"But that's essentially correct."

"And the longer we stay, the more extras we get?"

Thrawn smiled faintly. "That may be possible. I thought you were in a rush to return home."

"No, no, there's no hurry," Qennto a.s.sured him, giving the treasure room a leisurely sweep of his eves. His earlier impatience, Car'das noted, seemed to have vanished without a trace. "No hurry at all."

5.

Come, Padawan," C'baoth said tartly, half turning to throw a glare behind him. "Stop lagging."

"Yes, Master C'baoth," Lorana said, picking up her pace and hoping fervently that at her increased speed she'd be able to get through the early-morning marketplace crowds without running down any of the shoppers. Up to now the browsing Brolfi had been able to get out of C'baoth's way as he strode through their midst, but she suspected part of that was the fact that he was as hard to miss as an approaching thunderstorm. She, unfortunately, didn't have nearly the same commanding presence, and there had been some near misses already.

The frustrating part was that there was no need for them to walk this fast in the first place-they still had plenty of time before the day's negotiations began. No, C'baoth was simply angry: angry at the stubborn Brolf negotiators, angry at the equally stubborn Corporate Alliance representatives, angrier still at the careless drafters of the original mineral-rights contract who had left matters open to multiple interpretations in the first place.

And the angrier C'baoth got, the faster he walked.

Fortunately, the Force was with Lorana, and she made it to the end of their particular market segment without bowling anyone over and crossed onto one of the wide promenades that divided up the marketplace. One more segment to go and they would climb the steps to the wide western door of the city administration center where the negotiations would soon resume.

Unfortunately, C'baoth responded to the open area by picking up his pace all the more. Grimacing, Lorana sped up as much as she could without breaking into a trot, which she knew would bring an instant rebuke as being undignified and unbecoming of a Jedi.

And then, without warning, C'baoth braked to an abrupt halt.

"What is it?" Lorana asked, stretching out with the Force as she came to a stop beside him. She could detect no danger or threat nearby, only C'baoth's own suddenly heightened annoyance. "Master C'baoth?"

"Typical," he growled, his hair and beard rustling against his robe as he turned his head. "Nervous and distrusting, the whole lot of them. Come, Padawan."

He strode off toward the market square to their right. Lorana craned her neck to look as she followed, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

And then she saw two men coming toward them through the crowd: a Jedi and his Padawan, both of them familiar looking, striding confidently through the ordinary people like lights amid a swirl of dead leaves.

She frowned, the mental image suddenly catching her conscious attention.

A swirl of dead leaves .. .

When in the worlds had she started to think of non-Jedi that way? Surely that wasn't how she'd been brought up to think of the people she had dedicated her life to serve. Could it be an att.i.tude she'd picked up from some of the people she'd traveled among since becoming C'baoth's Padawan?

Certainly many of them had seemed to consider themselves inferior to those who carried the lightsaber, Or had she picked it up from C'baoth himself? Was that how he thought about people?

C'baoth stopped a few meters from the edge of the square and waited, and as the two figures threaded their way around the final group of shoppers and continued toward them Lorana finally matched their faces with their names. "Master C'baoth," Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi said, nodding in greeting as he and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, walked up.

"Master Ken.o.bi," C'baoth greeted them in turn, his voice and manner polite but with an edge of intimidation beneath the words. "This is a surprise. Have you come all the way from Coruscant just to shop for prisht fruits?"

"It is said that Barlok horticultural techniques produce the best specimens," Obi-Wan replied calmly. "And you?"

"You know perfectly well why we're here," C'baoth said. "Tell me, how is Master Windu?"

Ken.o.bi's lip twitched slightly. "He's well."

"That's good to hear." C'baoth shifted his attention to the young teen standing at Ken.o.bi's side, and a slight smile finally touched the corners of his lips. "Master Skywalker, isn't it?" he said in a friendlier tone.

"Yes, Master C'baoth," Anakin said, and Lorana couldn't help but smile herself at the earnest gravity in the boy's voice. "It's an honor to see you again."

"As it is likewise an honor for me to meet once more with such a promising Padawan," C'baoth replied. "Tell me, how goes your training?"

Anakin glanced at Ken.o.bi. "There's always more to learn, of course," he said. "I can only hope my progress is satisfactory."

"His progress is more than satisfactory," Ken.o.bi put in. "At this rate, he'll be a full Jedi before he's twenty."

Lorana winced. She herself was already twenty-two, and C'baoth had made no mention of recommending her for Jedi Knighthood anytime soon. Was Anakin that much stronger in the Force than she was?

"And yet he began his training so much later than usual," C'baoth pointed out, smiling almost fondly at the boy. "That makes his development even more impressive."

"Indeed," Ken.o.bi said. "In hindsight, I think it's clear that the Council made the right decision in permitting me to train him."

There was just the slightest emphasis on the word me, and for half a second a dark cloud seemed to hover at the edge of C'baoth's face. Then the darkness faded and he smiled again. "This has been a pleasant meeting," he said. "But the negotiators are a.s.sembling, and I have work to do. I trust you'll excuse me if I go and deal with legitimate Council business."

"Certainly," Ken.o.bi said, his cheek tightening slightly at the implication that he and his Padawan were not, in fact, on legitimate Council business themselves.

"But I forget my manners," C'baoth continued. "This is a full and rich city, and you and Master Skywalker will undoubtedly wish to sample its amus.e.m.e.nts while you're here." He gestured to Lorana. "My Padawan, Lorana Jinzler, would be honored to escort you on your explorations."

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary," Ken.o.bi said, throwing Lorana a measuring look. "We'll be fine."

"I insist," C'baoth said, and there was no mistaking the command in his tone. "I wouldn't want you getting in the way of the talks, or accidentally running afoul of any of the negotiators." He looked at Anakin. "Besides, I imagine Master Skywalker would enjoy the company of another Padawan for a while."

Again, Anakin looked at his teacher. "Well . . ."

"And I'd take it as a personal favor, as well," C'baoth added, looking back at Ken.o.bi. "There's really nothing for Lorana to do in the negotiations, and thus no real reason for me to keep her there. I'm sure she'd prefer to be out and about, and I'd feel better knowing she was touring the city with someone reliable."

Ken.o.bi's lip twitched. He wasn't at all happy about this Lorana could see that even without the Force. But he'd been outmaneuvered, and he knew it.

"As you wish, Master C'baoth," he said. "We'd be honored to have your Padawan's company for the present."

"For as long as you wish," C'baoth said. "Now I must go. Farewell."

Turning, he strode away.

Lorana watched him go, her throat tightening. She'd been perfectly content to sit behind C'baoth during the negotiations, and up to now he'd seemed equally content to have her there. Had she done something to displease him?

Still, whatever the reason, she had her orders, even if they'd been largely unspoken. Bracing herself, she turned back around.

To find Ken.o.bi and Anakin gazing expectantly back at her. "Well," she said, wincing at the inanity of the word. A Padawan of Jorus C'baoth's should be more urbane and eloquent than that. "I've only been in the city for a day, but I did pick up a guide card for visitors at the s.p.a.ceport."

"So did we," Ken.o.bi said, lifting his eyebrows slightly. Clearly, he wasn't going to make this easy on her. "Master Ken.o.bi-"

"You know anyplace to get good tarsh maxers?" Anakin spoke up hopefully.

"I'm hungry."

Ken.o.bi smiled at his Padawan, and when he looked back at Lorana she could feel the tension between them fading away. "Actually, that sounds good to me, too," he agreed. "Let's hunt down a diner."

Seated on the balcony of his hotel room, Doriana watched as the three of them headed off toward one of the city's more mid-scale restaurant districts, scowling as he followed their leisurely progress through his macrobinoculars. So the Jedi Council had pulled a fast one on him, sending Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi and his upstart Padawan to keep an eye on C'baoth.

That hadn't been part of Sidious's plan.

But then, these two seemed to be making a career of that sort of thing.

He remembered vividly Sidious's anger after the Naboo incident and the unexpected defeat of his Trade Federation allies. Their army should have been able to occupy the planet for months or years, creating a turmoil and paralysis in the Senate that Sidious and Doriana could have used to devastating effect.

But all that had been lost, thanks to Skywalker and his dumb luck in taking out the Trade Federation's Droid Control Ship. Darth Maul's death at the hands of Ken.o.bi and Qui-Gon Jinn had been equally devastating, short-circuiting a quiet reign of terror that would have distracted the Jedi even as it pruned the edges of their close-knit group.

And now here they were on Barlok, threatening to interfere with Sidious's plan to eliminate Jorus C'baoth.

He set his lips firmly together. No-not this time. Not if Kinman Doriana had anything to say about it.

Inside his pocket, his special comlink beeped. Still watching Ken.o.bi and his companions, he fished out the device and flicked it on. "Yes?"

"Defender?" a hoa.r.s.e Brolf voice asked.

"Yes, it is I, Patriot," Doriana said. "I have returned as I promised to help you in your time of need."

"You are late," the other growled. "The negotiations have already begun."

"But nothing is yet decided," Doriana said. "There's still time to send a message that the Brolf people will not be cheated. Has everything been prepared according to my instructions?"

"Almost," Patriot said. "The final components should be on the way. The question is whether you've brought the contribution you promised."

"I have it right here," Doriana a.s.sured him.

"Then bring it," Patriot said. "Third North from Chessile and Scriv Streets. Two hours."

"I'll be there."

There was a ping as the connection was broken. Putting away his comlink, Doriana glanced at his chrono. Excellent. The address wasn't more than half an hour's walk away, which would give him time for a leisurely stroll and a careful survey of the neighborhood before he arrived.

But first, he would see what he could do to keep Ken.o.bi on the sidelines where he belonged.

Fortunately, that shouldn't be a problem. Whatever his purpose here, chances were he wouldn't make any serious moves without first consulting the Jedi Council. A little tweaking of the city's HoloNet computer access system, and there would be nothing coming into or going out of Barlok for the next day or two. Plenty of time for him and his Brolf allies to finish the job.

Stepping over to the desk, he opened his computer and set to work.

The cantina they found didn't have the most promising decor Obi-Wan had ever seen. But like Dex's Diner on Coruscant, appearances could be deceiving, particularly where food was involved. The hearty aroma of roast tarsh was definitely in the air, maxers were the headliners on the menu, and Lorana's guide card gave the place a triple-porken rating. All in all, it looked like a pretty good bet.

A WA-2 droid scuttled up as they chose a booth overlooking the street and sat down. "Welcome to Panky's," it said, its electronic voice somehow managing to convey both courtesy and the fact that it was being severely and unfairly overworked. "What may I provide for you?"

"I want a tarsh maxer and bribb juice," Anakin said eagerly.

Obi-Wan suppressed a smile. Anakin had discovered bribb juice on his first trip as a Padawan, and ever since then he'd ordered it every chance he got, whether it really went with the rest of the meal or not. "Same maxer for me, but make my drink a Corellian noale," he told the droid.

"I'll take the bribb juice, but with a prisht-fruit salad," Lorana said.

She gave Obi-Wan a hesitant smile. "After all, Barlok does produce the best specimens."

"So I've heard," Obi-Wan said, studying her. She was about medium height, with dark hair and striking gray eyes. She had an intelligent face, a nice smile, and that sense of global awareness that came from knowledge of the Force. To all appearances, she seemed well on her way to becoming a typical Jedi.

And yet, there was something about her that felt odd to him, something that didn't quite ring true. Her air of dignity and confidence felt strained, like an accessory she put on every morning instead of something that was truly a part of her innermost being. Her smile had a similarly tentative edge to it, as if she was afraid it would get her into trouble.

On the surface, she had everything down just right. Beneath it all, she was still a Padawan learner with a lot of work yet to do.

"I don't think I've ever met anyone before who was trained by Master C'baoth," he commented as the droid bustled away. "What's he like to study with?"

The corners of Lorana's mouth compressed, just noticeably. "It's been a valuable learning experience," she said diplomatically. "Master C'baoth has a depth and strength in the Force that I can only hope I'll someday be able to approach."

"Ah." Obi-Wan nodded, his mind flicking back to his last conversation with Master Windu. She might be right, or it might also be that C'baoth wasn't nearly as deep into the Force as she thought. Possibly even not as deep as C'baoth himself thought.

But discussing a Jedi with his Padawan was considered poor form, particularly in front of another, younger Padawan like Anakin. "I'm sure you'll make it," he told her. "In my experience, a Jedi can gain as much depth in the Force as he or she wants."

"Within his or her limitations, of course," Lorana said ruefully. "I don't know yet where that line lies for me."

"No one does until the line is reached and tested," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Personally, I don't believe there are any such limits."

Another droid bustled up with their drinks balanced precariously on a tray. Obi-Wan leaned back, ready to reach out with the Force to rescue the gla.s.ses if it became necessary, but the droid set them down without spilling a drop and bustled away. Picking up his drink, Obi-Wan sent a slow look around the room.

Small, una.s.suming places like this, he knew, were usually pa.s.sed over by casual visitors looking for flash and sparkle. Sure enough, most of the patrons were locals: hornskinned Brolfi in varying shades of yellow and green, plus a counterpoint sprinkling of the more delicate arboreal Karfs from the vast tisvollt forests that edged the city on two sides.

But there were also a few other species represented, including three more humans. Perhaps the guide card recommendation was actually having some influence on the visitor trade. His leisurely gaze drifted to the genuine duskwood bar at the far end, where a skinny, mostly yellow-skinned Brolf was serving drinks.

He frowned. "Lorana, that human over there-black vest, gray shirt, talking to the bartender. Have you ever seen him before?"

She turned to look. "Yes, he was in the group waiting outside the negotiating chamber when the talks ended yesterday. I don't know his name."

"You know him, Master?" Anakin asked.

"Unless I'm mistaken, that's Jery Riske," Obi-Wan said. "Former bounty hunter; currently top enforcer for the magistrate's office of the Corporate Alliance."

"What does an enforcer do?" Anakin asked.

"Pretty much anything Pa.s.sel Argente tells him to," Obi-Wan said.

"Bodyguard, investigator, and probably extra muscle if there are bad debts to be collected. I wonder which of those roles he's performing here."