Chapter XVII – Decisions,
Decisions… Part III
“No,
please, I beg you, don’t hand me over to security!”
Garen whined knowing only too well that he was no
match for the physically imposing man.
“You
certainly are a sniveler, aren’t you?” Rheu spat in
revulsion.
“You
don’t know the people who have the bounty out for
me! I can be of use, just give me a chance!”
“Garen, you’re no more than a two bit hustler.”
“I
have a reputation –”
“Yeah, yeah, save it. I’ll bet it’s more made up
than anything,” Rheu snidely retorted.
“But-but…” Garen hesitated, knowing that what he was
about to divulge would take away his last shred of
hope and escape. If it keeps me alive… he
silently considered. “I-I have something…very
valuable…in my room.”
“What?” Rheu stopped dragging the man by his collar
long enough for him to continue.
“V-vials. A deadly toxin.”
The
Clawdite eyed him scornfully. “And how did you
acquire these vials?”
“A-a
deal that soured,” Garen replied, panicked that the
man would pummel him where he stood.
Rheu
stared hard into the frightened man’s eyes and said
in a tone that definitely implied danger, “If you’re
lying I’ll rip your tongue out with my bare hand!”
Garen’s eyes widened and he swallowed so loudly he
knew that Rheu had heard him. “I-I’m not lying. Go
to the Montique Resort – I have an employee
room there.”
“Move,” the Clawdite barked and shoved Garen ahead
of him.
Vaarn was growing impatient while he waited for his
partner to return. He knew that as long as Regan was
around there was a danger of her and then Reynard
discovering that he had recovered the toxin.
“I
can’t let that happen,” he said just above a
whisper through gritted teeth. “I’ve had enough
of this madman! I’ve served him for years and he
still treats me like some kind of parasite! Now that
Mara is infected with the toxin, she may be the
leverage I need…” he scornfully argued with
himself. Walking over to the desk in his room, he
picked up the comlink, activated it and bellowed,
“Rheu! Come in, blast you!”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Obi-Wan covered the two women, kissed Sakoya’s lips,
and then retreated out into the main room. Turning
toward the desk, he heard a rhythmic sound repeating
itself coming from the terminal console.
He
walked over and activated the viewscreen, which
indicated he had one message waiting. One sideways
glance over toward his guests wordlessly told them
that the transmission was not intended for an
audience.
Cela
immediately took the hint. “Let’s go check this
place out,” she commented, grabbing Xar’ek’s hand
and leading him toward the door.
“Uh,
sure.” He looked over at the Jedi Master who was
inputting a code and shouted, “We’ll be back. You’re
not getting rid of me so easily, Kenobi!”
“Oh,
c’mon!” Cela’s ire was beginning to surface as she
pulled the man out the durasteel door.
The
Jedi Master grinned at their retreating bodies and
stated, “Thank you, Cela,” before activating the
message.
Before the message would play the Jedi was prompted
for yet another code, one that would identify him as
the recipient of the encrypted transmission. Once he
supplied the proper code, the image of his long time
friend, Padmé Skywalker, came into view.
“Greetings, my dear friends. I hope you have managed
to enjoy your honeymoon in spite of recent events. I
did not wish to discuss the situation so openly
during our last conversation but now that I have a
secure transmission I will explain…
A
clandestine investigation, commanded by Prince
Organa, has been monitoring our favorite scientist.
As you are well aware, Reynard has remained on the
Outer Rim in order to evade prosecution and we have
no jurisdiction outside of the New Republic
territories. As a result, he has remained
uninhibited, which has proven fatal to so many.”
There was a slight pause as Padmé’s face became
sorrowful, until she regained her authoritative
stance. “However, Senator Organa was able to procure
a person on the inside to act as an operative. This
is how Bail, using an alias, managed to garner a
spot on the list of invitees. Our only obstacle was
his placement on the Outer Rim, but we have received
recent intelligence that pinpoints Reynard’s new
base of operations and he has boldly placed himself
inside New Republic territory.
The
Jedi Council and I have assigned you both to
accompany Senator Organa to the appointed meeting
place and secure his safety. Please update me as
soon as possible on the situation in Kuryn.”
Obi-Wan watched Padmé’s face disappear as the
transmission terminated. “I can only assume this is
what she meant by ‘new information’ during our last
conversation.” He sat silently, analyzing the
information in his mind, and recalling
conversations.
“The
toxin…Xar’ek had said it was here, in my suite…” He
carefully looked around but saw nothing out of the
ordinary. Slowly rising to his feet, Obi-Wan walked
around the desk and began a more thorough survey of
the room.
After searching every particle of every room, the
Jedi Master stood next to the desk with his arms
folded across his chest. He found the situation
perplexing and thought again about what Xar’ek had
told him. “He said he put them in my suite…” His
eyes roamed all over the room again. “And
yet…nothing is here. Xar’ek may be a smuggler but he
wouldn’t have lied about that. The toxin isn’t
here.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“How
good are you at stealing?” Xar’ek sweetly asked Cela
as they strolled though the resort’s casino.
Cela
eyed him suspiciously. “Why?”
“Oh,
just wondering,” he replied a little too innocently.
“I’m
not stealing anything for you,” the teenager
snapped.
“Aww, c’mon, a few credits from that sabacc table
over there,” Xar’ek tried to coax the girl as he
pointed to the table in question.
Cela
snorted, turned, and walked away. “Not even a few,”
she shouted back as she headed for one of the
holocard games.
Xar’ek frowned and then straightened his back and
said, “Guess I’ll have to do it the hard way.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
After inputting the proper codes, the Jedi Master
waited for his secure transmission to connect. While
he waited, he closed his eyes to reflect upon all
that had transpired since he and Sakoya had come to
Kuryn. He could see her in his mind’s eye – smiling
and laughing. Her eyes were so bright and cheerful
and she radiated happiness. He found it easier to
concentrate on his beloved when she was happy rather
than the state she was now in. The smile he had a
moment before abruptly faded as he thought of Sakoya
ensnared in the ethereal world.
“Qui-Gon…I wish you were here, my old mentor,” he
said aloud.
“I
am, my Padawan, you only needed to call me,” a
ghostly voice spoke.
Obi-Wan opened his eyes and saw the apparition
before him. “Master?”
“You
need me far less now than you did before, but I’m
always here,” the otherworldly image responded.
Obi-Wan stared at his deceased Master who had become
one with the Force so many years ago. “Can you do
anything to aid Sakoya?” he asked, hoping to receive
an uplifting answer.
The
Jedi Master, still appearing in full Jedi attire,
his long hair draped across his shoulders, slowly
shook his head. “I’m sorry, Obi-Wan. Where she
dwells at this time is not a place you want to be.”
“Excuse me?” he asked rather hesitantly.
Qui-Gon
thought of how to tell his old Padawan what had
transpired and could come up with no easy
explanation. “Obi-Wan…Sakoya is…between worlds,
you might say. Her physical body is there, with you.
Her spirit is lingering…on the dark side of the
Force.”
The
disbelief was all over the Jedi Master’s face and he
looked horror-stricken. “The dark side?” he finally
managed to ask.
It
was evident that Qui-Gon didn’t relish being the one
to inform his old friend; it hurt him as much as it
hurt Obi-Wan. “Unwittingly, Mara took them down
that path. Sakoya was too weak to fight her.”
The
Jedi was visibly upset and was utilizing years of
training to maintain his placid, unemotional state.
“When she took her daughter’s hand and reached out
to her…I understand…”
“Obi-Wan,
she is not lost. If she can regain her strength she
can make it back.”
He
nodded his accession and replied, “If anyone can
come back from the dark side it’s Sakoya.”
Qui-Gon’s
ghostly image began to fade from view but his
apprentice could hear him say, “May the Force be
with you.”
“And
with you, Master,” he solemnly replied.
A
minute later the Jedi Master found himself
interrupted from his ruminations by a familiar
voice.
“Obi-Wan?”
He
turned his chair around and saw his old friend
looking back at him through the viewscreen.
“Are
you alright?” Padmé asked, concerned.
“Yes,” he replied, rubbing his temple.
“Did
you receive my last message?”
“Yes, Chancellor, I did. I have an update for you.”
“Excellent,” Padmé smiled – a smile that disappeared
almost instantly. “What’s wrong?”
“I
believe it would be more prudent to have others
present before I relay my report to you. I would
request the presence of Jedi Council members, along
with yourself and Senator Organa.”
Padmé eyed him quizzically. “I…will
make…arrangements.”
“Thank you, Padmé.”
“You’re welcome. Stand by while I summon these
individuals.”
Obi-Wan bowed his head respectfully, closed his eyes
and reflected on what his old master had told him
while he waited.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Oh
my! How many credits have you won?” Cela was
astonished as she gazed at the pile in front of
Xar’ek.
“I
haven’t been counting. I’m having a good run today,
don’t spoil it!”
“Me?
How?”
Xar’ek glanced at the pretty teenager. “By wanting
to know how much I won. You could jinx my luck.”
“Ohh, well don’t you think we should go back to the
room?
“In
a minute,” Xar’ek grumbled, turning back to the
cards and carefully considering his options.
Cela
tapped her foot behind him, displaying both her
boredom and impatience.
Xar’ek placed his bid and looked again at his cards.
He had a great hand but that could change in an
instant if his opponents had managed to best him.
One
by one each player laid their cards on the table and
Xar’ek’s face fell at the site of the dark eyed,
beautiful woman seated across from him. She had
beaten him by one point and dragged her reward
across the table toward her.
“Here,” she smiled and threw him a credit, “you
earned it.”
Xar’ek caught the money in his hand and got up from
his seat. “Thank you, and might I add that you
deserved such a win as well.”
She
tilted her head sideways and inclined it toward her
chest in approval.
Before the man could flirt any more with the woman,
Cela took him by the arm and lead him out of the
casino.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
In
her official office, Supreme Chancellor Padmé
Skywalker sat beside Prince Bail Organa, and Jedi
Council members Tir’sa and Misheita waiting for
Obi-Wan to begin his report.
“We’re all present, Master Kenobi, please proceed,”
Padmé spoke using her commanding tone of voice.
Obi-Wan had already prepared himself for this
audience, having waited until the requested members
could be present simultaneously. Not only did he
appeal for support from the Force, but a shielding
of his inner turmoil as well.
“As
stated previously to the Supreme Chancellor, Jedi
Knight Jade-Kenobi and myself inadvertently
discovered a murder plot that grew in unexpected
proportions. Upon investigation we came in contact
with the assassin, Mara Jade. Currently, she is in
my care –”
Jedi
Master Sir’ei Tir’sa, a humanoid female with white
hair and glaring blue eyes, interrupted the report
by asking, “Your care? Why would she be in
your care?”
Obi-Wan politely played off the rude interruption
and responded, “If you will indulge me, I will
explain.”
Master Tir’sa nodded, her demeanor as icy as the
tone of her voice.
“Mara Jade was afflicted by a toxin and is now
comatose. Apparently, she was on the planet to make
a deal of stolen goods with another party, which we
now know happened to be a toxin and believed to be
created by Reynard Sindre. It is my belief that only
the antidote will relieve her condition. Jedi Knight
Jade-Kenobi attempted to administer her healing
abilities on Mara and is now in a similar state.”
“She’s in a coma?” Senator Organa appeared stunned
by this news.
“And
the toxin – do you have a sample of it?” Padmé
inquired.
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and said, “Yes, although
it isn’t much of one. I have also acquired a datapad
that I believe lists potential recipients of this
toxin, as well as the date and location of where a
secret meeting is to take place.”
“That’s very good news. And the remaining vials?”
Jedi Master Ciirian Misheita, a Corellian, queried.
“We already know that a sample vial and instructions
were to be delivered to each recipient.”
“Presently unknown, Master Misheita.”
Master Tir’sa was well known for her aloofness not
only among the Jedi but also the Senate. She
employed high standards not only for herself, but
her colleagues as well. In her mind the Jedi were
the epitome of dedication and should be held in high
esteem. Thus her frosty blue eyes stared hard at the
Jedi on the receiving end of the transmission when
she asked, “Unknown? How did you acquire these
items? Were they not included with the remaining
objects?”
Obi-Wan politely answered her acerbic tone, “Mara
had the items in question in her possession. The
remainder she did not have.”
“Master Kenobi, is there an association between
these two women? Or is it coincidence that they
share the same last name?” Ciirian wondered.
“It
is no coincidence,” Obi-Wan slowly replied. “The
daughter Sakoya once believed to be deceased is
indeed Mara Jade, also known as the Emperor’s
Hand.”
Master Misheita stared unfalteringly at Obi-Wan. “I
am familiar with this person. She has a ruthless
reputation. Unfortunately, she has committed no
crimes within New Republic space and we cannot hold
her accountable.” He sounded almost despondent from
his comment.
Padmé interrupted, her face carefully maintaining a
placid mask to this unsettling news, “Master Kenobi,
were you able to gather evidence contrary to Master
Misheita’s statement?”
“No,
Supreme Chancellor. We have speculation but nothing
more.”
Padmé continued, “Is Sakoya’s condition worsening or
is she stable?”
“She
is stable – for the moment.”
“I
would suggest continuing with the mission, but I
will refer with my colleagues and then contact you
with a decision. I fully understand that the
antidote will be needed to reverse the toxin on
Sakoya and Mara and that will have bearing on our
assessment.”
Obi-Wan bowed his head in acquiescence.
“You
will be contacted with further instructions,” Padmé
said in conclusion.
“May
the Force be with you,” Master Misheita added.
“And
with you,” Obi-Wan replied.
The
transmission ended, leaving Obi-Wan with feelings of
uneasiness.
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