The Ties That Bind

13

“Let’s head to Roan’s,” Qui-Gon suggested next. “It’s time we met the Supreme Governor.”

The official residence was close by. Qui-Gon thought over the conversation with Manex. He wished he had learned more. He had hoped to take some information to Tahl. Instead, he had only vague feelings.

“Qui-Gon,” Obi-Wan said softly, “look ahead. Ten meters to the right, near that monument.”

Qui-Gon glanced over. His Padawan’s keen gaze had picked out a small tracking droid. It hovered in the grassy square across from the residence of the Supreme Governor. He had not noted it. He sternly told himself to focus on each moment. He could not let his worry distract him this way.

“Do you think it’s looking for us?” Obi-Wan asked.

“No. It is watching the residence. It’s not a probe droid. It could be used just for security.” Qui-Gon searched the area carefully, dividing it into quadrants and examining every meter. “There. By the trees in front. Another.”

“Roan has stepped up his surveillance.”

“Or someone has stepped up surveillance on Roan. I don’t like what we’re seeing. I’m feeling a disturbance in the Force. Come, Padawan.”

Qui-Gon strode toward the residence. When they stepped up to the door and pressed the security button, a guard did not materialize onscreen. The blank screen merely shone blue.

Qui-Gon’s foreboding changed to alarm. He pushed against the door, but it would not open.

“We could try the gardens,” Obi-Wan suggested.

A high wall separated the front of the residence from the gardens behind. The top was ringed with electro-wire. It was not a challenge for the Jedi. Summoning the Force, the two leaped high and cleared the wall easily. They landed softly on the grass.

They ran alongside the great mansion toward the back, where the gardens were. As they ran Qui-Gon searched for access to the house but there were no windows on this side. Perhaps the residence was built with exits only in the front and back. It made it easier to defend.

They burst into the gardens. At first Qui-Gon could only pick out a riot of color from the masses of flowering bushes surrounding them. Paths ran through the bushes, narrow and twisting. It was impossible to get a view of any kind.

“See if you can glimpse the back wall,” Qui-Gon directed Obi-Wan. “Look for signs of entry.”

Qui-Gon scanned the back of the house. Everything looked quiet and serene. Not a curtain stirred. At first glance, there was no sign of distress or danger. Then Qui-Gon noticed that a door was slightly ajar.

“Qui-Gon!”

Qui-Gon turned and raced down the path. He caught up to Obi-Wan as his Padawan raced through the twisting paths. “I saw something ahead—movement. And I think..”

They turned a corner. Ahead they could see a team of intruders hauling something over the wall. It was about the size of a person, black and shiny. There was a slit in the top.

Qui-Gon recognized the sensory deprivation container from the Museum of the Absolute. But why were the intruders dragging it over the wall?

Then he saw, through the slit at the top, a strand of golden hair waving.

“They have the twins,” he said.

They activated their lightsabers and charged.

The intruders were masked and dressed in dark clothing. They saw the Jedi approaching. One of them reached for a transmitter.

“Overhead, Obi-Wan!” Qui-Gon shouted.

Probe droids suddenly buzzed above them. Blaster fire rained down.

Lightsabers swinging, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan deflected fire while they raced to the wall.

Other probe droids approached, high enough to avoid retaliation and peppering the Jedi with fire. The intruders had the advantage. They dropped over the wall and disappeared.

It would be difficult to leap over the wall and deflect fire at the same time. Qui-Gon knew that. He had no choice.

He accessed the Force and leaped. Beside him, he saw Obi-Wan do the same. They sailed over the wall, high above. In those quick seconds, Qui-Gon had a chance to swipe two probe droids. Obi-Wan neatly cleaved one in half. The three droids fell sizzling to the ground.

They landed on the other side of the wall. A long expanse of grass stretched before them. Parked on it were large swoops.

The intruders had already loaded the two containers onto swoops. As the Jedi raced forward, they took off.

A concealed door in the wall opened and security forces rushed through. Qui-Gon recognized Balog, the head of security.

“What’s going on?” he barked angrily. “What are you doing here?”

“I think the twins have been taken on those swoops,” Qui-Gon said, pointing at what was now a fleet of dots in the sky.

Balog spoke quickly into his comlink, giving the coordinates of his position and asking for air support.

“Did you see them?” he asked.

“We saw two sensory deprivation containers, the same design that we saw at the museum. I saw one of the girls’ hair. That’s all.”

Balog turned to the guards. “Check the house again. And check the grounds.” He then turned back to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. “I thought you were tourists. What were you doing here?”

“We are Jedi,” Qui-Gon answered. “We are not here on an official mission. I knew the girls six years ago. We came to see them.”

Balog gave them the hard stare of a security officer who was used to lies. Something must have convinced him, because he sighed. “This happened on my watch. I thought security was perfect. Somehow they got through the house security and immobilized the guards. They tripped the alarms, but it took too long for us to get here.”

“Do you have suspects?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Obviously, it could be the Absolutes,” Balog said. “Those devices were supposed to be destroyed, but of course we know that some must have been smuggled out. Anyone could have bought them on the black market. In other words, no, I don’t know who took the twins.” He gazed at the sky. “I just hope that whoever took them is planning to ransom them. I hope this is a kidnapping, not…”

He did not complete the sentence. “The use of the containers points to that,” Qui-Gon said. “If the intruders were going to kill the twins, they would have done so here.”

Balog ran a hand over his forehead. “I must tell Roan personally. He will be devastated.”

He walked off, too distracted to say a farewell.

Qui-Gon stared after him. “Unless Roan already knows,” he said.