"Ren S'orn?" Obi-Wan guessed. They had known that Senator S'orn's late son had been mixed up in the mystery of the attack on Didi. They had not known why.

"That is what we believe," Tahl confirmed. "There is a lab notation that further experiments would be done. Yet none were. The notation is dated a few days before Ren S'orn was found dead on Simpla-12."

Obi-Wan swallowed. Ren S'orn's body had been drained of blood. He had been an experimental subject of Jenna Zan Arbor's. But Qui-Gon was so strong, so clever. Surely he would not suffer the same fate.

"You know our fears, Obi-Wan," Tahl said, her voice low.

"Yes."

"I was hoping you had a lead on the bounty hunter. We are discussing how next to proceed."

"I think I do," Obi-Wan said. "We've found out the bounty hunter's real name. It is Ona Nobis. I believe her next job is to assassinate the governor of Cinnatar."

"We will warn him and send a team there to meet you immediately,"

Tahl said. "Send Astri back here. Contact me when you arrive on Cinnatar."

Tahl shut the communication. Obi-Wan stared at the datapad of Ona Nobis.

"Come on, Obi-Wan," Astri urged. "There's no time to lose. I'm not going back to the Temple. I'm coming with you."

"Wait," Obi-Wan said.

"Don't even try to argue," Astri said, her dark eyes burning. "I'm coming. Hurry. We don't want to miss the last transport back to the city."

He knew he should be hurrying to catch the transport. But something was wrong. Something inside was warning him.

Always listen to doubt. Even in times of great haste, take time to listen. Then trust it.

Qui-Gon's words. Obi-Wan thought about his hesitancy. Something was telling him that Cinnatar was not where he would find answers.

"Obi-Wan!" Astri called in frustration.

"Tell me something, Astri," he said. "The bounty hunter Ona Nobis is clever. Again and again she surprised us. She even outwitted Qui-Gon."

"Yes," Astri said impatiently.

"So why would she choose as an alias a name that we could trace to the place where she was from?"

"Because she didn't know you would trace it," Astri said.

"A part of cleverness is not underestimating the cleverness of your opponent," Obi-Wan said, shaking his head. "She knows the resources of the Temple. Why would she take such a risk?"

Astri took a few steps toward Obi-Wan. "What are you saying? That she wanted us to find her?"

"No. She wanted us to find this." Obi-Wan gestured at the cave. "And this." He pointed to the datapad.

"But it was so hard to find. Bhu stumbled on the cave by accident…"

"It was only a matter of time before some member of the tribe found this place," Obi-Wan said. "They wander in search of food and water. She knows this."

He touched the datapad. "What if she wanted to send us on the wrong trail? What if she is still working for Jenna Zan Arbor?"

"You could be right, Obi-Wan," Astri said slowly. "But we need to be sure."

If he made the wrong choice, it could mean Qui-Gon's life. Yet a choice must be made.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes. He filtered out haste and worry. He breathed in his fear of making a wrong choice and let it go. He listened to his instinct. If it was wrong to go to Cinnatar, where was he to go?

After a long moment, he opened his eyes. "We are going to Simpla-12, where Ren S'orn was found," he told Astri.

Chapter 11

The next time Qui-Gon was released from the chamber, Jenna Zan Arbor was not in the lab. Nil pushed him forward roughly. This time, Qui-Gon did not fall. He had gained back some of the strength he had lost. The Force was helping him now, slowly, by degrees. He was learning now to use his captivity to reach out to the Force and let it trickle rather than flow.

Knowing that at least one other being was held here had helped him.

It had given him a purpose larger than himself.

"Where is she?" he asked Nil, trying to sound casual.

"None of your business," Nil growled. "Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you anymore."

Qui-Gon gave him a considering glance. "Maybe it's you who doesn't want me to talk to her."

"You mock her," Nil burst out. "You are not her friend. You don't realize her greatness."

"Well, you work with her, Nil. No doubt you see things that I do not.

You are the one who is valuable to her," Qui-Gon said.

"That's right!" Nil thumped his chest. "I am the one who protects Jenna! Don't forget that. If you try anything, I will shoot you down. I will not be the one to miss like Ona Nobis!"

Ona Nobis. That must be the bounty hunter.

"Yet if she only has you to talk to, she might get bored," Qui-Gon added.

"She was not bored before you came!" Nil snarled. "I was enough for her."

So Nil was the only guard.

Qui-Gon drew the Force around him. A sensor light began to glow on the console as his vital signs slowed, but Nil did not notice.

"She doesn't need Ona. She doesn't need you. She has me," Nil muttered. "All this talk distracts her."

Qui-Gon intensified his effort. He knew that when the Force was strong, the sensor would make a shrill sound. He needed a split second of distraction, no more.

The piercing sound of the sensor split the silence. Nil turned, startled.

In that moment, Qui-Gon moved, quicker than the eye could see. He had gathered his strength for just this moment. He twisted Nil's arm behind his back and disarmed him of one blaster before Nil could blink. He tried to remove the other blaster from Nil's belt as Nil twisted. Nil put his hand over Qui-Gon's, squeezing, and the blaster went off. The pulse of blaster fire pinged past Nil's ear. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he fainted.

Qui-Gon dragged Nil to the door. He remembered the tones of the security code and plugged it in. Then he pressed Nil's thumb against the register. The door opened. He dragged Nil back, but as he did a red light suddenly shone on the console and the door began to close. There must have been an extra security precaution he didn't know about.

Qui-Gon threw Nil down and lurched forward. He got his arm inside the door before it closed.