Jedi Apprentice 11: The Deadly Hunter (звёздные войны) Read online

  Small cafйs were tucked into overhangs along the exterior wall, some more populated than others. Qui-Gon stopped to inquire at several of them, and then moved on.

  "Didi is right," he told Obi-Wan. "Everyone knows Fligh. They just don't know where he is."

  At last they found him in one of the small pocket cafes. This one was deserted. It was past time for midday meal, and the Senate was in session.

  Fligh sat at a small table, nursing a glass of muja juice. He was a spindly creature with a long face, prominent ears, and one green prosthetic eye.

  Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan sat at the table. "Didi sent us," Qui-Gon said.

  Fligh looked surprised. Then he licked his lips. "Didn't know Jedi trafficked in information. Buy, sell, or trade?"

  "We are not here to make a deal," Qui-Gon said. "We need you to tell us how you found out about the two pieces of information you just sold to Didi."

  Fligh wrapped his long, thin fingers around his glass and looked at them slyly. "Why should I tell you? What's in it for me, I ask?"

  "You would be helping Didi," Qui-Gon said. "He is in trouble. And if you chose not to help him, I would not be pleased." Qui-Gon gave Fligh a level stare.

  Fligh choked on his muja juice, then broke out into nervous laughter. "You are a friend of Didi! I am a friend of Didi! We are all friends! There you go! Of course I want you to be pleased. I'll tell you everything you wish to know. May I say that I am both helpful and discreet? And generous. May I offer you two some muja juice? Unfortunately at the moment I am out of credits, but I would be happy to order them for you."

  Qui-Gon shook his head. "Just tell us what we want to know, Fligh. How did you find out about the Tech Raiders?"

  Fligh shrugged. "Easy. One hears things if one pays attention. And there you go."

  "You just heard it in the air?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "I can see you're a stickler for details," Fligh said, leaning back and chuckling at Qui-Gon. "Okay, okay. I heard it from their representative on Coruscant. Helb is the broker for stolen tech equipment. One meets him in the Splendor Tavern, he makes the deal. He used to make deals at Didi's, but the lovely Astri took care of that. Too bad — Didi always gave me juice for free." Fligh sighed at the lost opportunity.

  "What about your information about Senator S'orn?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "One has to protect one's sources, you know," Fligh stalled.

  Qui-Gon gave him a stern look. It was all he had to do. The cowardly Fligh immediately backtracked.

  "Okay, okay, I can see you'll make me talk. I got hold of a confidential memo written by S'orn herself announcing her resignation. It isn't scheduled to be released until next week. Naturally one could not let such a find go to waste."

  "And how did you get this memo?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "How does one learn things? Things happen. A durasheet falls into the trash bin, someone plucks it out, passes it along…" Fligh shrugged. "It's the way one has to work. A little here, a little there. A favor here, a trade there, and there you go." He turned to Obi-Wan. "Do you like my eye?"

  The abrupt question took Obi-Wan by surprise. "Which one?" he asked politely.

  "The green one, of course!" Fligh said, pointing to it. "I lost my own in a little dustup with some Hutts. Isn't it a beauty?"

  "It's very attractive," Obi-Wan said.

  "Very nice," Qui-Gon offered, when Fligh turned to him.

  "You see? There you go — a trade. A little information goes here, a little goes there, and I get an eye! How else does one survive on Coruscant?"

  "One could get a job," Qui-Gon pointed out. "One could, if one were a different being," Fligh agreed. "However, one is not." He shrugged again. "I do the best I can. On my own since I was knee-high, I learned how to get by. Didi is my friend. He has done much for me, and Astri is in my heart as well. I'm sorry Didi is in trouble. I will try to help, Jedi. This I promise."

  "I think it better if you stay out of it," Qui-Gon said in a kindly tone, for Fligh's tone was sincere. "We don't know what we're dealing with yet.

  "Then call on me when you need me. I will do my best, which I am sure you can guess is not much." Fligh cackled. "But there you go."

  Qui-Gon stood. "We might have to return and ask you more questions."

  "I am always here," Fligh said. He waved at the empty cafй and his jar of muja juice. "Where else can one find such excitement?"

  Since they were already in the Senate building, Qui-Gon decided that their next stop should be Senator Uta S'orn's office.

  The outer room was empty, so Qui-Gon knocked on an inner door.

  "Telissa?" The door was flung open. A Belascan female stood, one hand on her hip, wearing the trademark Belascan headdress of wrapped jeweled cloth, as well as an irritable expression. "Oh, sorry. I thought you were my assistant." Her glittering eyes swept them, and her expression changed. "Oh. Jedi. Excuse my rudeness."

  "May we speak with you for a moment?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "I am very busy… all right. Enter." Senator S'orn swiveled and walked back into her private office. She waved them to two chairs set in front of her desk.

  Qui-Gon seated himself and began with preliminaries. "You are resigning next week, Senator S'orn."

  She looked startled. "But how do you know this?"

  "The information is out there," Qui-Gon said. "It is for sale. I do not know if anyone has bought it yet, but no doubt someone will. We cannot prevent that."

  Senator S'orn dropped her head in her hands. "My data pad. It was stolen at the Senate commissary. My resignation announcement was on it.

  Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon. Obviously, Fligh had lied about how he'd received the information.

  She raised her head. "Disaster. I'm sponsoring legislation in two days. If this gets out beforehand, I'll have no support."

  "Did you see anyone nearby who could have stolen it?" Qui-Gon asked.

  She shook her head. "Just the usual Senate crowd." She laced her fingers together and bowed her head for a moment in thought. Then she raised her head and put both hands flat on the desk. "Decision. I must announce my resignation immediately. Then I can rally supporters to the legislation by saying they must help me with my legacy. I'll play on their sympathies." She drummed her fingers on the desk as she calculated her strategy. Her mind seemed to be elsewhere as she said absently, "Thank you for telling me."

  Qui-Gon stood. "Thank you for your time."

  She did not say good-bye or acknowledge them again. Her mind was already working to fix her problem. Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gon out the door.

  "Why didn't you ask her about Didi?" he asked Qui-Gon.

  "Because it wouldn't have gotten me anywhere. If she put a death mark on Didi's head, she would hardly admit it," Qui-Gon said. "And I can't see how she could trace the theft of the data pad to Didi. Do you?"

  "Only if she's lying," Obi-Wan said after a moment. "If she'd seen Fligh steal it, it would be easy to trace him to Didi. But why go after Didi, and not Fligh?"

  Obi-Wan thought this over some more. He felt at a disadvantage. Qui-Gon seemed to have an insight into the hearts and minds of beings that he did not.

  "Still, Senator S'orn's distress seemed sincere to me," he said slowly. "She was barely polite and not terribly nice, but not evil. Just busy."

  "A typical Senator," Qui-Gon said with a half smile.

  "She seemed surprised that the information was out," Obi-Wan said.

  "Yes, she did," Qui-Gon mused. "Unless she is a very good actress. But she did seem sincerely upset."

  "Why did Fligh tell us that an assistant got her announcement out of the trash?" Obi-Wan asked. "It's obviously not true."

  "He didn't actually say that, Padawan," Qui-Gon said. "He just indicated that as one of many ways he could have gotten the information. No, Fligh stole the data pad. He would not want to admit that to us, however."

  "This seems like a dead end to me," Obi-Wan said in conclusion. "Senator S'orn certainly doesn't look like a murderer."

 
Qui-Gon's blue eyes were keen. "Tell me, Padawan. What does a murderer look like?"

  Chapter 6

  The wide Senate doors at the south exit were crowded with beings hurrying inside and outside the building. They were all intent on getting somewhere fast, some of them barking into comlinks, others with harried, preoccupied looks on their faces.

  "Now we need to find the Splendor Tavern," Obi-Wan said.

  "I know where it is," Qui-Gon answered, striking off to his left down a small alley.

  Obi-Wan lengthened his stride to match his Master's. "How do you know?" he asked curiously.

  "Because I have had occasion to go there," Qui-Gon responded. "It's where connections are made for the black market. If one needs weapons or an illegally modified speeder, or wants to gamble, one goes to the Splendor.

  Sometimes on a mission you need help from the worst sorts as well as the best."

  Qui-Gon led him farther into a section he had never been in before, down many levels closer to the planet's surface. If Obi-Wan had been asked to describe Coruscant, he would have talked of a gleaming planet, all silver and white, with wide walkways and space lanes that flashed with agile crafts zooming toward their destinations. He barely knew the other Coruscant, below the levels of the Senate and the beautiful residences above. This one was made up of narrow alleys and cluttered streets, with dark shadows and furtive creatures who darted away when they saw the Jedi striding toward them. Games of chance were played on stoops and in outdoor cafйs. Weapons were placed on tables as warnings for cheaters.

  Qui-Gon stopped in front of a metal building with a sagging roof. An old readout sign swung in front, occasionally banging against the rough metal walls with a screeching sound. Half of its letters had burned out, so it read: s P D O R. The windows were shuttered, and only a thin strip of light came through.

  "Here we are," Qui-Gon said.

  "Here?" Obi-Wan studied the building with a dubious eye. "It certainly doesn't live up to its name."

  "Don't worry. It's worse than it looks."

  Qui-Gon pushed open the door. Immediately they were met with a blast of noise. Music played from a recorder in the corner while a variety of customers drank, ate, and played games of chance at each table. A jubilee wheel whirled on the bar, and gamblers gathered around with fistfuls of credits, betting on the outcome. It stopped, and one crowed triumphantly while two others began to fight. A fourth turned away, desperation on his face.

  Qui-Gon made his way to the lmbat bartender, whose head nearly bumped the ceiling, and whose long ears drooped to his shoulders. As the Jedi watched, his massive hand reached out and casually smacked a bar customer who was trying to get his attention by waving his arms. The customer fell back off his seat and crashed to the floor, a stunned look on his face. Someone stepped over him and took his place.

  With a jolt, Obi-Wan realized that Didi's cafй hadn't been filled with the worst of the galaxy, as he'd thought. He did not know who owned the Splendor. But whoever it was obviously did not care one bit about his customers.

  Qui-Gon took up a position at the end of the bar. He did not signal the bartender in any way, but the lmbat moved toward him. He bent his massive head and listened to Qui-Gon dolefully.

  Then, moving only his eyes, he indicated a shadowy corner.

  Qui-Gon signaled to Obi-Wan, and they moved toward it.

  Helb was a Neimoidian. Instead of the large glasses of ale the other customers were swilling, a small cup of tea was almost hidden in his large, sharp-nailed hands. Though Neimoidians usually favored the richest robes they could afford, Helb wore a plain gray unisuit with two blasters strapped to his hips. His back was to the wall, and he watched the crowd with shrewd orange eyes.

  Qui-Gon took a seat at the table across from him. Obi-Wan did the same.

  Helb gave them a considering look. "I am surprised to see Jedi in a place such as this."

  "We come for information only," Qui-Gon said.

  "That is probably the one thing I do not have to sell," Helb said.

  "That is all right, for I do not wish to buy it," Qui-Gon said. He sat in silence, waiting. Again, Obi-Wan marveled at how much Qui-Gon was able to convey through stillness.

  Helb gave the hissing sound that passed for Neimoidian laughter. "You are lucky. I'm in a good mood. I just won a game of sabacc. Otherwise you would be talking to a wall."

  Qui-Gon didn't rise to the bait. "There is a death mark on the head of Didi Oddo. He wonders if the Tech Raiders are displeased with him."

  Helb laughed again. "I am the one who is displeased with Didi. He beat me at a game of sabacc the other day. That is why I am so happy to win today."

  Qui-Gon nodded. Helb took a sip of tea.

  "Which doesn't mean I want to kill him," Helb continued. "If I were going to put a death mark on someone's head, it would be his friend

  "Why?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "Because he owes the Tech Raiders an interesting sum of money," Helb responded. "Not just gambling winnings on one game of sabacc, but favor after favor we have done him for which he has not paid. Why would I put a contract out on Didi?"

  "Because if you put a death mark on Fligh, you'd never get your money," Qui-Gon said.

  Helb laughed. "I'll never get it anyway!"

  "Fligh knows that your group has moved to Vandor-3," Qui-Gon said. "If you kill him, the information won't get out."

  Helb shook his head, bemused. "I told Fligh because I wanted the information to get out. I knew he wouldn't sell it to the security force.

  Only to those who need tech equipment or stolen speeders for cheap. How else would we get customers? Speaking of which, if the Temple needs equipment…"

  "No, thank you," Qui-Gon said. He stood.

  "Don't worry about Didi," Helb said. "He always seems to land on his feet. And if you see Fligh, tell him I'm looking for him. That should scare him!" Hissing with amusement, Helb turned his attention back to his tea.

  Qui-Gon started for the door. As Obi-Wan began to follow, something caught his eye. A wizened old man wrapped in layers of soiled cloaks and robes sat at a table, pushing pieces around a gameboard with a dirty finger. His eyes slowly slid back to the board as Obi-Wan glanced at him. A jolt of familiarity hit Obi-Wan, but he could not place it.

  He caught up with Qui-Gon at the door. But something made him turn back. The old man was now heading toward the back of the place. He shuffled through the crowd at first, but his step quickened as he passed through the throng at the bar. It was difficult to keep him in sight through the press of bodies, but Obi-Wan focused his attention, watching for movement.

  He saw a cape drop to the floor. Then another. No one noticed.

  The windows along the back were shuttered as well. One was slightly more ajar than the others, the window itself cracked to let in a tiny stream of air.

  The shuffling old man had disappeared. A tall female dressed in a dark tunic suddenly disengaged from the crowd and moved toward the rear.

  "It's her," Obi-Wan breathed. He quickly turned to Qui-Gon. "She's here."

  Qui-Gon turned. As they watched, the female dressed in black hauled herself up and then slipped through the narrow opening of the window, her body seeming to compress as she did so.

  With a leap, Qui-Gon burst out the front door. Obi-Wan followed on his heels. They raced down a narrow alleyway crowded with so many durasteel garbage bins that they had to leap up and run on top of them.

  Garbage squished under their boots, impeding their progress. They landed as lightly as they could, racing over the tops of the bins toward the rear. At the end of the alleyway, they leaped down onto solid ground.

  She was already disappearing around a corner far down the back alley.

  Qui-Gon increased his pace, and Obi-Wan spurted forward to catch up to him. His Master was a faster runner, and he dashed around the corner before Obi-Wan could get there.

  Obi-Wan pushed himself to his limit, racing after Qui-Gon. The question was, if they caught the bounty hun
ter, what would they do? Questioning her had not exactly been productive before.

  As he rounded the corner, he saw that Qui-Gon had given up. The alley widened into a small square with six different roads radiating out from the center.

  "She's gone," Qui-Gon said.

  "If that was really her," Obi-Wan said. "Now I can't quite believe it. I saw an old man, and suddenly he became a younger female."

  "Your eyes did not deceive you, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said. "Only a Sorussian would have been able to slip through that opening. The question is, why was she there at all? Was it a coincidence, or is she now on our trail?"