The Captive Temple(17)

Tahl groaned. “Are you kidding? TooJay is always underfoot.” Then she frowned. “Except on the second day. I needed TooJay to guide me to the north wing. But I couldn’t locate her for several hours. She said she had to attend some kind of indoctrination training. What are you driving at, Qui-Gon?”

Tahl looked mystified, but Obi-Wan saw where Qui-Gon was heading. “The droid appeared at the same time that the thefts began,” he told her.

“Are you saying that TooJay is the thief?” Tahl asked. “That droid is pretty conspicuous.”

“No, TooJay isn’t the thief,” Qui-Gon said. He glanced at Obi-Wan. “But I think we could have found our spy.”

“We’ll have to be sure,” Obi-Wan said. “If we could shut TooJay down temporarily -“

“We could find the transmitter,” Qui-Gon finished. “We can’t have Xanatos know we suspect.”

Tahl’s mind worked quickly, absorbing Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s leaps of thought. “How can we shut TooJay down without arousing suspicion?”

Obi-Wan grinned. “That’s easy. Just act naturally.”

Tahl turned her head toward him. “What do you mean, Obi-Wan?”

“It’s obvious that the droid annoys you,” Obi-Wan answered. “Pick a fight and shut her down because you’ve had enough.”

Slowly, Tahl smiled. “I’ve done it before.”

“Very smart, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon approved. “Let’s do it when she returns.”

Within minutes, TooJay reappeared. “I cannot locate Bant. If I can say this, Sir Tahl, I do not think it advisable for me to be absent. You could need my assistance. For example, there are data sheets on the floor several centimeters from your I eft foot-“

“I know that,” Tahl snapped. “Qui-Gon, those are for you. Why don’t you sit here?” She stood, sweeping an arm toward a chair. The tray of food TooJay had brought earlier crashed to the floor. Obi-Wan sprang forward to help, but Qui-Gon held him back.

“Your lunch!” TooJay scurried forward. “It was ten centimeters to your right -“

“Enough, you driveling droid!” Tahl snapped. “If you don’t shut your voice activator, I’ll shut it for you!”

“But you won’t be able to navigate!” TooJay protested.

“I’ll be able to think!” Tahl shouted. She

reached forward and deactivated the droid completely.

Silence fell. Tahl grinned. “Was that natural enough for you, Obi-Wan?”

Qui-Gon strode forward and began to examine TooJay. “Here,” he said after a moment. “Right in the joint of the pelvic

servomotor.

A transmitter.”

“Does it record and send simultaneously?” Tahl asked.

“Yes,” Qui-Gon said. “I would guess that Xanatos has some sort of trigger on his end that alerts him if the conversation is important. He could have programmed several word triggers, like my name, or Yoda’s, his, Bruck’s - there could be any number of triggers. That way he doesn’t have to listen to everything that happens to you - only what he needs.” Qui-Gon examined the transmitter. “This unit transmits audio and visuals.”

“So Xanatos has known what we were planning all along,” Tahl said, sinking back into her chair. “He’s been watching our every move. This is bad news.”

“Not at all,” Qui-Gon said softly. “Now we do not have to chase him. He will come straight to us.”

Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan. “Obi-Wan, I need you to go to the temporary dormitory. Pick a senior student with your height and build. Then come back here. And be as quick as you can.”

Without taking time to respond, Obi-Wan raced out of Tahl’s quarters and headed for the lift tube. He reached the level where the students had set up sleeping areas and hastily scanned the crowd. He already knew who he would choose. Not only was his friend Garen Muln his size, but Obi-Wan trusted his abilities as well.

“Obi-Wan! Are you looking for me?” Bant ran forward from a crowd of students who were busy unrolling bedding.

Obi-Wan continued to scan the sea of students. “I’m looking for someone to help Qui-Gon and me,” he said.

“But I can help!” Bant’s silver eyes shone eagerly. “I’d be glad to help Qui-Gon.”

The jealousy that Obi-Wan had tried to smother suddenly leaped inside him. The hurt and longing he’d been feeling turned into

something uncontrollable. The open eagerness in Bant’s face made him more furious than ever.

“Yes, I’m sure you would,” he told Bant savagely. “I’m sure you’d take any opportunity to show Qui-Gon how valuable you are. How much he needs you.”