[Jedi Quest] - 03(17)

Fligh broke into a smile. “No need for that! I’d much rather share with friends! I was told by Quentor. A being very much like me, who does similar work.”

“Another thief?”

“Another businessman like myself, who buys and sells information and the occasional valuable item that might find its way into our hands. Quentor would not tell me how he knew, but he swore the information was true, and I believed him. A clever one, that Quentor. He would not steer you wrong. He swore that there is an insider at the Games who has arranged to fix an event. A good way to make a quick fortune, isn’t it? I thought it was a rumor worth a few gambling credits for myself and my friend.”

Obi-Wan considered this. Fligh was calling it a rumor, but he had told Didi to bet and no doubt had placed a bet himself. But that didn’t necessarily mean the rumor was true. Didi had placed plenty of bad bets, some of them on Fligh’s advice.

Fligh saw Obi-Wan’s hesitation. “You might want to place a bet yourself, my friend. Even the Jedi can use wealth. You could stop hitching rides and have your own transports, maybe invest in some new robes - “

Obi-Wan turned and searched the event board. “The event is starting soon.”

“Yes, unfortunately too late for you to do anything about it,” Fligh said. “So sorry. There you go.”

“Stadium Five. It’s not far,” Obi-Wan said. “Come on, Anakin. You too, Didi.”

“Not me, surely,” Didi said. “I need to visit with my old friend - 000000hhh!” Obi-Wan had grabbed his collar and yanked him into step next to the Jedi.

“We can make it,” Obi-Wan said. “We have four minutes.”

They hurried from the plaza. The streets had emptied as various events had begun. Obi-Wan and Anakin quickened their pace, so Didi had a hard time keeping up. Obi-Wan was reluctant to let him go. There was no way to keep track of Fligh, but they could at least keep hold of Didi, their tie to Fligh.

“There’s an air taxi!” Didi called, breathing hard. “I beg you, Obi-Wan, take it!”

Obi-Wan signaled and the air taxi zoomed to a stop. It was empty except for the pilot.

“The swoop obstacle course event, Stadium Five,” Obi-Wan said.

The pilot nodded without turning and glided back into the air lane. Obi-Wan settled back into a seat next to Anakin.

“What will we do when we get there?” Anakin asked him in a low tone.

“I’m not sure yet,” Obi-Wan said. “We can’t say for sure the event is fixed. We can’t make that accusation without more proof.”

The ship’s velocity pushed him back against the seat. Buildings were a blur of bright color as they flashed by.

“Isn’t he going a trifle fast?” Didi asked, pressing his hands together.

“Master, I feel a disturbance in the Force,” Anakin murmured.

Obi-Wan had been startled by the same feeling. He rose and started toward the pilot, but the cruiser jerked violently to the left, almost throwing him to the floor. He grabbed a pole and righted himself, then started toward the pilot again. The ship veered to the right, grazing a sign. Metal shrieked and the cruiser lurched again. Didi fell off his seat with a yelp.

Obi-Wan fought his way to the front of the taxi as the ship careened down the road, clipping branches, signs, and narrowly missing buildings. Then the pilot reversed the engines and zoomed down another spacelane.. the wrong way.

Cruisers were heading straight for them. The pilot pushed the speed to maximum and jumped to his feet. He balanced for a moment on the lip of the air taxi, then calmly leaped into the air. He was wearing an anti-gray propulsion belt, so he dropped quickly but safely to the ground, leaving them in a runaway cruiser screaming the wrong way down an air lane.

“We’re going to die!” Didi screamed.

CHAPTER TEN.

Anakin vaulted over the rows of seats and landed in the pilot’s chair, his hands already outstretched for the controls. In midair, he had seen precisely what he needed to do.

A less-experienced pilot would have immediately reduced speed. Anakin knew better. He needed the speed to avoid the collision. Instead of slowing, he made a hard right. The cruiser passed them by, so close Anakin could see the fearful gaze of the pilot, who did not have the time or reflexes to alter his course.

The air taxi was slower and clumsier than a Podracer, but Anakin felt the familiar thrill of pushing a machine to its limits as he negotiated tight spaces at high speeds.

As soon as they were past the cruiser, Anakin reduced speed while turning to the left. He had just enough speed to avoid the next collision. Then he kept the air taxi turning until they were facing in the correct direction. Anakin calmly joined the stream of traffic.