"I was outmatched this time." The words seemed to come out smoothly, but they felt as though they'd been torn from his throat.

Siri opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. Obviously, there were many things she wanted to say. Just as obviously, Adi had taught her well.

For once, she kept her thoughts to herself.

Yet the expression on her face spoke more clearly than anything she could have said. Siri could not understand leaving the scene of a battle.

She could not imagine a situation in which she would give up. She had not been in as many battles as Obi-Wan. She was more used to the training rooms at the Temple, where she had usually been the winner. When she had lost, she had bowed to her opponent with grace. Then she beat them in the next encounter.

She did not yet realize that even for the best Jedi, there were battles that could not be won. Qui-Gon had taught Obi-Wan that. As skilled a fighter as he was, Qui-Gon knew that surprises in battle came often. You could train for them, but you could not predict them. Sometimes you had to cut your losses.

He wanted to tell Siri this, but Siri would not listen. She liked to find things out her own way. And you did not go to her for a sympathetic ear.

"We'd better contact Qui-Gon and Adi," Obi-Wan said, turning away.

They found a secluded place to talk in the gardens in the center of the med complex. Qui-Gon's calm voice came through the comlink, and Obi-Wan quickly described what had occurred.

There was a pause. "You did well, Padawan," Qui-Gon said. Obi-Wan felt some of the tension inside his body uncurl. Qui-Gon understood his decision, at least. "Ona Nobis is only a distraction for us now. But this news distresses me. Astri has not checked in with Tahl. If Ona Nobis used her as a lure, that means she must know that Astri is on Sorrus. She must know where she is."

"Siri and I can look for her — "

"No," Qui-Gon interrupted. "Hard as it is, I must agree with Tahl.

Astri has made her own decision. She has not asked for our help." "But — "

"Obi-Wan, listen to me. Do nothing. Tahl, Adi, and I will discuss this. You and Siri return to the Temple immediately."

It was Qui-Gon's sternest voice. Obi-Wan tucked his comlink back into his belt. Reluctantly, he turned to Siri. "We'll be able to hitch a ride from the main landing platform."

She nodded. She was silent on the walk back to the landing platform.

Obi-Wan did not know what to say, either. He and Siri had formed a bond during their adventure on Kegan. He had liked her spirit and humor and had depended on her courage. Obviously, they still had a distance to travel before they became real friends. He felt a sudden sharp ache for his friend Bant, who would never let him feel like a coward for leaving the scene of a battle. She would trust his judgment. Siri only trusted her own.

When they got to the landing platform, Obi-Wan looked for a hauler on a direct run to Coruscant. The first pilot he approached refused, but pointed to another pilot nearby.

"Donny Buc is about to make a run. He'll probably let you hitch a ride. He's been laid up for repairs for a day, but he's ready to roll."

Obi-Wan saw a pilot squatting near his ship, drinking a carton of muja juice. He signaled to Siri and approached him.

"Sure, I can always find room for Jedi," the pilot said. "Are you ready to leave now?"

"Yes." Obi-Wan had a sudden impulse. "By any chance, has someone else tried to hitch a ride earlier today? She's tall and has a shaved head — "

"Sure, I remember her," the pilot said, taking a last gulp of juice.

He wore a tattered leather helmet and sported a short black beard. "Her and some of her friends were looking for transport to the far desert."

"Friends?" Obi-Wan asked, puzzled.

"Three of them," the pilot said. "They kept quarreling about how much they were willing to pay. Wouldn't listen to a word the girl said."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes. "Their names wouldn't be Cholly, Weez, and Tup, by any chance?"

"That was them!" the pilot chortled. "What a bunch of chuckleheads."

"Did you transport them to Arra?" Obi-Wan asked. That was no doubt where she was headed.

He shook his head. "Couldn't swing it, I had repairs to wait for. I told them to take an air taxi. Saw them heading toward the taxi platform."

Obi-Wan drew Siri aside. "Now we can be pretty sure that Astri is here. We've got to check this out. It won't take long. If this pilot will take us to Arra first, we can pick up Astri and bring her back with us to the Temple."

"But Qui-Gon and Adi want us to return immediately."

"That was before we knew for sure that Astri was here," Obi-Wan argued. "We know that Ona Nobis is here in the capital city, so we won't be in danger. We can swing by, pick up Astri, and head straight for the Temple."

Siri shook her head. "We are wasting time, Obi-Wan. I don't understand why we had to rescue Astri in the first place. Why is Qui-Gon bending the rules for this girl? She isn't a Jedi. She can't lead us to Jenna Zan Arbor. This is a distraction."

"She needs us," Obi-Wan said. "Qui-Gon has known her since she was a child. If she is in danger and we can help, we must. Your Master sent you here to Sorrus, just as much as Qui-Gon did."

Siri gave him a stony glance. "Adi did not want to. She went along with Qui-Gon out of loyalty."

"Then you should do the same for me."

Siri said nothing for a long moment. She squinted into the distance, as if counting the tall buildings in Yinn La Hi. "All right," she said finally. "But we must not delay more than a few hours."

Obi-Wan quickly made a deal with the pilot.

"All right. It's only a little out of my way," the pilot said. "I wouldn't want your friend to get herself in trouble."

They boarded the transport and took off. Obi-Wan's impatience made the flight seem to last forever. As the pilot slowed the engines and began landing procedures, a blinking warning light suddenly lit on the panel.

"Well, eclipse my moon, there's that same problem," he said, hitting the panel with an angry fist. "That mechanic didn't fix my problem after all. Maybe I shouldn't have bought that discount part. I'm going to have to drop you and head back to Yinn."

"But we have to get to Coruscant!" Siri exclaimed.

"Well, you can come back with me, if you want," Donny Buc said genially, slowing the engines further. "Don't worry, we'll make it back to the landing platform. Should be a couple of hours, that's all."