The Shattered Peace

5

The red-and-blue dwelling of the Banoosh-Walore clan was part of the main city of Senali, which was built on floating docks and platforms. The various islands were connected to each other by graceful silver bridges that arched over the blue water.

The brightly painted structure sprawled over a large area. The main part of the dwelling was merely a frame connected with walls of woven fronds that rolled up to let in sea breezes. One wall was let down to protect those inside from the sun. The rest of the house was open on three sides. There was no need to knock. They could see the members of the clan gathered in the large central room.

A tall female Senali with pink coral studded in her short dark hair beckoned them inside. “Meenon said you were arriving. Welcome, welcome! Let me introduce you. I am Ganeed, Meenon’s sister. These are my sons Hinen and Jaret, and this is Jaret’s wife Mesan and their daughter Tawn. That is Drenna, my youngest, and Wek, my sister’s boy, and Nonce, and my husband, Garth, and my father, Tonai. Oh, and there’s my elder mother, Nin, and the baby, we call her Bu.”

A small boy tugged on Ganeed’s tunic. “And me!”

She put a hand on his head. “Of course, Tinta. I didn’t forget you. I saved you for last because you are so important.”

Obi-Wan nodded to the bustling, busy group. He knew he would never be able to keep the names straight. He had recently begun memory training at the Temple. He could redraw a tech blueprint that he had only glimpsed for ten seconds or recite a complicated formula he had just heard once, but he still was not very skilled at remembering the names of a crowd of living beings. He counted on Qui-Gon to do that.

One of Ganeed’s sons, either Jaret or Hinen, sat at a long table, peeling fruit with a young Senali female. Was it Wek or Mesan? The elder Senali stood at a stove, stirring something in a pot that smelled delicious. A young man rocked the baby, and a slender young Senali female with silvery hair sat in a corner, mending a fishing net. Everyone seemed to be talking at once, and he could not distinguish any one voice except for Ganeed, who called for everyone to be quiet. Finally she picked up a pot and spoon and banged on the pot bottom. The clan members finally were still.

“There,” she said with satisfaction.

Taroon remained a stiff presence by Obi-Wan’s side. Obi-Wan felt just as awkward. He admired the way Qui-Gon swung his leg over a stool and began to speak earnestly with Tinta, admiring a toy in the small boy’s hand. Obi-Wan did not have the knack of ease with strangers.

“I should say right away that we have no idea where Leed is,” Ganeed said, without waiting for Qui-Gon to ask a question. “He left a note which said only that it would be better for his clan if we did not know.”

Qui-Gon nodded. “I see.”

One of Ganeed’s sons spoke up. “That is just like Leed. He does not like to cause trouble.” His wife nodded. “He is very kind.”

Ganeed’s husband, Garth, chimed in. “Even as a boy his kindness endeared him to everyone. It is a pity such trouble has come to him.”

“A pity his father will not listen to reason,” Hinen—or was it Jaret? —said.

Obi-Wan saw Taroon’s hands clench into fists, hidden by his tunic. The prince was struggling to contain himself. Qui-Gon had warned him to let the Jedi do all the talking.

The elder Nin looked up from the stove. “He always had his own way of doing things, our Leed. Set the table for the meal, Wek, if you please. Will our guests join us?”

“I’m afraid we cannot, but I thank you,” Qui-Gon said politely.

The boy Wek began to set places at the long table. He appeared only a year or two younger than Leed. Were they close companions? Obi-Wan wondered.

The same thought must have crossed Qui-Gon’s mind. “Is there any special place Leed is fond of going, Wek?” he asked in a kind tone.

Wek placed a bowl on the table. “Well, he likes to swim,” he said.

“When he isn’t sailing,” Jaret or Hinen said.

“True, Jaret,” the other son said. At least Obi-Wan could now keep the two of them straight.

“I love to sail!” Tinta cried. “Leed taught me how, and—”

“But he was always walking in the forest, don’t forget,” Mesan interrupted, turning to Jaret. “That’s where I would look—” She stopped abruptly to pick up the baby, Bu, who had begun to fuss.

“He only goes in spring,” Nonce broke in over the wailing of the baby. He walked to the stove and began to help Nin, slicing bread for the meal. “He—”

“He goes in summer, too! Everyone goes in summer!” Wek argued. “You just don’t notice because—”

“Who goes in summer? It’s too hot,” Tawn broke in. “Leed likes the cool water and long swims. And—”

“Food,” Hinen said, leaning over to snatch a piece of bread off the counter. “Leed likes his meals. He’ll be back before long—ow!” he cried as Nonce rapped his knuckles with a wooden spoon.

The baby began to cry again, and Jaret took her from Mesan’s arms. Tinta began to quarrel with the other young boy.

“I agree with Jaret,” Tonai said serenely over the noise of the baby crying and the voices raised in a quarrel. “I would search the forest, not the sea.”

“I said the sea, not the forest!” Jaret protested. “You never listen to a word—”

“What do I know anyway?” Tonai broke in, shrugging.

“You know plenty, old man,” the elder Nin said. “Except when to go to bed.”

“I know when to eat,” Tonai said, seating himself at the table with great pleasure. Nin ladled some soup in a bowl.

“I think he went back to Rutan on his own,” Garth said. “That would make sense. He did not want to worry us.”

A storm of argument broke out over this last suggestion. Jaret and Hinen began to shout. Tinta upset the plate full of bread. Bu began to hiccup, and Jaret handed her to Ganeed.

Ganeed smiled at the Jedi over the baby’s shoulder as she patted her back. “You see? We have no idea where Leed could be.”

“Even Drenna doesn’t know,” Tinta said.

Qui-Gon cast his keen gaze on the young boy. “Is Drenna a special friend of Leed’s, Tinta?”

“She is closest to him in age,” Ganeed said, handing the baby to Mesan.

Obi-Wan shot a searching glance at Drenna for the first time. Her close-cropped hair almost matched the silvery cast to her dark-blue skin. She raised her silver eyes to the Jedi.

“You can see this place is confusing,” she said, making a wry face. “Maybe Leed just wanted some peace and quiet to make up his mind. I think he will return soon.”

“Drenna, help Wek set the table,” Nin called. “Go sit down, boy, you are underfoot.”

“Let’s eat,” Jaret said. “I’m hungry.”

“Well, come to the table, then,” Nin scolded. “I can’t do everything for you.”

Drenna sprang up and began to ladle the food into bowls.

“Yes, perhaps Leed will return soon,” Qui-Gon said. “He will miss his clan. As you miss him.”

Ganeed’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. “As we do,” she said softly.

A silence fell over the clan for the first time. Obi-Wan could read sorrow on each face. Leed was truly loved, he saw.

For a moment, all they heard were Bu’s tiny hiccups as she nestled her downy head against her mother’s shoulder.

“This is a waste of time,” Taroon suddenly said. “They won’t tell us anything.”

“We should leave you to your midday meal,” Qui-Gon said graciously, bowing to the clan.

“We wish you ease and serenity,” Ganeed said, smiling through tear-filled eyes. “And if you find Leed, please protect him.”

“We shall,” Qui-Gon promised.

They retreated down the walkway that joined the structure to the main dock, then started back toward Meenon’s dwelling.

“They were no help at all,” Taroon complained. “I don’t know how Leed could stand to live with so many people.”

“They seem to enjoy one another’s company,” Qui-Gon observed.

“They certainly like to talk,” Obi-Wan added. He had felt awkward among the clan, but he had also felt their warmth and their obvious affection for one another.

“Yet they did not say a thing,” Qui-Gon said. “Did you notice that, Padawan?”

Obi-Wan thought about it. “They all contradicted each other’s guesses. It seemed as though they were giving us leads, but they weren’t.”

“Exactly. And then when we turned our attention to Drenna, suddenly everyone needed to eat. Come this way.” Qui-Gon headed down a smaller floating dock that was perpendicular to the main passageway. A small floating garden was set up for the benefit of the dwellers of the floating city. Qui-Gon paused behind a lush bush studded with orange blooms.

“What are we doing?” Taroon asked irritably. “We have no time to pick flowers.”

Qui-Gon didn’t answer. Obi-Wan saw that from here they had a perfect view of the front of the clan’s dwelling. In another moment, Drenna came outside. She stood on the dock and looked to her right, then her left. She had buckled a supply belt around her tunic, and Obi-Wan could see its pouch was full.

She turned and quickly walked down the dock in the opposite direction.

“Let’s go,” Qui-Gon said.

“Why should we follow a Senali on her useless errands?” Taroon scowled.

“Because she will bring us to Leed,” Qui-Gon answered.