. “I was just having a moment to myself,” she replied simply. Her face showed no sign of fear.

Solan tapped his foot on the floor impatiently. “You are the hostess of your son’s birthday celebration,” he stated. “It is not appropriate for you to slip away to have a moment to yourself. If necessary you can do that when the party is over.”

“Stop bullying me, Solan. This is my house, and I’ll do as I like.” She looked her son in the face.

Solan blinked and stepped backward. “Juno needs you in the kitchen,” he said more quietly. “He is not clear about which service platters you would like to use for dinner.”

“Fine. I will go and discuss it with him,” Zanita replied.

“Good. Then come back to the party.”

Zanita did not acknowledge the fact that her son had just given her an order. Instead she followed him easily out of the library. She did not turn around as the door quietly closed behind her.

After waiting a few moments, Lena left the room as well. Minutes later she met up with the Jedi in the guard station.

“I assume you heard all of that,” she said. “He infuriates me, talking to his own mother like that. Sometimes I wish she’d really put him in his place.” Her voice quieted. “But I suppose that might get her killed. “

Lena paused while her quick mind moved on to the next thought. Her eyes were suddenly lit with excitement. Qui-Gon wasn’t sure if it was the thrill of escape or the result of the meeting with her mother-in-law.

“Isn’t it great?” she asked, perhaps a little too brightly. “Zanita is going to help us. I knew she would. Leave it to a woman to understand that the violent ways of the crime world can only lead to destruction and hate.”

Qui-Gon could not help but think of Jenna Zan Arbor, a mad female scientist who had conducted horrible experiments on live human subjects - including him. He knew many women who lived lives of crime and violence. But he didn’t say anything.

“Anyway, I’m very relieved. The meeting couldn’t have gone better.”

“It does look as though your mother-in-law is willing to help you get testimony,” Qui-Gon agreed. “Let’s just hope she keeps her word.”

Lena nodded as she turned back to the security screens. “We still have to get out of here without being discovered,” she said. She looked at each screen in turn, noting the whereabouts of everyone in the house. Qui-Gon knew she was trying to figure out the best time to leave.

“Follow me,” Lena said after a moment. She slid open the guard station door and peered into the hallway. She motioned to the Jedi, and they all stepped out of the room. Zanita was still in the cooking quarters with Juno, so they left through another, rarely used entrance at the side of the mansion.

As they made their way outside, Qui-Gon considered the Cobral family. On the surface they appeared like any other family - close and loving, but not without tension. Beneath the surface, however, lay dark ties. There was fear there, and possibly hatred as well.

Of course, this did not entirely surprise Qui

Gon. A family that ruled a planet with corruption and violence was bound to have a sinister web woven within it.

Distracted by his own thoughts, Qui-Gon did not sense any nearby danger. It was Obi-Wan who cried out first.

“Look out!” he shouted, pushing Qui-Gon and Lena away from their landspeeder.

As the three of them tumbled to the ground, a huge metal statue thundered down where they had been standing. It crashed into the front end of their landspeeder, missing them by mere centimeters.

Their vehicle was destroyed. And if not for a few seconds of warning, they might have been killed, too.