JCslilangel1425--Thanks for the review! I always look forward to hearing what you guys have to say. ^_^
Ziptango--An evil Sith? LOL Well, I hope I'm not! I'm all for the Jedi. ^_~ Besides, these are only *minor* cliffhangers compared to some I've read and some you may yet to see with Patience is Key. :)
Cerasi5--That's OK. I totally understand. If I had to go without the internet for a week, my mailbox would probably overflow amongst other things. (Not to mention I'd go crazy if I couldn't read all of the fanfics I'm following!)
Sorry to make you guys wait so long for the next chapter. I was going to post yesterday, but ff.net was having one of its annoying spells. Anyway....hopefully this chapter will explain a lot of your questions. Enjoy! ^_^
--Marie K.
See Chapter One for disclaimer
___________________________________________________________
Chapter 11
"Why in all the galaxy are *you* here?"
"Well hello to you too. Hi Garen."
Obi-Wan spun towards the newcomer, shock registering briefly across his face as he realized what had been under his nose the entire time. "You…You were-"
The figure curtsied with an imaginary dress, then saluted him with her brilliant blue-green lightsaber. "Ceal Verune, although you might know me better as Jedi Padawan Marie Kenobi. Am I correct?"
The mocking tone of her voice did not slip past Obi-Wan. He was preparing to respond when Garen exclaimed, "I was infatuated by your *cousin*?" He blanched. "Oh, someone gut me before I change my mind! No wait, I'll do it myself!"
Marie's brow raised before lowering again menacingly. "Gee thanks, Garen. I feel the love. Really!"
Garen furiously mussed his hair, as though the act would help him rid himself of any thoughts he'd previously been thinking.
Carefully slicing through the two Force collars, Marie watched them fall and flashed the two young men a grin. However, in a rare show of anger, Obi-Wan called Marie's weapon to him and threw it to the ground. It landed with a clatter. Obi-Wan backed against a wall and slid down. Being unable to use the Force for months and then suddenly being filled with it again had given him a Sith of a headache, but oh, it felt so good to be connected with the mystical power again! He felt as though his body was a dry riverbed whose water had been blocked by a dam for a very long time. And then suddenly, the dam was destroyed and the water flew in with such power that, had he been standing in that riverbed, he would have been knocked down and swept away.
Quietly and calmly, Marie stretched her hand out, calling back her weapon and sitting down a few feet ahead of the disgruntled apprentice. Garen joined her on the ground.
"Do you think we could start over, Obi-Wan?"
The oldest of the three Padawans kept his head bowed, moving only his eyes to take in the young woman sitting cross-legged before him. Marie was the only child of his father's brother and virtually the only true family he'd had contact with. She was an excellent swordsman, or rather swords*woman*, from beginning her training with the weapon at a younger age than normal. Not to mention she had the best teachers to tutor her-Yoda and Qui-Gon (when he was available) to name a few.
Marie was also part of the UJP-Undercover Jedi Program. It was still fairly new compared to everything else in the Temple. The UJP had been in existence for roughly five years. Not many had thought it would last this long and others had *hoped* it wouldn't. These 'others' were mainly members of the Senate, but some were fellow Jedi. A few, including some members of the Jedi Council, opposed the program greatly. Their thoughts were that all Jedi should know the fine points of undercover work, but the supporters of the UJP and the masters in charge of the program believed that, in the changing age of the Republic, Jedi were even more important to its survival. Even though no one mentioned it, it was well known that the students who would graduate from the UJP would become-*expendable*-as knights. It was a grim, short future that most of the students would face if they continued their training.
Still others believed the UJP would repeat what the Jedi Starship Pilot Program had done: Failed. The JSPP had only lasted roughly a year and a half, and although the UJP had lasted longer, many believed it would still fall apart.
Each year, the half-dozen Jedi Masters in charge of the program would pick ten senior Temple initiates who looked as though they showed promise in the area of undercover work. From there they would teach them the lessons needed for such dangerous and delicate work, and at the end of the year, five would be chosen to continue the training. Part of their training would also include instructing the next year's batch of potential undercover Jedi. Marie had been 12 when she was chosen to join the program, which was just beginning its first year of existence. The masters had been deeply impressed by her skills with the lightsaber and after being picked at the end of the year to continue training, she had given up the opportunity to be apprenticed to a master, although she still retained the title 'Padawan' and the traditional Padawan braid. She had been with the program ever since.
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes slightly. Marie was all of that and a little more-including being a deeply imbedded thorn in his side!
*How had it been possible for her to fool him all these months!* he thought hastily.
The last time he'd seen her take on a different identity had been at the Temple when she'd poised as an off-world visitor who had accidentally wandered into the Jedi's large home. He'd immediately seen through her disguise, which of course, had caused him to blurt her real identity out rather loudly and thus bring a bright red blush to her gray painted skin. It had then erupted into a verbal argument, which quickly turned into an argument dealing with lightsabers *without* the approval or supervision of a master. Yes, it was safe to say they often did not get along well and the punishment they had received caused them both to steer clear of one another for over a year.
This time, however, she had done an excellent job of concealing her identity, although he was sure the Force collars had helped. Her abilities had definitely improved; that much he had to admit. None of this made him any happier though; he wasn't supposed to be bested by his younger cousin!
Marie shifted slightly on the cold, stone floor, and Obi-Wan blinked slowly as he compared her to who she had been. Marie had straight brown hair that fell slightly below her shoulders and blue-green eyes that mirrored his own. The only difference between their eyes was that hers held a quality similar to Qui-Gon's: No one could hold her gaze for very long before they felt they had to look away. When in the company of friends, she usually left her face open so that they could see what she was feeling. But when it came time to perform her duties, her expressions were about as easy to read as a Tusken Raider's. Marie and Obi-Wan were both brash, often impulsive, and always ready to follow their feelings, although Obi-Wan had always been a little more so than his cousin. Whereas Obi-Wan's biggest fault was anger, Marie's could be her…personality. Sometimes she said or did things that were not considered-*appropriate*-for a Jedi, especially a Padawan. Her spunk and sarcasm could rival anyone's.
Now that he thought about it, Obi-Wan realized just how different Ceal and Marie were, which gave him an excuse to believe he really shouldn't have realized who the slave owner was. Ceal Verune had curly, blond hair with blue streaks and purple eyes. Her skin color had been similar to sand and she'd held a thick accent. Marie's hair and eye color were drastically different and she had a tan similar to Obi-Wan's, although hers was no where near as dark since she rarely went on missions. The UJP was still a work in progress and five years was the minimum time of experience required for students to have if they wanted to take a mission.
"Obi-Wan? Please don't ignore me. You don't understand!"
Marie had also not developed the accent from their home world like Obi-Wan had, although they had both been brought to the Temple at six months.
Obi-Wan finally looked up and acknowledged his cousin. "Go ahead and explain yourself then since you say I don't understand. I'm sure you have a very legitimate reason for holding three fellow Jedi captive and Force-blind for seven months."
Garen rolled his eyes. The two of them bickered constantly.
"I don't have to explain myself to you." Marie stood up and immediately sat down again. "We don't have time for this," she muttered, looking around the tunnel nervously like she expected trouble to appear out of thin air at any moment. She traced her finger across one black-knee high boot. A line was left in the dust that had accumulated while she had hidden her Jedi attire. She looked once more around the tunnel, then reached into her cloak. Her hand appeared a moment later with two lightsabers, which she swiftly distributed to their rightful owners. Obi-Wan tucked his into his belt immediately. *Finally*-he was beginning to feel whole again. There was just one more thing-
"Qui-Gon, he-"
"Where is he?" Obi-Wan asked anxiously.
"He-"
"I'd die if anything happened to him, Marie. *You know that…*"
The young woman sighed and brushed a piece of stray hair behind one ear. "If you would just listen for once." Her tone was one of exasperation. Her cousin was as stubborn as a bantha! "I set Qui-Gon free yesterday right before the party started. Something in the Force told me to. And Obi-Wan, please, for once, just forgive me without demanding a freighter load of answers first. The Force collars were necessary. My ability to shield has improved since we last talked, but not nearly enough to keep out a Jedi Master for long periods of time. Or someone like you for that matter, who's had tons of practice. Face it. During some point of your seven month captivity, my shields would have dropped enough-even if only for a few seconds while I dealt with those nasty politicians-for you to identify who I was."
The tenseness in Obi-Wan's shoulders slowly dissipated. He was feeling better now; his head felt clearer as he saw the truth behind her words. "Everyone at the Temple thinks you're dead. Some of the children were still very upset when Qui-Gon and I left for our last mission. What exactly happened?"
Marie unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and began to turn it over in her hands. It was a bad habit formed from eagerness or uncertainty. There was obviously something on her mind that she was undecided on. Finally, she relented.
"I was with Master Onpi learning a new survival trick when Master Yoda and Master Windu appeared. They informed me that I was going to be sent on a long mission. (Undercover work, of course.) That was over a year and a half ago. My job was to pose as the adopted daughter of two wealthy, prominent politicians-the Aktins," she said, looking briefly at Obi-Wan, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You see, they told everyone that they could not have children, but in fact, they could. They had a daughter who showed promise of being Force-sensitive. They wanted her to have a better life than what Choet could offer; they wanted her to become a Jedi. Choet is not a member of the Republic, however, and the couple knew about the strange occurrences that took place directly beyond the planet's atmosphere, especially to Republic mediator ships. They wanted the treachery to come to an end so that Choet could join the Republic, end slavery, and prosper because of these things. As a matter of fact, on the day the couple "perished", they were actually on their way to Coruscant with their daughter.
"So you see, I appeared as the adopted child and took over the family business. Overtime I was able to gain power and respect. Choet is much more unstable and barbaric than one would see on first glance. The people are crying out for a leader who will treat them fairly and give them what *they* really need, not what the leader thinks he needs.
"Six months into the mission, Garen's ship was blown from space. You see, up to that point, the only information I'd been able to garner was about illegal actions on planet, which of course I expected to run up on sooner or later. The information didn't seem to be connected with my mission, however, so I set it aside. But when Garen's ship was purposely attacked by a Togorian Warship, I rechecked my records. It turned out someone on the planet was paying the Togorians to shoot down any ships that may hold Jedi. Choetians rarely travel off planet so none were shot down. My only conclusion was that someone on Choet had a bone to pick with the Jedi Order specifically and not the entire Republic.
"I discovered Garen in a prison cell, unconscious. Seeing as slavery was common on Choet and not wanting to arouse suspicions, I offered to buy him before he was to be executed. Then I offered to pay Lipa for every Jedi caught *on* planet and handed over to me. I don't think he heard that particular part."
Marie paused to catch her breath and collect her thoughts. She turned to Garen. "A Master and Padawan team arrived shortly after you did, but I smuggled them off planet before you found out."
"Like you did with Master Rees," Obi-Wan volunteered.
"Yes. I sent Master Rees back to the Temple as soon as possible. I was worried about her declining health. The crash and arrest took a lot out of her. The only Jedi besides yourselves that know about this mission are the Council, the Jedi I have smuggled back to the Temple, and your master, Garen."
The young man nodded. Marie knew about all the times Garen had spied on her. Snapping her lightsaber back onto her belt, she turned to look at Obi-Wan.
"Then you and Qui-Gon suddenly appeared. I became worried that you would unintentionally blow my cover, but I couldn't send you back to the Temple because of all the attention the two of you had attracted. When you and Garen pulled that prank with the banner in front of the 12 politicians, it angered me. I thought I was close to discovering which one of them was behind the plot to enslave and kill Jedi traveling close to the planet."
Marie sighed loudly and looked briefly to the ceiling as though she didn't want to continue. Her eyes focused quickly on the two young men, however, when she turned back to them.
"And then the trouble started with Antiyo. The incident that occurred while only you and Sei were in the mansion and the disaster at the party made me see the truth. What you had unknowingly suspected all along about Antiyo, Obi-Wan, was the key to unlock the answer I had been seeking."
Reaching into one of the pouches on her belt, Marie retrieved a small data pad and handed it to her comrades. She gave them a straightforward summary of what the long text message was about.
"Antiyo Ganfor was the fiancé of the late Jenna Zan Arbor."
Obi-Wan's blood ran cold as he traded a surprised glance with Garen. *This* was very unexpected. Jenna Zan Arbor had been a scientist gone mad with greed. She had tried futilely to discover the meaning behind the Force, going so far as to conduct experiments on unwilling hosts before ultimately draining them of their blood. Qui-Gon had been a victim of hers at one time and Obi-Wan had been devastated by concern and fear. Luckily, the resourceful Jedi Master had survived to tell the tale and helped in her capture. Zan Arbor had hung herself in her jail cell not long after.
Everything was finally beginning to fall into place…
Taking the data pad back, Marie continued. "I have all the evidence I need to put an end to this. Our only problem now is to find a way off-planet. Originally, I had just been planning to take an extended leave of absence, but that will never work now because Ceal Verune is technically 'dead'. Here." Reaching behind her, she pulled two fresh tunics with the works-cloaks, boots, utility belts, etc.-from her small bag before turning her back to them.
"Get changed quickly boys. We have things to do and people to see."
Obi-Wan allowed a small, triumphant smile to creep onto his face, then flipped his saber handle into the air. He had already yanked his dirty tunic off by the time it landed in his palm again.
Ziptango--An evil Sith? LOL Well, I hope I'm not! I'm all for the Jedi. ^_~ Besides, these are only *minor* cliffhangers compared to some I've read and some you may yet to see with Patience is Key. :)
Cerasi5--That's OK. I totally understand. If I had to go without the internet for a week, my mailbox would probably overflow amongst other things. (Not to mention I'd go crazy if I couldn't read all of the fanfics I'm following!)
Sorry to make you guys wait so long for the next chapter. I was going to post yesterday, but ff.net was having one of its annoying spells. Anyway....hopefully this chapter will explain a lot of your questions. Enjoy! ^_^
--Marie K.
See Chapter One for disclaimer
___________________________________________________________
Chapter 11
"Why in all the galaxy are *you* here?"
"Well hello to you too. Hi Garen."
Obi-Wan spun towards the newcomer, shock registering briefly across his face as he realized what had been under his nose the entire time. "You…You were-"
The figure curtsied with an imaginary dress, then saluted him with her brilliant blue-green lightsaber. "Ceal Verune, although you might know me better as Jedi Padawan Marie Kenobi. Am I correct?"
The mocking tone of her voice did not slip past Obi-Wan. He was preparing to respond when Garen exclaimed, "I was infatuated by your *cousin*?" He blanched. "Oh, someone gut me before I change my mind! No wait, I'll do it myself!"
Marie's brow raised before lowering again menacingly. "Gee thanks, Garen. I feel the love. Really!"
Garen furiously mussed his hair, as though the act would help him rid himself of any thoughts he'd previously been thinking.
Carefully slicing through the two Force collars, Marie watched them fall and flashed the two young men a grin. However, in a rare show of anger, Obi-Wan called Marie's weapon to him and threw it to the ground. It landed with a clatter. Obi-Wan backed against a wall and slid down. Being unable to use the Force for months and then suddenly being filled with it again had given him a Sith of a headache, but oh, it felt so good to be connected with the mystical power again! He felt as though his body was a dry riverbed whose water had been blocked by a dam for a very long time. And then suddenly, the dam was destroyed and the water flew in with such power that, had he been standing in that riverbed, he would have been knocked down and swept away.
Quietly and calmly, Marie stretched her hand out, calling back her weapon and sitting down a few feet ahead of the disgruntled apprentice. Garen joined her on the ground.
"Do you think we could start over, Obi-Wan?"
The oldest of the three Padawans kept his head bowed, moving only his eyes to take in the young woman sitting cross-legged before him. Marie was the only child of his father's brother and virtually the only true family he'd had contact with. She was an excellent swordsman, or rather swords*woman*, from beginning her training with the weapon at a younger age than normal. Not to mention she had the best teachers to tutor her-Yoda and Qui-Gon (when he was available) to name a few.
Marie was also part of the UJP-Undercover Jedi Program. It was still fairly new compared to everything else in the Temple. The UJP had been in existence for roughly five years. Not many had thought it would last this long and others had *hoped* it wouldn't. These 'others' were mainly members of the Senate, but some were fellow Jedi. A few, including some members of the Jedi Council, opposed the program greatly. Their thoughts were that all Jedi should know the fine points of undercover work, but the supporters of the UJP and the masters in charge of the program believed that, in the changing age of the Republic, Jedi were even more important to its survival. Even though no one mentioned it, it was well known that the students who would graduate from the UJP would become-*expendable*-as knights. It was a grim, short future that most of the students would face if they continued their training.
Still others believed the UJP would repeat what the Jedi Starship Pilot Program had done: Failed. The JSPP had only lasted roughly a year and a half, and although the UJP had lasted longer, many believed it would still fall apart.
Each year, the half-dozen Jedi Masters in charge of the program would pick ten senior Temple initiates who looked as though they showed promise in the area of undercover work. From there they would teach them the lessons needed for such dangerous and delicate work, and at the end of the year, five would be chosen to continue the training. Part of their training would also include instructing the next year's batch of potential undercover Jedi. Marie had been 12 when she was chosen to join the program, which was just beginning its first year of existence. The masters had been deeply impressed by her skills with the lightsaber and after being picked at the end of the year to continue training, she had given up the opportunity to be apprenticed to a master, although she still retained the title 'Padawan' and the traditional Padawan braid. She had been with the program ever since.
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes slightly. Marie was all of that and a little more-including being a deeply imbedded thorn in his side!
*How had it been possible for her to fool him all these months!* he thought hastily.
The last time he'd seen her take on a different identity had been at the Temple when she'd poised as an off-world visitor who had accidentally wandered into the Jedi's large home. He'd immediately seen through her disguise, which of course, had caused him to blurt her real identity out rather loudly and thus bring a bright red blush to her gray painted skin. It had then erupted into a verbal argument, which quickly turned into an argument dealing with lightsabers *without* the approval or supervision of a master. Yes, it was safe to say they often did not get along well and the punishment they had received caused them both to steer clear of one another for over a year.
This time, however, she had done an excellent job of concealing her identity, although he was sure the Force collars had helped. Her abilities had definitely improved; that much he had to admit. None of this made him any happier though; he wasn't supposed to be bested by his younger cousin!
Marie shifted slightly on the cold, stone floor, and Obi-Wan blinked slowly as he compared her to who she had been. Marie had straight brown hair that fell slightly below her shoulders and blue-green eyes that mirrored his own. The only difference between their eyes was that hers held a quality similar to Qui-Gon's: No one could hold her gaze for very long before they felt they had to look away. When in the company of friends, she usually left her face open so that they could see what she was feeling. But when it came time to perform her duties, her expressions were about as easy to read as a Tusken Raider's. Marie and Obi-Wan were both brash, often impulsive, and always ready to follow their feelings, although Obi-Wan had always been a little more so than his cousin. Whereas Obi-Wan's biggest fault was anger, Marie's could be her…personality. Sometimes she said or did things that were not considered-*appropriate*-for a Jedi, especially a Padawan. Her spunk and sarcasm could rival anyone's.
Now that he thought about it, Obi-Wan realized just how different Ceal and Marie were, which gave him an excuse to believe he really shouldn't have realized who the slave owner was. Ceal Verune had curly, blond hair with blue streaks and purple eyes. Her skin color had been similar to sand and she'd held a thick accent. Marie's hair and eye color were drastically different and she had a tan similar to Obi-Wan's, although hers was no where near as dark since she rarely went on missions. The UJP was still a work in progress and five years was the minimum time of experience required for students to have if they wanted to take a mission.
"Obi-Wan? Please don't ignore me. You don't understand!"
Marie had also not developed the accent from their home world like Obi-Wan had, although they had both been brought to the Temple at six months.
Obi-Wan finally looked up and acknowledged his cousin. "Go ahead and explain yourself then since you say I don't understand. I'm sure you have a very legitimate reason for holding three fellow Jedi captive and Force-blind for seven months."
Garen rolled his eyes. The two of them bickered constantly.
"I don't have to explain myself to you." Marie stood up and immediately sat down again. "We don't have time for this," she muttered, looking around the tunnel nervously like she expected trouble to appear out of thin air at any moment. She traced her finger across one black-knee high boot. A line was left in the dust that had accumulated while she had hidden her Jedi attire. She looked once more around the tunnel, then reached into her cloak. Her hand appeared a moment later with two lightsabers, which she swiftly distributed to their rightful owners. Obi-Wan tucked his into his belt immediately. *Finally*-he was beginning to feel whole again. There was just one more thing-
"Qui-Gon, he-"
"Where is he?" Obi-Wan asked anxiously.
"He-"
"I'd die if anything happened to him, Marie. *You know that…*"
The young woman sighed and brushed a piece of stray hair behind one ear. "If you would just listen for once." Her tone was one of exasperation. Her cousin was as stubborn as a bantha! "I set Qui-Gon free yesterday right before the party started. Something in the Force told me to. And Obi-Wan, please, for once, just forgive me without demanding a freighter load of answers first. The Force collars were necessary. My ability to shield has improved since we last talked, but not nearly enough to keep out a Jedi Master for long periods of time. Or someone like you for that matter, who's had tons of practice. Face it. During some point of your seven month captivity, my shields would have dropped enough-even if only for a few seconds while I dealt with those nasty politicians-for you to identify who I was."
The tenseness in Obi-Wan's shoulders slowly dissipated. He was feeling better now; his head felt clearer as he saw the truth behind her words. "Everyone at the Temple thinks you're dead. Some of the children were still very upset when Qui-Gon and I left for our last mission. What exactly happened?"
Marie unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and began to turn it over in her hands. It was a bad habit formed from eagerness or uncertainty. There was obviously something on her mind that she was undecided on. Finally, she relented.
"I was with Master Onpi learning a new survival trick when Master Yoda and Master Windu appeared. They informed me that I was going to be sent on a long mission. (Undercover work, of course.) That was over a year and a half ago. My job was to pose as the adopted daughter of two wealthy, prominent politicians-the Aktins," she said, looking briefly at Obi-Wan, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You see, they told everyone that they could not have children, but in fact, they could. They had a daughter who showed promise of being Force-sensitive. They wanted her to have a better life than what Choet could offer; they wanted her to become a Jedi. Choet is not a member of the Republic, however, and the couple knew about the strange occurrences that took place directly beyond the planet's atmosphere, especially to Republic mediator ships. They wanted the treachery to come to an end so that Choet could join the Republic, end slavery, and prosper because of these things. As a matter of fact, on the day the couple "perished", they were actually on their way to Coruscant with their daughter.
"So you see, I appeared as the adopted child and took over the family business. Overtime I was able to gain power and respect. Choet is much more unstable and barbaric than one would see on first glance. The people are crying out for a leader who will treat them fairly and give them what *they* really need, not what the leader thinks he needs.
"Six months into the mission, Garen's ship was blown from space. You see, up to that point, the only information I'd been able to garner was about illegal actions on planet, which of course I expected to run up on sooner or later. The information didn't seem to be connected with my mission, however, so I set it aside. But when Garen's ship was purposely attacked by a Togorian Warship, I rechecked my records. It turned out someone on the planet was paying the Togorians to shoot down any ships that may hold Jedi. Choetians rarely travel off planet so none were shot down. My only conclusion was that someone on Choet had a bone to pick with the Jedi Order specifically and not the entire Republic.
"I discovered Garen in a prison cell, unconscious. Seeing as slavery was common on Choet and not wanting to arouse suspicions, I offered to buy him before he was to be executed. Then I offered to pay Lipa for every Jedi caught *on* planet and handed over to me. I don't think he heard that particular part."
Marie paused to catch her breath and collect her thoughts. She turned to Garen. "A Master and Padawan team arrived shortly after you did, but I smuggled them off planet before you found out."
"Like you did with Master Rees," Obi-Wan volunteered.
"Yes. I sent Master Rees back to the Temple as soon as possible. I was worried about her declining health. The crash and arrest took a lot out of her. The only Jedi besides yourselves that know about this mission are the Council, the Jedi I have smuggled back to the Temple, and your master, Garen."
The young man nodded. Marie knew about all the times Garen had spied on her. Snapping her lightsaber back onto her belt, she turned to look at Obi-Wan.
"Then you and Qui-Gon suddenly appeared. I became worried that you would unintentionally blow my cover, but I couldn't send you back to the Temple because of all the attention the two of you had attracted. When you and Garen pulled that prank with the banner in front of the 12 politicians, it angered me. I thought I was close to discovering which one of them was behind the plot to enslave and kill Jedi traveling close to the planet."
Marie sighed loudly and looked briefly to the ceiling as though she didn't want to continue. Her eyes focused quickly on the two young men, however, when she turned back to them.
"And then the trouble started with Antiyo. The incident that occurred while only you and Sei were in the mansion and the disaster at the party made me see the truth. What you had unknowingly suspected all along about Antiyo, Obi-Wan, was the key to unlock the answer I had been seeking."
Reaching into one of the pouches on her belt, Marie retrieved a small data pad and handed it to her comrades. She gave them a straightforward summary of what the long text message was about.
"Antiyo Ganfor was the fiancé of the late Jenna Zan Arbor."
Obi-Wan's blood ran cold as he traded a surprised glance with Garen. *This* was very unexpected. Jenna Zan Arbor had been a scientist gone mad with greed. She had tried futilely to discover the meaning behind the Force, going so far as to conduct experiments on unwilling hosts before ultimately draining them of their blood. Qui-Gon had been a victim of hers at one time and Obi-Wan had been devastated by concern and fear. Luckily, the resourceful Jedi Master had survived to tell the tale and helped in her capture. Zan Arbor had hung herself in her jail cell not long after.
Everything was finally beginning to fall into place…
Taking the data pad back, Marie continued. "I have all the evidence I need to put an end to this. Our only problem now is to find a way off-planet. Originally, I had just been planning to take an extended leave of absence, but that will never work now because Ceal Verune is technically 'dead'. Here." Reaching behind her, she pulled two fresh tunics with the works-cloaks, boots, utility belts, etc.-from her small bag before turning her back to them.
"Get changed quickly boys. We have things to do and people to see."
Obi-Wan allowed a small, triumphant smile to creep onto his face, then flipped his saber handle into the air. He had already yanked his dirty tunic off by the time it landed in his palm again.