The School of Fear Page 4

  keep you updated."

  "Anything I can do for my son, I will do," Berm said.

  "I appreciate that, Senator Tarturi," Obi-Wan replied. He believed

  that the Senator was sincere. But he did not believe that Tarturi had told

  him everything. Senators were used to concealing some of the truth in order

  to place themselves in the best light. It was their nature. He needed a

  clear view of Senator Tarturi's role in the Senate, and he knew just who to

  ask.

  Obi-Wan tried to access the door to Tyro Caladian's tiny office, but

  the door stuck after it had slid open only a few centimeters.

  "Tyro?" he shouted inside the crack.

  "Go away," a muffled voice answered.

  "It's Obi-Wan!"

  "Obi-Wan! For star's sake, don't move." Obi-Wan heard the sound of

  crashing and banging. "I'm coming - oof! Don't... I'm almost there... ah!"

  The door slowly opened, pushed by Tyro. "Can't you..." he puffed "...

  use your Force... to help?"

  Obi-Wan leaned against the door frame, watching. "I'm enjoying this

  too much."

  Tyro got the door all the way open. He wiped his forehead, where his

  fur had matted with sweat. "So happy to amuse. Thanks."

  Obi-Wan strolled inside. Tyro's office was filled with plastoid boxes

  crammed with durasheet documents. More plastoid file boxes were stacked

  against a wall. Some of the boxes had been shoved against the door, causing

  it to jam. "What's going on?"

  "I told you I'd get something on Sano Sauro," Tyro said, climbing over

  a box to get to a holodocument strewn desk. "I requisitioned all the

  documents in the Senate registry that involve his homeworld. He couldn't

  seal everything, just his personal docs."

  "All of them?" Obi-Wan asked incredulously. "But he's been a Senator

  for nine years!"

  Tyro ruefully surveyed the crowded office. "Well, it might take a

  while. But what can I do for you, Obi-Wan? I'm at your service, as always."

  "What do you know about Berm Tarturi?" Obi-Wan asked. He raised a hand

  and used the Force to push aside a tower of documents in order to sit down.

  Tyro looked from the ease of Obi-Wan's gesture back to the door he had

  struggled with. His ears twitched as he sat down. "I sure could use that

  Force of yours. Think how I could save on maid service. Anyway - Tarturi.

  The one whose son has been kidnapped."

  Obi-Wan was startled. "How do you know that? There's been no official

  word."

  Tyro smiled, his small, pointed teeth glistening. "Why are you in this

  office?"

  Obi-Wan inclined his head. "Because you hear everything."

  "What exactly do you need to know?" Tyro said. "I know many things

  about Senator Tarturi. For example, at the moment he is engaged in the

  fight of his political career."

  "Who is his biggest enemy in the Senate?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "Are you serious?" Tyro said. "You don't know?" "Why else would I be

  here?" Obi-Wan asked irritably. "Because I enjoy filing?"

  "Sano Sauro is his biggest enemy," Tyro said. "Sauro?" Obi-Wan felt

  his pulse quicken. "Tarturi didn't mention him."

  Tyro snorted. "He wouldn't. They are locked in a bitter battle over

  the redistribution of trade routes. Typical Senate bureaucratic tangle, but

  for them - it might as well be life or death. It means money, payoffs...

  and reelection. The battle has left them mortal enemies."

  "But why wouldn't Tarturi tell me this?" Obi-Wan wondered.

  "Because Senators never admit they have enemies, Obi-Wan," Tyro said

  patiently. "Don't you know that by now? It gives their opponents more power

  if they acknowledge them."

  "Even when his son is missing?"

  Tyro laughed, but the laugh had no humor in it. "His mother could be

  missing, his wife, and his pet nek battle dog. He still wouldn't tell you

  everything."

  "So," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, "if Berm Tarturi was distracted by

  his son's kidnapping..."

  "Sauro could profit handsomely," Tyro finished. "The committee is in

  session right now. If Tarturi misses even one meeting, Sauro could gain the

  upper hand." Tyro sat up straighter. "Do you think Sauro could be involved?

  "

  "Does Sauro know Rana Halion?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "The leader of the Andaran opposition? I don't think so," Tyro

  answered. "But if he did meet with her, it would have to be in secret.

  Naturally he would support her efforts in the Andaran system. It would

  destroy Tarturi's power base." Tyro tapped a triple jointed finger on a

  pile of datasheets. "Not to mention that Halion could get her new trade

  routes if she throws her support to Sauro. They both have much to gain from

  an alliance."

  "So if Halion cooked up a plot to kidnap Gillam Tarturi, Sauro might

  help," Obi-Wan said.

  Tyro nodded. "My enemy's enemy is my friend, you mean."

  "Or he could have cooked up the plot and enlisted her. It is certainly

  something he is capable of."

  Tyro's ears twitched excitedly. "If we could find proof, it would mean

  the end of his career. I'd have him in prison. And you'd have your files.

  The block of the order to reveal would be dissolved."

  "And we'd find Gillam Tarturi," Obi-Wan said.

  CHAPTER SIX

  "Today we shall consider the geopolitical effect of the great Lali

  Plague," Professor Win Totem said. Then she sat down with great dignity,

  right on a custard turnover.

  The class exploded with laughter. It went on a little too long, Anakin

  noted. The constant anxiety the students felt led them to grasp at any

  relief.

  The tall professor with the regal bearing stood and regarded the ruby-

  colored stain on the back of her white septsilk gown.

  "Ferus Olin," she rapped out. "You are responsible for this!"

  Ferus started. "I assure you, Professor, I am not." "Ten more demerits

  for lying," Professor Win Totem barked. Her blue skin flushed an angry

  purple. "You are the only one who could have done it I asked you to

  distribute the notes before class."

  Anakin watched as Ferus clenched his hands. He knew what Ferus was

  thinking. Ferus and Reymet had distributed the notes together. They did

  everything together now. Flattered by Ferus's attention, Reymet had become

  his tagalong. But Reymet couldn't resist playing his practical jokes, and

  Ferus was getting blamed. Anakin also knew that Ferus could not point the

  finger at Reymet. He was trying to befriend him. Besides, if Ferus told on

  Reymet, he'd be a tattletale, what the students called a womp fink.

  Reymet's face was pure innocence. He shook his head with concern as he

  studied the stain on Professor Totem's gown.

  Totem turned back to the lesson. Anakin hid his grin as he bent over

  his datascreen. It served Ferus right. He had grabbed the assignment to

  watch Reymet. He deserved the consequences. Anakin couldn't imagine two

  people more unlike each other than Ferus and Reymet. He knew that the

  secret pleasure he got from watching Ferus being blamed for a practical

  joke wasn't very Jedi-like, but on the other hand, he couldn't wait to tell

  his friends Tru and Darra that Ferus had got
ten demerits for putting a

  custard turnover on a teacher's chair.

  Out of the corner of his vision, he saw Marit eyeing him curiously. He

  had been playing a waiting game with her. After he'd discovered that his

  stone was missing, his first impulse was to rush after her and demand it

  back. It was his most precious possession, and he hated being without it.

  But he had stopped himself. What would Obi-Wan have done?

  Take a breath and think, Anakin.

  So he asked himself why Marit had taken it. She must have known that

  he would immediately realize that she had it. Did she want to provoke a

  confrontation? Did she want to see what he would do?

  Anakin had decided to wait. Not the easiest course of action for him.

  Not at all. But he was puzzled and intrigued by Marit, and he wanted her

  to feel the same. Let Ferus chase after Reymet. Anakin's instincts told him

  that there was more to Marit than he knew.

  So even though he felt her eyes on him, he didn't turn. Nor did he

  acknowledge her when Professor Totem had them break into groups and Marit

  joined his. He didn't respond when she tried to catch his eye, even during

  the most boring stretch of the professor's lecture.

  She would come to him, he knew. After the class, she would find a

  pretext to talk to him. He was driving her crazy because he had waited her

  out.

  Better to wait to catch your prey than strike too soon.

  Obi-Wan had counseled him again and again on the virtue of patience.

  At last he was beginning to understand why his Master pushed it. It worked.

  Sometimes.

  The class ended. Anakin headed out the wide carved door. He left the

  hallway and accessed the brushed durasteel doors that led to the courtyard.

  Even though it was overlooked by windows, it felt removed. It was a gloomy,

  dark day, and he had it to himself. Students avoided isolated places now.

  They traveled in pairs or groups and went directly to their classes.

  "All right, I give up the battle," Marit said from behind him.

  He turned. "I didn't know we were in a war."

  She held up the stone. "You know I have this. Don't you want it back?"

  "Yes," Anakin said. Even in the gloom, the river stone shone, its

  shiny black surface like a mirror full of reflected light.

  "And you didn't report me."

  "No."

  "This stone is important to you. I can tell. Why?" "It was a gift,"

  Anakin said.

  "From your father?"

  Longing burst inside him. He did not have a father. Shmi had been very

  clear about that. He didn't understand it, but he accepted it. He did not

  think about his lack; he never had. But unexpectedly the ache would well up

  in him and take him by surprise.

  Then he thought of Obi-Wan, and the ache went away.

  "Yes," he said. "Are you going to give it back?"

  She held it up, fingering it thoughtfully. "I'm not sure yet."

  It would be so easy for him to use the Force to get it back. Instead,

  Anakin moved. His kick barely grazed her fingertips, but it dislodged the

  stone and sent it flying straight toward him. He reached up with one hand

  and caught it.

  Marit blinked. She looked down at her hand, still outstretched but now

  empty. "I didn't even see you move. How did you do that?"

  Anakin slid the stone back into the concealed inside pocket of his

  tunic. "Lots of practice. Now it's your turn to answer questions. Why did

  you take it?"

  Her dark eyes glinted. "Because I wanted to see what you would do."

  "A test," Anakin said. "Did I pass?"

  Marit only smiled and changed the subject. "I saw you in the flight

  simulator the other day. You were pretty good."

  It was the one area where he had not hidden his skill. It was hard for

  Anakin to sit in a cockpit and not fly fast and expertly. "Thanks."

  "I'd like you to meet some friends of mine. Will you come with me now?

  It's our free mod."

  Anakin nodded. Marit may not have answered his question about passing

  her test, but she didn't need to. He had passed. The question was, for what

  purpose?

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Obi-Wan stared down at the holofile in front of him. He flipped

  through the data for what felt like the thousandth time. He couldn't find

  the key.

  Something had happened the night Gillam disappeared, yet the security

  record showed that nothing had been breached. Obi-Wan had gone over the

  report. The best security expert at the Temple, Jedi Knight Alam Syk, had

  gone over it. Nothing was out of the ordinary. It was as though Gillam had

  disappeared into thin air.

  Obi-Wan had also gone over the short note sent by the kidnappers. It

  was strange that they had not asked for credits or made any demands. The

  note seemed more like a delaying tactic than anything else. There was a

  chance the note could be linked to a particular datapad, but until they had

  a suspect, they could do nothing with it.

  Obi-Wan looked at the security report again. He had the nagging

  feeling that he was missing something obvious.

  His comlink signaled, and he answered it brusquely. "Yes?"

  Tyro's excited voice vibrated through the air. "I've got something. I

  analyzed the data from the past five years of Sauro's illicit activity -

  the stuff he's been caught at, anyway - and ran it through my probabilities

  program, looking for connections. I narrowed his secret meeting places to

  three. Then I cross-referenced his schedule and committee meetings, and - "

  "Tyro," Obi-Wan said with great patience, "please, get to the point."

  "He's meeting Rana Halion secretly," Tyro said in a rush.

  "Now?"

  "I think so. I'm following her right now, and she's heading to a place

  he's used for secret meetings in the past. It's just a hunch, but - "

  "Tell me where," Obi-Wan demanded.

  Tyro gave him the directions. Obi-Wan rushed out of the Temple. He

  took one of the Temple's speeders and raced through the jammed space lanes

  of Coruscant, diving several hundred levels below to a grassy quad

  surrounded by stores and caf©s. He parked the speeder and quickly hurried

  to the prearranged spot where Tyro was waiting.

  Tyro sat in a crowded caf© under an awning that cast deep shade. From

  here he had a view of the quad seating. With a nod at Tyro, Obi-Wan sat

  next to him and surveyed the area.

  It was a wise choice of location for a secret meeting, he thought. The

  many stores and caf©s made for crowded passageways. There were numerous

  entrances and exits, and several busy space lanes converged nearby. Glass

  turbolifts connected to levels above and below. If someone needed to get

  lost quickly, it would be easy to do.

  "There she is," Tyro said in a low tone. "Right on schedule."

  Obi-Wan looked curiously at Rana Halion. He had studied her image in

  her docs, but she appeared more commanding in person. Dressed to blend with

  the crowd, she was wearing a brown traveler's cloak with a hood. She was a

  tall, lanky humanoid with white hair cut short and twisted into spikes.

  Wide gold cuffs encircled each strong wrist. Even from this distance, he

  noted the inte
nsity of her eyes, a blue so light they were almost

  colorless.

  She strolled around the quad, glancing in shop windows. To a casual

  passerby, she appeared to be window-shopping. But Obi-Wan saw how her

  glance continually darted to the seats on the quad. She was definitely

  waiting for someone.

  Tyro ordered a round of drinks so that they wouldn't be conspicuous.

  Obi-Wan sipped his juice, alert for any sign of Sano Sauro. The minutes

  ticked by.

  He could see the impatience in Rana Halion's walk. Her hands twisted

  together, then relaxed. She sat for several minutes, then got up to stroll

  again.

  "Where is he?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "I don't know," Tyro fretted. "I'm certain he's meeting her. it's too

  much of a coincidence, her being in this place. You'd think if you go to

  all the trouble of putting someone under surveillance that they would

  cooperate. How can Sauro do this to us? it's like he knows we're here."

  Obi-Wan suppressed a groan. He held out his hand. "Let me see your

  comlink."