The Dangerous Rescue Page 3

  Gon. Your body has not recovered fully. I suppose it would be fruitless for

  me to tell you to take it easy."

  Qui-Gon winced as he slid off the examination table. "Not until we

  find Noor."

  Obi-Wan saw the signs of fatigue he had missed in his joy to have his

  Master well and safe. Jenna Zan Arbor had drained Qui-Gon's body of blood.

  She had kept him confined for long periods of time. His skin looked pale

  and his face drawn. The experience had weakened him.

  "Are you sure you shouldn't return to the Temple?" he asked Qui-Gon

  in a low voice.

  "No," Qui-Gon said sharply.

  Adi and Siri strode into the room.

  "We've checked all the computer files," Adi said crisply. "There's no

  indication of where she might go next."

  "There was an assistant, Nil," Qui-Gon said.

  "Not anymore," Siri said. "We found him in one of the storage rooms.

  A lethal injection, we think."

  "He was a liability," Qui-Gon said. He turned away. "She will stop at

  nothing."

  "Yes, that's why we must find her," Adi agreed quietly.

  Cholly, Weez, and Tup peered around the corner.

  "If you're no longer in need of our services, we thought we would go

  back to our poverty-stricken but basically safe existence," Cholly offered.

  "She had the credits in her hand," Weez said. "If only Tup hadn't

  started the engine - "

  "Or knocked over the droids - "

  "Woosh, everything is all my fault, all the time, forever," Tup

  complained.

  "Yes, it is," Cholly and Weez said together.

  Qui-Gon's comlink signaled. "It's Tahl."

  A miniature hologram of Tahl appeared before them. "I am relieved to

  hear that you all are safe and that Didi will recover," she said. "The

  Force is with us. Winna, how is Qui-Gon?"

  "Fine," Qui-Gon said tersely.

  "Excuse me, did I ask you that question?" Tahl demanded. She was one

  of the few Jedi who was brave enough to challenge Qui-Gon, let alone tease

  him. "Winna?"

  "He has undergone a great trauma," Winna said. "My best advice would

  be to return to the Temple, but I know he is needed. There will be no

  lasting damage. He just needs rest and food."

  "Then you will release him on a mission?" Tahl asked.

  "Release me?" Qui-Gon thundered irritably. "Am I still a captive?"

  "No, you are a stubborn Jedi who might push himself beyond a limit

  his body cannot handle," Tahl answered.

  "I see no danger to him," Winna said reluctantly. "I have seen how

  quickly Qui-Gon is able to recover his strength. As long as he has been

  honest with me about how he is feeling and not covering up any weakness."

  Qui-Gon glared at her.

  "I'm sure he was covering them up," Tahl said crisply. "However, we

  must pursue Jenna Zan Arbor. The Council wishes the two Jedi teams to join

  together to find Noor."

  Obi-Wan glanced at Siri. So he would have to work with her again,

  side by side. He hoped she had learned a little more humility since their

  last mission.

  "I have news for you, Obi-Wan," Tahl said. "And you will not like it.

  Nor do I. As soon as she was assured that Didi would make a full recovery,

  Astri left the Temple. She has gone off to pursue Ona Nobis in hopes of

  getting the reward."

  "Astri is no match for Ona Nobis!" Obi-Wan cried in surprise.

  Tahl sighed. "I know this. Yet there is nothing the Jedi can do. She

  does not wish our protection any longer. We cannot force it."

  Obi-Wan felt frustration and worry battle within him. Yet he knew

  Tahl was right. The Jedi did not impose protection. And his mission was to

  find Jenna Zan Arbor.

  "Adi and Qui-Gon, contact me when you decide on your next move," Tahl

  finished.

  "Meanwhile, I am coordinating the search for Zan Arbor's ship."

  "It's a big galaxy," Qui-Gon said.

  "Then I'd better get going," Tahl said, and signed off.

  More and more, Obi-Wan had grown to appreciate having Tahl as a

  liaison within the Temple. When they rescued a blinded Tahl from

  Melida/Daan, he had never expected how important she would become in their

  lives, as well as their missions.

  "It's been a swell adventure, but we must be going," Cholly said.

  Adi turned to them. "We are grateful for your help. We regret that

  you were caught in a battle."

  Weez waved his hand. "It was nothing." "Especially when it was over,"

  Tup said, blowing out a relieved breath.

  Giving a last bow and a quick wave from Tup, the three hurried from

  the lab. No doubt they were anxious to get away from the Jedi, Obi-Wan

  thought. It was no wonder that Cholly, Weez, and Tup were such hopeless

  criminals. Their courage did not match their greed. At the first sign of

  trouble, they ran.

  Qui-Gon turned to Adi. "Did you and Siri discover anything that could

  help us while you were investigating Noor's disappearance?"

  "I don't think so," Adi said thoughtfully, "but let me tell you a

  little about him. Noor had a deep connection to the Force that led him to

  choose a life of meditation when he became an elder. He left the Temple and

  returned to his home planet, Sorl, where he planned to live in quiet

  seclusion. He built a simple home in the foothills of the great mountain

  range of Cragh. Things did not turn out quite the way he expected."

  "As they seldom do," Qui-Gon noted.

  Adi nodded. "When Siri and I reached Sorl, we discovered that to pass

  the time, Noor had begun to craft small landscapes out of stone, sticks,

  and vegetation. He made small animals and figures and placed them in these

  imaginary landscapes, places he had seen over his long life. We saw them in

  the yards and fields surrounding his home. They were charming. Beautiful."

  "Ah," Qui-Gon said. "And they began to attract some attention."

  Adi smiled. "From the children. They began to come by to watch Noor

  work. He began to make toys for them. Soon he was involved in the life of

  the community. His life of seclusion became a life of engagement."

  "'Life surprises you. Accept the gift,"' Qui-Gon recited. It was a

  Jedi saying.

  "So you see, all we know about Noor will not help us here," Adi

  finished. "I think we must concentrate on Jenna Zan Arbor. Yet so much of

  her life is a mystery...."

  Obi-Wan's comlink began to signal him. He stepped off a few paces to

  accept the communication.

  "My name is No Muna and I am a medic at the Med Center on Sorrus," a

  voice said. "I was given your name by Astri Oddo - "

  "Is Astri all right?"

  "I am afraid she is not. An accident - she is not conscious, I'm

  afraid. She gave me your name before she passed out. She asked you to come

  here. Yinn La Hi is the capital city of Sorrus, in the system of - "

  "Yes, I know where it is," Obi-Wan interrupted. "Thank you. If she

  awakens, tell her I am on my way."

  He cut the communication. The others had stopped talking and were

  listening to him. He met Qui-Gon's gaze.

  "I have to," he said.

  Qui-Gon frowned, but Obi-Wan knew it was a frown of concentration,

  not displeasure.r />
  "Yes," he said. "We cannot leave Astri on Sorrus alone. But the

  chances of finding Zan Arbor and Noor diminish with every moment of delay.

  Adi and I will remain here to begin the search. You go with Siri to Sorrus

  and escort Astri back to the Temple, if she is able to travel. We'll either

  meet back at the Temple or tell you where you must come." Qui-Gon seemed to

  recall that he was supposed to collaborate with Adi. He turned to her. "Do

  you agree?"

  There was a beat before Adi responded. "I agree." She turned to Siri.

  "I am sending you alone with Obi-Wan. This means I am trusting you not to

  engage with the bounty hunter Ona Nobis or pursue any lead unless you

  contact me."

  "The same goes for you, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon told him. "Ona Nobis will

  have revenge on her mind if she knows you are on Sorrus. Keep a low

  profile. Do not cause any disturbance. And contact us immediately after you

  see Astri. Now let's find you some transport."

  CHAPTER 7

  Sorrus was a large planet in a busy system, and it was easy to find a

  hauler making a direct run. After landing at the capital city of Yinn La

  Hi, Obi-Wan and Siri thanked the pilot.

  "Now we'll have trouble," Obi-Wan said to Siri as they exited the

  busy landing platform area. "There are no signs in the cities on Sorrus,

  and we have to find our way to the Med Center."

  "Why don't we just ask someone?" Siri asked.

  "We won't get very far. Sorrusians don't like strangers."

  "You make everything so hard, Obi-Wan," Siri scoffed. "You just have

  to be polite." She approached a Sorrusian couple, their arms filled with

  produce from the open-air market.

  "Excuse me," Siri said. "Can you tell us where the Med Center is

  located?"

  The couple gave her a blank stare, then moved on, chatting in

  Sorrusian as if Siri didn't exist.

  "That was rude," Siri said. She hailed a young Sorrusian who was

  strolling by, his hands tucked into his tunic pockets.

  "Excuse me. My companion and I are strangers here. We need directions

  to - "

  The young man wheeled about and walked away from them.

  "Do you believe me now?" Obi-Wan asked. "Are you sure you were polite

  enough?"

  "They're positively paranoid," Siri grumbled, running a hand through

  her hair. "How are we going to find the place?"

  "The center should be fairly large, and on a main street," Obi-Wan

  said, his eyes scanning the street ahead. "And the pilot said he thought it

  was close to the city center. It should be right around here."

  After only a few minutes of quick walking, Obi-Wan and Siri found the

  complex. Yinn La Hi was a teeming city, and the Med Center was spread out

  over a large area. Soon it would take up even more space. A new wing was

  under construction.

  "Now we'll have to get someone to tell us where Astri is," Siri

  observed as they walked through the doors into a gleaming atrium that

  swarmed with Sorrusians.

  "Why don't you try?" Obi-Wan asked. "You did so well earlier."

  Siri gave him an irritated glance. Obi-Wan walked ahead to the

  reception desk.

  "I received a message from No Muna that Astri Oddo was brought here

  for treatment."

  The Sorrusian clerk behind the desk said nothing, just continued

  tapping on the keyboard.

  Obi-Wan leaned over the desk in frustration. He spoke clearly and

  insistently. "My friend is hurt and I must see her!"

  The clerk looked up at him warily. "What did you say your name was?"

  "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

  A spark of recognition lit the clerk's blank gaze. "Ah, I was told to

  expect you. Please see Medic Rai Unlu. He is waiting for you over there."

  Obi-Wan saw a short, slender Sorrusian standing by a pillar. He wore

  a med smock and carried a small datapad. Obi-Wan and Siri hurried over, and

  Obi-Wan introduced himself.

  "Oh, yes, Astri Oddo. Sad case. We do not know how she received her

  injuries," the Sorrusian doctor said gravely. "Let me check to see her

  status." He pressed several keys. "Ah. She has regained consciousness. That

  is a good sign." I must see her," Obi-Wan said.

  "Of course. But first you must fill out registry information. All

  foreigners must do so on Sorrus. You will have to go to Wing A, Level 27,

  Room 2245X. Astri is in Wing M, at the opposite end of the complex. After

  you fill out the information, you can ask for directions to her room at the

  Registry Office."

  "Good luck," Siri muttered.

  "But that will take too much time!" Obi-Wan objected. "I need to see

  her now."

  "Why don't I fill out the papers while Obi-Wan visits Astri?" Siri

  suggested. "Would that be all right?"

  Rai Unlu looked uncertain. "It is not procedure - "

  "I've come so far to see her," Obi-Wan said persuasively. "And she's

  been badly hurt."

  "All right," Rai Unlu said, looking around furtively. "But don't tell

  anyone. I will take you to Astri. Your companion can follow signs to Wing

  A. There will be signs to the Registry Office from there."

  Siri nodded. "Good luck, Obi-Wan. I will come to Astri's room as soon

  as I am finished."

  Siri strode off, and Rai Unlu beckoned to Obi-Wan. "This way."

  Obi-Wan followed him from the soaring atrium through a series of

  gleaming corridors. They stepped onto a moving ramp and were swept through

  wing after wing.

  At last, Rai Unlu stepped off the ramp at Wing L. "We must walk from

  here."

  They walked quickly through the wing, past the closed doors of the

  ward. Then they came to a sign that read NO ADMITTANCE.

  "Restricted ward for foreigners," Rai Unlu explained, hurrying

  through.

  To Obi-Wan's surprise, they stepped through a doorway into a

  partially completed hallway. Small graysleds with construction materials

  littered the corridor, and through the open grid-work of the ceiling Obi-

  Wan saw ducts and wires.

  "The Med Center is very crowded. We had to put her in the new wing,"

  Rai Unlu said.

  "But it's not finished," Obi-Wan said, stepping over a pail full of

  rivets.

  "She is still getting the best care," Rai Unlu assured him. "Sorrus

  has the best med facilities in the galaxy."

  It was a claim Obi-Wan had heard on other worlds. Had Astri been

  shuttled to this far wing because she was a stranger? Sorrusians weren't

  noted for their hospitality, but he expected a more sterile environment.

  "She is just through here, third door on your left," Rai Unlu said.

  "I must return. I have an emergency."

  "Wait," Obi-Wan said.

  "Sorry, must go," Rai Unlu said. "I'm being signaled. Emergency!"

  He turned and almost ran down the hall. Obi-Wan's growing wariness

  turned to concern. He felt a disturbance in the Force that alarmed him.

  Prepared for anything now, his hand went to his lightsaber hilt.

  Cautiously, he opened the third door on the left. Instead of a

  private room, he found himself in a partially built hospital ward. There

  were beams overhead and a durasteel frame. Only two walls had been

  co
nstructed.

  He just had time to see a shadow flicker, nothing more. Obi-Wan

  stepped back, lightsaber activated, as the bounty hunter Ona Nobis suddenly

  flew from a beam overhead straight toward him.