The reception room in the governor's private residence was not a large room. Qui-Gon could cover the width in five long strides. He had done so seven times before he realized he was pacing and stopped mid stride. The two day journey to Senali had been long enough and now he found himself waiting again.
He now stood in the center of the room, and although he could will his body to stillness, his mind was not so easily restrained. He tried as he had tried for the last two days to come up with a logical plan of action, any plan of action. But as before, he came up with nothing. He turned where he had always turned for answers. He willed the Force to tell him what to do, where to go, but was met with only silence.
Qui-Gon had lived his life by the Force. Be patient and listen to the Force and it will guide you. It was not always obvious. At times the Force lit the way with blinding intensity and at others the path was barely discernible, as subtle as a bent blade of grass. But always a way had presented itself. Be patient, he chastised himself. It will come.
Qui-Gon had used the Temple resources. He had reported Obi-Wan's abduction to the Council who had quickly assigned other Jedi teams to work with him. A distressed Bant and Tahl worked feverishly to track the bounty hunters based on what little information he could provide. It had been difficult to talk to them. Their anxiety for Obi-Wan and compassion for him evident in their voices. He put aside their distress just as he had put aside his own.
Over the course of the journey to Senali he had managed to get scant information out of Larna, the children's mother. Her husband was the governor of Senali, Alixey Hanla. She and her children lived in constant hiding, threatened by some shrouded enemy from her husband's past. Although she was Senali by birth, she had not lived on Senali during the conflict and had surprisingly little information regarding the man who had sworn vengeance on her family. She could give him little more than a name, Stevan VanGalin.
Qui-Gon remembered both men well. VanGalin and Hanla had been leaders on opposite sides of the dispute years ago. They had both been ambitious young men with big ideas. Passionate about the future of their planet and its moons. Both were politically motivated, knowing that it would appear to their advantage to show cooperation. It had been easy to reach a settlement. There was nothing pure in either man, but Qui-Gon found it hard to believe that either man would stoop to treachery.
Qui-Gon turned at the sound of the door opening. The governor entered, his wife at his side leaning heavily on his arm. The man had aged. But then Qui-Gon was not feeling particularly young either. Qui-Gon studied his face for a moment before giving a traditional Jedi bow.
"Welcome, Master Jinn. Please, please sit down. We must get to the bottom of this unfortunate business. Larna has given me the details and I cannot tell you how grateful we are for your help." His manner was smooth and calculated, a typical politician. Displaying the appropriate degree of emotion. Although not a pleasing trait, Qui-Gon could sense no deep deception or malice coming from the man.
His wife's demeanor was puzzling. Larna, who had been upset and full of compassion and gratitude on the journey, was now suddenly nervous and uncomfortable. She seemed to be struggling to make a decision.
The governor motioned to a group of chairs. Qui-Gon had no desire to sit, he was anxious to continue the search for Obi-Wan, but these people might hold the only clue that would lead him to his padawan. So he sat on the edge of one of the deep chairs, his face a mask of calm that he did not feel.
"Perhaps you can explain to me what has transpired here since my visit to Senali years ago." Qui-Gon fixed the governor with a penetrating stare.
"Of course, yes, of course." The governor glanced about nervously and cleared his throat several times before beginning. "As you remember, a truce had been successfully negotiated between the opposing parties. The corrupt member of both parties had been thrown in jail and new leadership had taken over. We all vowed to live in peace and learn from the mistakes of our past. General elections were called to elect a new government, that would lead our planet into the future."
"There was intense competition for the vacant positions. The governorship was one of the positions to be filled. VanGalin and I were the obvious candidates to be chosen by our parties due in part to our successful negotiation of the truce."
"The rivalry was fierce. It was a battle of public opinion. For the first time people looked not only to their traditional party, but for the candidate who they thought could provide solid leadership for the planet."
Hanla shifted uneasily in his chair. He hesitated, looking from Qui-Gon to his wife and then back to Qui-Gon again. He could not quite meet Qui-Gon's gaze. He found an interesting spot on the carpet and his eyes remained there unmoving as he spoke.
"During the election there was an outbreak of a rare disease that only affects children. We had no vaccine for the disease, and people grew frantic. The people of Senali hold their children very dear to their hearts." The governor stopped and reached for his wife's hand. She gave him a hard look, but allowed him to take her hand. He continued, "I contacted the republic and requested a special shipment of the vaccine. They were unusually prompt in their response and agreed to send an emergency supply of the vaccine immediately."
He stopped and cleared his throat, looking again at his wife. Whatever he saw there made his eyes return to the spot on the floor and he continued with his story.
"The shipment of the vaccine was originally intended to arrive at largest medical facility on the main planet. The day before the vaccine was to arrive, I discovered that VanGalin had arranged to meet the shipment and personally distribute the vaccine. I was furious, he was planning to take credit for the delivery and gain popularity with the people. At the last minute, I was able to divert the shipment to our own medical facilities here on Senali X."
"The people were overjoyed to receive the shipment, and many children were saved." Again the governor stole a look at his wife before continuing. "There were, however, some problems with the distribution of the vaccine. There was a delay of several days before it reached the main planet. Some children died waiting for the vaccine to be delivered."
"VanGalin's young son and daughter were two of those children." The governor looked up from the floor, his face an odd mixture of regret and relief. When he next spoke, his voice was stronger, as if he suspected his secret could no longer harm him.
"Although no one knew of my part in diverting the vaccine, VanGalin suspected. He and his family blame me personally for the deaths of their children. He tried unsuccessfully to expose my part in diverting the vaccine. He lost the election, despite a strong sympathy vote, in part due to his threats and conspiracy ravings."
"After the election, he swore a vendetta against my family. He vowed that I would know the same suffering he and his wife had known. Even though I was not married and childless at the time, he threatened to exact his revenge on any future offspring I might have. I have always taken his threats seriously. For years I feared to have children."
"It was many years later that my wife and I met and married." He smiled weakly at his wife. "When we found out that Larna was with child, we took every precaution. Larna and the children have lived in hiding since Ronli's birth. They move from planet to planet, only a few close family members even know the children exist."
"We believe VanGalin is still unaware of the birth of our youngest child. It is what saved her, just as your apprentice saved our son." Hanla's face slid smoothly into a look of concerned compassion, but he did not project the corresponding emotions.
"We knew that if VanGalin were to discover the existence and location of the children, they were as good as dead."
"So you see, there will be no ransom demand. Your apprentice and that unfortunate girl are probably already dead. There is nothing you can do."
Qui-Gon sat quietly for a moment taking it all in. It was a sad story, one he had heard all too often. Innocent children dying because of the careless actions of selfish, ambitious men. And now his padawan, his bright, eager, brave young padawan was one of these children.
No! Qui-Gon refused to believe it. His own fear or anger or the Force, something inside him would not allow him to accept it. He closed his eyes, a torrent of emotions running through him.
He had to gain control of his emotions so he could see clearly. He tried to breathe them out. The anger subsided but the frustration would not go. It was enough. A whisper of hope brushed against him. There was something else, something he had missed.
Qui-Gon opened his eyes and studied the two figures before him. The governor's relief had been replaced by a nervous tension. He stood suddenly and motioned for his wife to do the same. The man was already anxious for the Jedi to be gone. Larna seemed to be in a world all her own. She remained seated, her hands twisting together in her lap.
Qui-Gon reached across and took her hands in his and waited. She did not look up but she slowly unclenched her fingers and grasped his hands. When she spoke it was barely a whisper, "The pendant that Obi-Wan wears contains a tracking device. There is a receiver that will show you the exact location of the pendant."
The governor's voice was angry and challenging. "But don't you see, it will do no good. VanGalin has already killed the boy, I am certain of it," he blustered, his face red with indignation and self righteousness. "There is nothing to gain by going after him. If he believes that my children are dead, we can finally live our lives in peace."
Anger made Qui-Gon stand quicker than he had intended. He pushed his anger aside. Still he could not stop himself from stepping closer to the man. Hanla took a step back uncertainly.
Had Hanla learned nothing from his mistakes? Would he carelessly allow more innocent children to die due to his selfishness? This was the man for whom Obi-Wan had sacrificed everything? Qui-Gon could not look at him and continue to keep his anger in check. He turned away.
Larna lifted her head to face him her expressive eyes full of pity and sadness. Tears streamed silently down her face, but Qui-Gon no longer sensed her internal struggle.
"Where is the receiver?" Qui-Gon asked quietly.
She cast an apologetic glance at her husband before pointing to the governor's desk.
Qui-Gon quickly strode to the desk and retrieved a palm sized black box. He left the room without a word.