It took Obi-Wan and Anakin the better part of an hour to reach the inner compound of the settlement, not because it was a long distance from the spaceport (though a fair bit of a walk, nonetheless), but due to the fact that both Jedi had overlooked a key aspect of Dantooine life — it was primarily a farming planet, and the two of them had arrived smack in the middle of harvest season. The sides of the streets were flooded with people, the middle lined with landspeeders and carts, all going back and forth from markets packed with stalls, vendors, and farmers advertising fresh produce in loud, husky voices. Buyers pushed forward eagerly in anticipation, each hoping to snatch the finest for themselves.

Apart from crops, craftspeople had also set up tables, taking advantage of the crowds to sell everything from tools to fabric to jewelry. Women carrying parcels or baskets on their arms hurried to the various markets, many trailed by small children. Men haggled over speeder parts or the latest in farming technology, bartering down to the last credit. Slipping stealthily through the mobs, a scattering of pickpockets attempted to remove small packages from the grips of unsuspecting owners.

The noise of the area was unbelievable; what had started out as a faint murmur and increased to a dull roar as they approached the square had now magnified to proportions equivalent to a stampeding herd of enraged and snorting banthas. How anyone could hear anyone else at all, much less listen to a conversation, was a mystery.

"I take it you forgot about this part?" Anakin remarked to Obi-Wan, grinning like a child who has discovered a hidden stash of candy as he watched a bewildered thief shoved backwards by an unnaturally strong wind. The Padawan Force-pushed him again, sending the man tumbling beneath a large wooden cart parked nearby.

"Anakin, stop that! Blast it!" the Jedi Knight swore, narrowly avoiding a group of laughing children who darted past them, scurrying between the legs of everyone else.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Obi-Wan didn't answer; he had just stepped on something soft. A look of surprise on his face, he heard a loud yowl and glimpsed something furry streaking away.

"Master!" The apprentice's tone was slightly sharper now.

"Yes, Anakin, I know!" Obi-Wan shot back irritably. "We need to get out of this crowd." Turning (with some difficulty), he swept his eyes over the surrounding area and quickly spotted a narrow, shady alleyway some distance in front of them. "Over there!" he shouted above the noise, jerking his head in the indicated direction.

"Where?"

"There! No, not that way! Turn around — there, off to your left!"

"I see it. Shall we attempt it, then?"

"Well, we certainly aren't going to accomplish anything just standing here, young Padawan."

Giving no ground whatsoever, the two Jedi grimly forced their way ahead, ignoring the annoyed mutters as others were shunted aside. With great difficulty, they managed to reach the edge of the square after politely but firmly removing a dealer who attempted to obstruct their path with a display of hand-crafted wooden figurines. Anakin still maintained a half-smile on his face, but his master breathed a sigh of relief, which quickly transformed into a hiss of aggravation as he looked back.

"I should have anticipated this," he admitted, running distracted fingers through his wind-swept hair as he surveyed the market and its inhabitants. "This is definitely going to complicate our search here."

Anakin nodded in understanding, then frowned. "You really suspect she's there?"

"All the evidence so far is pointing that way, Anakin. We're fairly certain she hasn't left the planet, and until she realizes we are here, which with any luck won't be until we find her, she had no reason to move from where she is. And then there's Jorman. He admitted something strange has been going on over there of late, and I believe his suspicions are well-founded. It would take more than a herd of laigreks to finish off the salvagers who go down there — they are far too experienced." Obi-Wan paused, collecting his thoughts as he stared off over the heads of the market-goers. "It's all too much of a coincidence. The Enclave would be an ideal hideout for someone like Ranil; it's large, fairly dangerous, a complete maze of tunnels, and hardly anyone goes down there anymore."

"All I can say is, I hope you're wrong. I don't exactly relish the prospect of sneaking down some dark, musty passageway just to be caught in an ambush."

"Unfortunately," Obi-Wan responded, "the way things are turning out, we may not have a choice. At least we have an idea what we're up against."

"I don't"

The older Jedi turned to look at him, an amused gleam in his blue eyes. His expression said very clearly that Anakin should know perfectly well what they were up against. "She was trained by Cin Drallig, Anakin, one of the most accomplished swordsmen the Jedi have ever seen. And, given her natural talent with a lightsaber —"

"— we're going to have quite a little adventure on our hands," Anakin finished for him disgustedly. "Great."

"I never implied it would be easy, nor did the Council. Oh, yes, this is going to be fun." Suddenly businesslike, Obi-Wan straightened the folds of his robe. "We should get going. If we skirt around the perimeter of the square it should prove fairly simple to find the road."

Anakin hurried to catch up with him, murmuring an apology as he accidentally shouldered a man off to the side. "I'm not sure your idea of fun is compatible with mine."

"Stop being so pessimistic, Anakin. Were you not the source of all those complaints I seem to recall hearing last week? The ones about how the Temple was so boring and you had nothing to do and your life was a complete drag?"

"That's because you had me on youngling duty," the apprentice reminisced sourly. "You have no idea how much trouble they can cause in the space of a few minutes."

"Oh, yes I do," Obi-Wan countered with a grim little smile. "I had you to contend with, remember? You didn't need even a minute; if I turned my back for a mere nanosecond you scurried away on one of your little escapades, getting both yourself and me in trouble."

"Yes, but that was diff —"

"There, there." Obi-Wan patted him fondly on the shoulder, the effect slightly marred by a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I understand, my little Padawan."

"Watch who you're calling little, Master," Anakin warned in mock anger as they strode along a row of brightly decorated shops and residences. He had finally given up trying to keep a straight face and was grinning outright; they hadn't had such a carefree conversation in weeks, or so it seemed. He supposed it was because these discussions most often cropped up during missions as a way to keep their minds off the more sobering aspects: battles, the declining Republic, the war…. "I'm at least a head taller than you are."

"A slight exaggeration," the Knight interrupted airily, waving the fact aside, "rendered inconsequential by the fact that I was referring, quite correctly I believe, to your mental capacity and everything contained therein. The only reason you happen to be taller is because your ego has swollen your head to a disproportionate size."

The Padawan rolled his eyes. "Lovely speech, but I'll bet you couldn't say it again."

"A slight exaggeration, rendered inconsequ —"

"I didn't mean it!"

Obi-Wan actually smirked. "I thought not."

Finally wheedling more specific directions out of a confused (and, by the looks of it, half-drunk) Rodian who happened to cut across their path near the entrance of a rowdy cantina, the two Jedi continued along at a brisk walk down the road, who's end they hoped to find near the walled inner complex of the settlement. Both had fallen silent now, reflecting on the purpose of their mission. Obi-Wan's eyes were everywhere, darting back and forth as he scanned both sides of the bustling street and speeders lining the middle for any signs of unusual activity that might alert them to the presence of an unwelcome watcher. It was unlikely that their quarry would risk appearing in broad daylight, but one never knew.

Anakin looked uncomfortable as they squeezed past others on the crowded sidewalk, and soon he said as much to his master. "I don't like these crowds. It's too enclosed — I feel like I won't be able to reach my lightsaber if something happens."

"I concur," Obi-Wan answered softly, "but you'll have to stand it a little while longer. And it something does happen," he added with a kind of sardonic reassurance, "just get out of the way and keep going. We aren't here to fight if we can help it."

"But we'll probably have to anyway." The Padawan's tone was laced with annoyance.

"Probably. And I…" The older Jedi's voice suddenly trailed off, his eyes narrowed as he surveyed a section of street across from them with an intent stare. Anakin glanced over to see what his master was looking at, but noticed nothing unusual. Only a repair shop, a small cantina, and a clothing store with a flashing neon sign blinking sale prices and advertising slogans such as, "Robing Rewards! Find your ideal cloak style here and save!"

"Master?" Anakin inquired hesitantly. "Something wrong?"

"No… no, I just thought I saw… someone." Then, almost to himself, "Now why is he here? There's nothing of interest on Dantooine, not for someone of his… profession." Seeming to shake himself out of his momentary reverie, Obi-Wan continued tersely, "Let's keep moving."

"I was going to suggest that." His protégé looked dubious but managed to hold back any questions.

Jorman, it turned out, had been correct in his assessment of the security system surrounding the inner compound. Obi-Wan might have added that he could have given them a little more warning, all things considered. No sooner had they approached the durasteel door set in the high stone wall encircling the area when it suddenly opened, but not to allow entry. Four uniformed security guards marched quickly towards them, and though they had not drawn the blasters that were all too obviously in evidence, one had a hand on his and the other three looked about ready to emulate him.

One, dark-haired woman with a proud, curved face, stepped forward. "Your names and business here?"

"First your name?" Obi-Wan requested politely.

She glared coldly at him. "Sienna Talnayr, head of security."

"Pleasure to meet you. Well, we're here to see Aersa Mun," explained Obi-Wan in a manner suggesting he had come to respond to a tea invitation rather than inform them that they were looking for a dangerous rogue Jedi.

Sienna did not look pleased. "Your business."

"Oh, I am sorry," the Jedi revised somewhat delicately, "but I'm afraid that's all I can tell you at the moment."

"Search them," the security head instructed curtly, nodding at one of the men.

Anakin whirled around hastily to catch his mentor's eye, but the Jedi Knight merely nodded and gave him a slow, deliberate wink. That was all Anakin needed to understand. Obi-Wan calmly allowed himself to be searched, the guard finding nothing unusual. When he moved on to Anakin, the Padawan carefully and smoothly passed his hand behind him and handed his master's lightsaber, along with his own, to Obi-Wan, the voluminous folds of their robes veiling the transaction. Then he, too, submitted to the search.

"Anything?" Sienna demanded as the uniformed man stepped back smartly.

"No weapons or objects of suspicious nature."

"Very well."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "As I was saying, we need to speak with —"

"Not yet," she interrupted him shortly, obviously used to being in a position of authority. "I'll have to clear you first and arrange a suitable time. I will also need your names, if only to explain who wishes to meet so — urgently." Her eyes followed the suspiciously.

"Linka" — the Jedi Knight indicated Anakin — "and… Kappa."

Sienna nodded, still watching them warily as though expecting they might suddenly produce a pair of vibroblades and demand entrance. "Come back tomorrow morning and someone will let you know." It was clearly a dismissal.

Obi-Wan scanned her face for a moment, then took the hint. "Thank you," he said, honoring her with a small bow. He beckoned to his apprentice. "Linka. Let's get going." The two Jedi turned around and began the long walk back down the street to the market square. Anakin spoke as soon as they were out of earshot and the guards had retreated back inside.

"What were you thinking," the Padawan burst out indignantly, "giving me a name like that? Why did you pick Linka?"

Completely unfazed, Obi-Wan handed Anakin back his lightsaber. "Because it was the first thing that came to mind, my young apprentice."

"Thanks," the other replied grudgingly, accepting the weapon and hooking it on the left side of his belt. "All right, point for you, I'll admit that Linka was the most obvious choice. But why," he added curiously, "did you pick something like — what was it — Kappa?"

"An old friend," his mentor clarified absently. He appeared to be only half-listening to their conversation, turning his head every now and then to glance behind them or to either side as they reentered the more populated area of the settlement. The two friends walked in silence for a while, and it was only when they were once again approaching the main square that Obi-Wan spoke again. "An old friend," he remarked as though there had been no pause in the discussion, "who, I have reason to believe, is here at this very moment."

Anakin stopped short. "This friend of yours is here? How do you know?"

"Because I happened to spot him earlier." Obi-Wan's forehead was creased in a thoughtful frown. "I would very much like to know what he is doing here."

Always ready for a bit of fun or risk, Anakin flashed him an expectant grin. "Well, why don't we go find out? We can't really accomplish much until we gain access to the inner compound and explain why two Jedi have suddenly landed here, and we can't do that until our friend the overstuffed security captain sees fit to let someone know in the first place.

Allowing a smile to curve the corners of his mouth, Obi-Wan chuckled softly. "She was fairly full of herself, wasn't she? It rather reminded me of you, actually. That air of self-importance and authority…. Oh, stop grumbling, Anakin. It may sound like I'm joking, but I'm really not. And not to insult my Padawan apprentice, but if you have a fault, it is your arrogance."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The Jedi Knight held up a hand, telling him to be patient. "I believe it's time you learned, young Padawan: Every Jedi has a fault. Not necessarily a bad thing in itself — it provides a focus area for our efforts, identifies what we need to work on. A fault becomes a problem only when you refuse to recognize it as such. That, as far as I know, was one of Dooku's mistakes. His flaw was pride, but he did not believe it. Qui-Gon's was his need for the Living Force."

"And what is yours, Master?" Anakin asked quietly.

He shrugged, accepting it. "I try too hard," he said simply. "Or so Qui-Gon told me. I have a tendency to never want to give up. When I was your age, even younger, I would often try so hard that I would lose nearly all possibility of accomplishing what I had resolved to do. It was only when I stopped trying so desperately that I could find the right path. In short, I became too carried away." He smiled fondly at the memory. "Qui-Gon expressed it as 'wishing to please him too much'."

"But I've never noticed that in you," Anakin argued, looking slightly confused. "You're always so calm and confident about everything."

"I wouldn't go that far," Obi-Wan replied wryly, "but it's because I have learned to catch myself before I get carried away. I recognize my limits and do my utmost to stay within them. It's something you will gain experience in as you complete your training."

Obi-Wan had stopped walking by now, halting outside the entrance of a cantina they had passed by earlier. Anakin immediately recognized it as the establishment his master had been staring so intently at on their way to the central complex. Laughter and a few raised voices drifted out onto the street, but compared to several other places of the type Anakin had visited, this one seemed relatively respectable.

The Jedi Master gave a curt nod as they stepped into the building. "Let's see if we can find Kappa."


Chapter 4 is finally up! Sorry it took so long; I haven't had much writing time lately. May the Force be with you, and PLEASE review!