The Fight for Truth(10)

“Resisting capture,” V-Tarz responded.

“No need to use physical force,” the other man said. “We’ve discussed this before. The Learning works with love, not fear. Take them to class.”

Obi-Wan was hauled to his feet. He locked his knees so that he would not fall. Siri did the same.

“But we’re not Keganites,” Obi-Wan protested to the second guard, who seemed more friendly. “We’re visitors.”

The second guard’s dark gaze flicked over Obi-Wan and Siri. “No one visits Kegan. Three marks for lying.” He turned away. “Take them to class.”

V-Tarz nudged them with the handle end of his electro-jabber. “You heard V-Brose. Get moving.”

“Let’s make a break for it,” Siri murmured to Obi-Wan as they stumbled across the yard, their muscles like pudding.

“Are you kidding? We wouldn’t last five meters,” Obi-Wan whispered through his teeth. “We have to wait until the effect of the electro-jabber wears off. We’ll figure out where we are and contact Qui-Gon and Adi Gallia.”

“Just let me at V-Tarz before we get out of here,” Siri muttered.

“That does not sound like a Jedi,” Obi-Wan said disapprovingly. “V-Tarz is not our enemy, merely an obstacle to our mission.”

“That obstacle just ground the faces of two helpless young people into the dirt,” Siri responded. “Just what do you require in an enemy, Obi-Wan?”

Their conversation stopped abruptly as V-Tarz pushed them against a wall. Rough hands reached under Obi-Wan’s travel cloak. V-Tarz brought out Obi-Wan’s lightsaber and examined it.

“What is this?”

Obi-Wan tensed. He could not lose his lightsaber without a fight, no matter how weak he was.

“It’s just a hand-warming device,” Siri said.

V-Tarz shoved it back in Obi-Wan’s belt. “Then I don’t need it. What’s this… ?”

He’d found Obi-Wan’s comlink. He pulled it out of its pouch, then grabbed Siri’s.

“You won’t be needing these,” V-Tarz said,

holding them up. “They look new,” he said, examining them. “Your parents must work in the Comm Circle in order to have comlinks like these.” He stuck them in his pocket, a delighted smile on his face. Obi-Wan was afraid he’d take their electrobinoculars next.

“For the last time, slab-brain, we’re not Keganites,” Siri snapped.

V-Tarz raised the electro-jabber. Obi-Wan tensed. Another blow could put Siri out of commission for a very long time.

A carved bust of a serene-looking woman sat on a high shelf over them. Obi-Wan called on the Force. The bust rocketed to the edge of the shelf and flew off. It missed V-Tarz by millimeters and crashed to the floor, sending chips of marble everywhere. V-Tarz stared down at it in disbelief.

A door near them opened. A Keganite woman stuck her head in. Her hair was pulled back behind her ears in a severe style, and she wore a plain brown tunic over black trousers.

“V-Tarz! What’s going on? I’m trying to conduct a class.” Her gaze traveled over the broken bust. “You smashed 0-Vieve!”

“It fell, O-Bin,” V-Tarz said. “An unfortunate accident. But here are two students for you. Keep your excellent eye on them

-

they’re troublemakers.”

O-Bin cast a cool gaze over Siri and Obi-Wan. Then she smiled. Obi-Wan felt a chill move through him. The smile was eerily similar to O-Rina’s and V-Haad’s.

“There are no troublemakers in The Learning,” O-Bin said. “Come.”

Glad to get away from V-Tarz, Obi-Wan and Siri followed the teacher through the durasteel door into the classroom. The door clanged shut behind them and an automatic lock snapped shut.

Students dressed in gray tunics sat on long benches that ran the width of the room, row after row. Small data screens rose from the floor in front of each of them at eye-level. The students sat erect, hands at their sides. Only their eyes moved as they examined Obi-Wan and Siri.

“I’m afraid there’s been a mistake,” Siri said to O-Bin. “We aren’t Keganites. We’re …”

Obi-Wan heard a few titters from the class. A slight, sandy-haired boy with hair that brushed his shoulders gave him a sympathetic look, then quickly looked down at his data screen. O-Bin swiveled and fixed her smiling gaze on row after row. The room went still.

“Sit,” she told Siri and Obi-Wan.

“But we are not -” Obi-Wan began.

“Sit.” The smile didn’t waver. “Put on the

robes for The Learning.” She handed them two gray tunics.

Obi-Wan and Siri exchanged glances. Should they continue to resist, or give in for now? Mindful of Qui-Gon’s orders, Obi-Wan slipped into the tunic. Siri did the same.