O-Bin seemed about to explode. She squeezed her hands together. Then, she smiled.
“You two make it difficult to keep up with how many punishment marks you have,” she said in a tone that hit each word like a sharp rap against a tuneless bell. “I’m afraid greater punishment is called for. You will both clean up the food service area for the entire school after the evening meal.”
The sandy-haired student called V-Davi looked at them sympathetically.
“Think again,” Siri shot back. “I don’t have to follow your rules. I’m not under your authority!”
“If you choose to refuse your punishment and hurt the General Good,” O-Bin continued, “not one student will eat today.”
Fifty pairs of angry eyes turned and stared at Obi-Wan and Siri.
“Now, do you still refuse?” O-Bin asked.
Under cover of his tunic, Obi-Wan nudged Siri to silence. He would not be responsible for
depriving the students of food. When they didn’t respond, O-Bin turned away, a smug smile of satisfaction on her face.
“Great,” Siri whispered. “Not only are we trapped, we’re trapped with dirty dishes.”
O-Bin didn’t turn. “Four punishment marks, 0-Siri,” she said sweetly.
Qui-Gon and Adi stood in the middle of the Gathering Circle. Around them rose an open-air coliseum with stone slabs serving as benches.
“All Keganites participate in the governing of Kegan,” V-Haad said proudly. “V-Tan and 0-Vieve bring problems to the people. They do not supply solutions, merely proposals. Every citizen gets a vote.”
A low, circular building was built next to the coliseum. In one of the few examples of finery on Kegan, its dome was painted gold.
“Here is the Central Dwelling, where our Benevolent Guides reside,” O-Rina said. “We will request an audience for you.”
O-Rina and V-Haad brought them to a small room with whitewashed walls that contained benches for seating. “They will be with you shortly,” O-Rina said. “We’ll await you at the front entrance.”
In moments the door opened and two elder Keganites in soft white robes appeared. The woman’s silver hair was braided and hung down her back. The man’s was silver as well. Their beaming smiles seemed more sincere than those of the Hospitality Guides.
“Welcome, Qui-Gon Jinn and Adi Gallia,” the woman said. “I am O-Vieve, and this is V-Tan. It is our honor to greet you.”
The two Jedi bowed.
“We hope that you will be able to assist us,” Qui-Gon said. “We arrived with our Padawans, Siri and Obi-Wan. They wandered off and we have been unable to find them.”
V-Tan folded his hands. “The Hospitality Guides have informed us of this. We are concerned.”
“We have decided to launch a search,” O-Vieve said. “We will inform our citizens that the children are missing. We should have results very soon.”
“We should like to join in the search,” Qui-Gon said.
O-Vieve nodded at him sympathetically. “I feel your concern, yet you do not know our world. We can search quicker and more efficiently. V-Tan and I would be grateful if you would accept our hospitality during this short
time. We have guest quarters prepared here in the Central Dwelling. I am certain you need food and rest. We will bring your Padawans to you.”
Qui-Gon was about to protest, but Adi nodded. “Thank you,” she said.
V-Tan and O-Vieve murmured that it was no trouble at all, and they were happy to be able to meet the gracious and kind Jedi. The Hospitality Guides would be waiting in the front reception hallway to show them the way to their rooms.
Qui-Gon and Adi strode into the hallway. As soon as they were out of earshot, Qui-Gon murmured, “We can’t rely on them to search.”
“Of course not,” Adi agreed. “But if we had continued to protest, it wouldn’t have done any good. They wouldn’t have given in. They are not afraid of us the way O-Rina and V-Haad are.”
“Afraid of us?” Qui-Gon asked, startled. “Nervous, perhaps. But why would they be afraid of us?”
“That is something I do not know,” Adi said. “Yet.”
Qui-Gon paused. The reception area was just ahead, and he did not want the Hospitality Guides to see them. “We need to go back to the
beginning. We need to talk to V-Nen and 0-Melie. Perhaps Obi-Wan and Siri’s failure to come back is linked to O-Lana’s disappearance.”
Adi nodded. “How can we avoid 0-Rina and V-Haad?”
“This way,” Qui-Gon said, turning and heading back down the hallway. He turned to the left, then the right.
“How do you know where to go?” Adi asked.