First Knight - Part Twenty-Two
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As Obi-Wan nursed his drink, some vile concoction that was as dark and as thick as the air in this dive, he kept his eyes on the door. He was sitting near the rear of the tavern, but the entrance was in full view. His back was to the wall, but he would have been a fool not to have situated himself any other way in this hive of scum and villainy. He sensed that just about everyone in the tavern was either a thief, murderer, smuggler, spice- dealer, gambler, or hustler.
Obi-Wan grimaced as he lifted his glass to his lips, both from the taste of the swill inside it and from the fact his contact had chosen such a place for their meeting. It had taken Obi-Wan a week to make his way from Ahjane, which was on the other side of the galaxy, to Lianna. The industrial planet was located in the Tion Cluster, which was outside the boundaries of the Republic. He had now been on Lianna three days, waiting for his promised meeting with the man Dex had sworn could help him.
Obi-Wan lowered his glass and pushed it away. It was still three-quarters full. He couldn't make himself drink anymore of it. He had only purchased the drink to help himself blend in. He was still wearing the black outfit Onara's aunts had given him, but he had left the cape in the ship. It had been far too elegant for such a place and would have drawn the wrong kind of attention. He had his lightsaber, however, but it was hidden under his tunic.
"Drink not to ya liking?"
Obi-Wan looked away from the door. The barmaid, a heavy-set human female with stringy, greasy-looking hair, was standing to his left. She scowled down at him.
"I've had better," he replied.
"Humph!" the woman snorted as she snatched the drink off the table with a huge hand.
Some of its contents spilled onto the already sticky, grimy table. She placed it on a tray, already crowded with drinks, and stomped off into the smoky darkness of the tavern. Obi-Wan watched her leave. Then he turned his attention back to the door.
While on his way to Lianna, Obi-Wan had contacted Dexter Jettster. Dex had proven to be a reliable source of information to Obi-Wan over the years. Although currently the owner and chief cook of Dexter's Diner back on Coruscant, the four-armed, hulking Besalisk had formerly ran guns, tended bar, worked on expeditionary oil-harvesting crews and spent a good amount of his life brawling in bars, taverns and cantinas that stretched across the galaxy from the Ssi-Ruuk Cluster to the Corporate Sector.
Obi-Wan had first met Dex on Ord Sigatt, an Outer Rim mining world. Dex had been on the wrong side of the law at the time, but had taken a liking to Obi-Wan and thus began a friendship that had strengthened as time had gone by. Therefore, when Obi-Wan had contacted Dex and asked for his help in finding Sinja-Bau, the Besalisk had not hesitated to give Obi-Wan the name of someone on Lianna who might be able to help him.
The name had been Jareo. Dex told Obi-Wan that Jareo was an old drinking and running mate of his from way back. When Obi-Wan had asked if the man could be trusted, Dex had promptly said no, but any information Jareo gave Obi-Wan was sure to be reliable. Jareo knew everyone and everything that was happening on Lianna, and if Obi-Wan's insane, ex-Jedi master was there, Jareo would know. Dex had given Obi-Wan the contact information for Jareo and he had let Obi-Wan know he would send a message to him, indicating Obi- Wan was on his way, was a friend of Dex's and that Jareo should be on the lookout for him.
Once he had landed on Lianna, after seeing that his ship was safely secured at the spaceport, Obi-Wan had found the nearest public comm station and sent a message to Jareo. No one had answered the message. A computer had acknowledged receipt of it and then, a few minutes later, a place, a time and a date had scrolled across the comm station's screen.
Obi-Wan recalled how his heart had sank when he saw the time and date for the meeting was three days hence, but he knew that without some help there was no way he was going to find Sinja-Bau on a planet as densely populated as Lianna.
Despondent, but determined not to be disheartened, Obi-Wan had found himself some small, cheap but clean lodgings. He had then spent those three days in meditation and exercise, ending each night with his gaze fastened on the pendant which contained the holographic image of Onara and Ben. How little time he'd had to spend with his newborn son and, he was painfully aware, how little time was left to Onara.
Now, it was not only the day, it was the place for the meeting, but no one had yet contacted him. However, Obi-Wan also had no idea what this Jareo person looked like. Dex had said he was human, but there were quite a few humans in the tavern and none of them had given Obi-Wan more than a passing glance. He could only hope Jareo had captured his image from the comm station and would recognize him.
"Ya, thrice-cursed, cheating slarg! Why, I oughta gut ya right here and now!
Obi-Wan glanced over at the source of that shout. He had noted when he'd entered the tavern that it had a sabacc table and, like all sabacc tables in all the millions of such places in the galaxy, was crowded. He hadn't paid any attention to the players, but he saw that one of them, a Gamorrean, had risen from the table and was the one who had shouted. All the other players had gotten up from the table and were looking at the object of the Gamorrean's anger.
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. The Gamorrean was staring down a female Codru-Ji. Obi-Wan had only come across a few in his lifetime. Codru-Ji were from the planet Munto Codru. As adults they appeared simply to be attractive, four- armed humanoids, but they were actually born as canines known as wrywulves. As wyrwulves they moved about on six legs, but upon puberty cocooned themselves and emerged from their blue chrysalis as full grown, adult humanoids who just happened to have four arms.
The female Codru-Ji at the sabacc table was a fine example of one of her species. Tall and lithe, she wore a skin-tight dark blue body suit that not only showed off her figure, but revealed she was in excellent shape. Her four arms were slender, but muscular and Obi-Wan could see her legs were not only long, but strong-looking.
"Who ya calling a cheat?" the Codru-Ji screeched.
Since her species normally talked in high-pitched whistles and sighs, her voice was quite high and the Basic she spoke sounded more like a drawn out scream that actual words.
"You! I'm calling you a cheat, ya four-armed slarg!" the Gamorrean bellowed.
Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head. He hoped his contact arrived before things got hairy. If the authorities showed up, there was a good chance they'd not only stop whatever altercation had brewed, but shut the whole place down and, possibly, cart everyone who was in the tavern away to lock- up. Obi-Wan had found that most law enforcement agents who operated outside the Republic believed in arresting everyone in sight and sorting out the perpetrators, victims and innocent bystanders later.
As he looked around, he noted some of the patrons were apparently familiar with the practice of mass arrests, for they were already rising from their tables and heading for the door. The vast majority, however, as Obi-Wan was not surprised to see, were gathering around the Gamorrean and the Codru-Ji female, spoiling not only to see a fight, but possibly join in.
Then, as Obi-Wan had feared, the Gamorrean, with an earth-shattering roar, leapt across the table toward the Codru-Ji. Drinks shattered on the floor, the sabacc table tipped over, and screams ripped through air as patrons scrambled to get out of the way. Obi-Wan was far enough away from the melee that the wave of fleeing customers was heading away from him. He remained at his table, hoping that the fight would soon be over. He did not want to be forced to leave the tavern before Jareo showed up.
As he watched the Gamorrean and the Codru-Ji struggling, although the Gamorrean was much heavier, the Codru-Ji, with her four arms, was holding her own. The two grappled on the floor with the Gamorrean trying as hard as he could to wrap his thick hands about the female's slender throat. Although Obi-Wan could see the Codru-Ji was a very adept and able brawler, he still didn't like to see a male fighting with a female, even if she fought like a Kryliksian wild-cat. However, he hesitated to get involved. He needed to be here when Jareo showed up. Onara's life depended on it.
The Codru-Ji now had her legs and two of her arms wrapped about the Gamorrean's chest. With a loud, ear-splitting cry, she twisted her body and threw him to the side. He crashed into a table. A Nikto and Rodian, who had been sitting at the table, were tossed to the floor. The Codru-Ji leapt to her feet, her four hands raised before her.
The Gamorrean shot up from the floor and ran back towards the female, roaring as he did so. However, he was now joined by the Nikto, who Obi-Wan recognized as a Kajain'saNikto or Red Nikto, and the Rodian.
Obi-Wan quickly rose from his table. Although he knew he was risking not meeting his contact, he could not stand by and watch a woman take on three male attackers. He ran over to where the Codru-Ji was standing. As the Gamorrean once again plowed into her, Obi-Wan intercepted both the Nikto and the Rodian. He leapt up and kicked the Nikto in the chest.
The alien flew backwards, landing near the bar. Obi-Wan whirled about, his other leg outstretched and clipped the Rodian across his green snout. The Rodian screamed and fell to his knees. The Nikto, who had regained his feet, ran howling towards Obi-Wan, swinging at the Jedi.
Obi-Wan ducked, then punched the Nikto in the stomach. The Nikto grunted and swung at Obi-Wan again. Obi-Wan easily avoided his blows, which only enraged the alien. He made as if to grab a blade that Obi-Wan saw was attached to his belt.
Obi-Wan was tempted to use to the Force to grab the blade, but he wanted to avoid doing anything that would identify him as a Jedi since he wasn't officially on Jedi business. Instead, as the Rodian reached for the blade, Obi-Wan took hold of his arm and flipped the Rodian over his shoulder. He soared through the air, crashing into a table which was, fortunately, empty of customers.
As Obi-Wan turned to see how the Codru-Ji female was doing, he heard the sound of a blaster rifle being fired. He reeled around. A fat, dark-skinned man with long, yellow hair was standing in the middle of the tavern, a blaster-rife in his hand.
"All right, that's enough," he said lazily. "Ya all had ya fun. Now, get out of here, the lot of ya, before I call the blues."
Obi-Wan looked over at the Codru-Ji woman. She was standing, breathing heavily. She had the Gamorrean in a headlock, all four of her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. The Nikto and Rodian rose slowly to their feet, rubbing at sore backs and heads.
"That's right," the tavern owner said as he gestured with his rifle. "Just get up and get out. Now! Or the lot of ya can spend the night in lock-up."
"What about my winnings?" the Codru-Ji female cried as she released the Gamorrean.
"Ya can pick 'em up in the morning," the owner told her.
"Nah, nah, she don't deserve 'em. She cheated I tells ya," The Gamorrean shouted.
"Stop by in the morning. We'll sort it out then. But for now, I want ya all out of here."
Obi-Wan sighed. Great, he thought. He turned and followed the rest of the brawlers out of the tavern and onto the street. The tavern owner followed them, making sure they left his establishment. He then slammed the tavern door shut behind them.
Obi-Wan looked over at the others. The Rodian and Nikto were already making their way down the dark street, but they kept throwing glances over their shoulders as they walked away. The Gamorrean made as if to start up with the woman again, but Obi-Wan stepped in front of him.
He glared down at Obi-Wan with his piggish red eyes. Then, with a loud, spongy snort, stepped back and turned, waddling away in the opposite direction from the Rodian and Nikto.
"Thanks."
Obi-Wan turned. The Codru-Ji female was smiling at him, her violet eyes seeming to glow in the dark.
"You're pretty good in a fight," she went on.
Obi-Wan had to struggle to squelch down his frustration. For all he knew Jareo could have come in during the fight and was, even now, waiting inside for him. He had to find out. He couldn't afford to waste anymore time trying to find the man. Just as he was about to open the tavern door, he felt the woman's hand on his arm.
"I wouldn't do that."
"I have to get back inside."
"Teb will call the blues on ya. He warn't jokin'. Ever been in lock-up?"
"No."
"Trust me. It ain't a place ya want to be. Especially ya being a stranger and all."
Obi-Wan frowned at her. "How do you know I'm a stranger?"
"Cause ya helped me," she said grinning.
Obi-Wan was tempted to tell her that if he had it all to do again, he wouldn't have helped her. By the sly look in her eyes and face, she probably had been cheating at sabacc.
"I was waiting for someone," he told her tightly. "He might be in there."
"You step one foot through that door and Teb will have the blues on ya so quick, ya won't have time to blink."
Obi-Wan sighed. He turned and looked around. He supposed he could find some place to stand and wait. If Jareo was inside, after he'd discovered that Obi-Wan wasn't in the tavern, he'd have to come out. And if he hadn't arrived yet, Obi-Wan could wait outside for him to show up.
"Hey, would ya mind walking me home?"
Obi-Wan turned and stared at the woman. "What?"
"Walk me home. I'm afraid those thugs might try and jump me."
Obi-Wan looked around. The streets near the tavern were deserted. "I think you'll be fine. They've all appeared to have gone."
"But they might be waiting somewhere. Hidin' or somethin'." She reached over and grabbed Obi-Wan's arm with all four of her hands. "Please. I could maybe handle one, but not all three"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't. I'm waiting for someone. It's very important that I meet him. And I really don't think they're waiting for you. You'll be fine."
"How can ya be sure? I don't live far." She pointed to a street that lay east of the tavern. "It won't take long, I promise ya."
She squeezed his arm. Obi-Wan took in and released a deep breath. The woman truly did appear frightened. And she was right. For all he knew her attackers could be somewhere waiting for her. Obi-Wan would never forgive himself if he had let her go home alone and found out later that she had been beaten or, worse, murdered.
"All right. But we have to hurry."
"Sure, sure, no problem. Just this way. It's not far."
She turned and made her way down the street she had indicated. Soon they arrived in front of a nondescript building that looked no different than the other hulking, dark buildings that were clustered along the streets.
"You live here?" Obi-Wan asked dubiously.
The woman nodded. Then she reached over to him. Two of her arms slid up and around his neck, while the other two slipped around his back. She pulled him to her.
"Now, why don't ya come in and let me reward ya properly," she whispered, her face inches from his.
Obi-Wan struggled to get out of her embrace.
"That won't be necessary. You'll home now, safe and sound. And I have to get back to the tavern."
The Codru-Ji woman pulled him tighter against her.
"I promise," she said, her lips moving towards his, "I'll make it worth yar while."
Obi-Wan reached up and grabbed the woman's arms from about his neck, but she still had him hard about the waist. When he undid one pair of arms, she quickly put the other pair around him.
"Don't you want me?" she asked coyly. "Ever been with a Codru-Ji female?"
"No, I don't, and no, I haven't, and I'm sorry, but I'm not interested," he said curtly.
The woman stared at him for a moment, then abruptly released him. Obi-Wan adjusted his clothing, then bowed to the woman. As he turned to go back to the tavern, he heard her call out to him.
"Yar wasting your time going back there, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Obi-Wan jumped. He quickly turned around and stared at the woman.
"Jareo's not at the tavern," she went on.
Obi-Wan moved back over to her. "How do you know my name? And do you know he's not there?"
The woman smiled at him. She opened the door of the building. Obi-Wan saw a long, dark hallway stretching away from the entrance. She gestured with her shoulder at the door.
"Cause he's in there. Waitin' for ya."
Obi-Wan stared at the woman.
"Ya can trust me," she said nodding. "Dex told us ya was comin'. So ya going in or not?"
Obi-Wan looked at her for a moment, then entered the building. The woman followed, closing the door behind them.
"Just keep walking. Ya'll see a light soon."
Obi-Wan did as she instructed and, as she had promised, a light did appear in the gloom. Obi-Wan followed it and it soon become a glow-lamp set high in a wall. The glow lap lit up a small room in which was a table and a few chairs.
Inside it, much to Obi-Wan's surprise, was the Gamorrean, the Nikto and the Rodian who had been involved in the brawl at the tavern. However, before he could say or do anything, a heavy-set human male with a long black beard, equally long hair, streaked with gray and widely-set dark green eyes, who had been sitting at the table, rose from it and walked over to him.
"Welcome, Obi-Wan Kenobi. My name is Jareo. I believe you've been looking for me."
To be continued....
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As Obi-Wan nursed his drink, some vile concoction that was as dark and as thick as the air in this dive, he kept his eyes on the door. He was sitting near the rear of the tavern, but the entrance was in full view. His back was to the wall, but he would have been a fool not to have situated himself any other way in this hive of scum and villainy. He sensed that just about everyone in the tavern was either a thief, murderer, smuggler, spice- dealer, gambler, or hustler.
Obi-Wan grimaced as he lifted his glass to his lips, both from the taste of the swill inside it and from the fact his contact had chosen such a place for their meeting. It had taken Obi-Wan a week to make his way from Ahjane, which was on the other side of the galaxy, to Lianna. The industrial planet was located in the Tion Cluster, which was outside the boundaries of the Republic. He had now been on Lianna three days, waiting for his promised meeting with the man Dex had sworn could help him.
Obi-Wan lowered his glass and pushed it away. It was still three-quarters full. He couldn't make himself drink anymore of it. He had only purchased the drink to help himself blend in. He was still wearing the black outfit Onara's aunts had given him, but he had left the cape in the ship. It had been far too elegant for such a place and would have drawn the wrong kind of attention. He had his lightsaber, however, but it was hidden under his tunic.
"Drink not to ya liking?"
Obi-Wan looked away from the door. The barmaid, a heavy-set human female with stringy, greasy-looking hair, was standing to his left. She scowled down at him.
"I've had better," he replied.
"Humph!" the woman snorted as she snatched the drink off the table with a huge hand.
Some of its contents spilled onto the already sticky, grimy table. She placed it on a tray, already crowded with drinks, and stomped off into the smoky darkness of the tavern. Obi-Wan watched her leave. Then he turned his attention back to the door.
While on his way to Lianna, Obi-Wan had contacted Dexter Jettster. Dex had proven to be a reliable source of information to Obi-Wan over the years. Although currently the owner and chief cook of Dexter's Diner back on Coruscant, the four-armed, hulking Besalisk had formerly ran guns, tended bar, worked on expeditionary oil-harvesting crews and spent a good amount of his life brawling in bars, taverns and cantinas that stretched across the galaxy from the Ssi-Ruuk Cluster to the Corporate Sector.
Obi-Wan had first met Dex on Ord Sigatt, an Outer Rim mining world. Dex had been on the wrong side of the law at the time, but had taken a liking to Obi-Wan and thus began a friendship that had strengthened as time had gone by. Therefore, when Obi-Wan had contacted Dex and asked for his help in finding Sinja-Bau, the Besalisk had not hesitated to give Obi-Wan the name of someone on Lianna who might be able to help him.
The name had been Jareo. Dex told Obi-Wan that Jareo was an old drinking and running mate of his from way back. When Obi-Wan had asked if the man could be trusted, Dex had promptly said no, but any information Jareo gave Obi-Wan was sure to be reliable. Jareo knew everyone and everything that was happening on Lianna, and if Obi-Wan's insane, ex-Jedi master was there, Jareo would know. Dex had given Obi-Wan the contact information for Jareo and he had let Obi-Wan know he would send a message to him, indicating Obi- Wan was on his way, was a friend of Dex's and that Jareo should be on the lookout for him.
Once he had landed on Lianna, after seeing that his ship was safely secured at the spaceport, Obi-Wan had found the nearest public comm station and sent a message to Jareo. No one had answered the message. A computer had acknowledged receipt of it and then, a few minutes later, a place, a time and a date had scrolled across the comm station's screen.
Obi-Wan recalled how his heart had sank when he saw the time and date for the meeting was three days hence, but he knew that without some help there was no way he was going to find Sinja-Bau on a planet as densely populated as Lianna.
Despondent, but determined not to be disheartened, Obi-Wan had found himself some small, cheap but clean lodgings. He had then spent those three days in meditation and exercise, ending each night with his gaze fastened on the pendant which contained the holographic image of Onara and Ben. How little time he'd had to spend with his newborn son and, he was painfully aware, how little time was left to Onara.
Now, it was not only the day, it was the place for the meeting, but no one had yet contacted him. However, Obi-Wan also had no idea what this Jareo person looked like. Dex had said he was human, but there were quite a few humans in the tavern and none of them had given Obi-Wan more than a passing glance. He could only hope Jareo had captured his image from the comm station and would recognize him.
"Ya, thrice-cursed, cheating slarg! Why, I oughta gut ya right here and now!
Obi-Wan glanced over at the source of that shout. He had noted when he'd entered the tavern that it had a sabacc table and, like all sabacc tables in all the millions of such places in the galaxy, was crowded. He hadn't paid any attention to the players, but he saw that one of them, a Gamorrean, had risen from the table and was the one who had shouted. All the other players had gotten up from the table and were looking at the object of the Gamorrean's anger.
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. The Gamorrean was staring down a female Codru-Ji. Obi-Wan had only come across a few in his lifetime. Codru-Ji were from the planet Munto Codru. As adults they appeared simply to be attractive, four- armed humanoids, but they were actually born as canines known as wrywulves. As wyrwulves they moved about on six legs, but upon puberty cocooned themselves and emerged from their blue chrysalis as full grown, adult humanoids who just happened to have four arms.
The female Codru-Ji at the sabacc table was a fine example of one of her species. Tall and lithe, she wore a skin-tight dark blue body suit that not only showed off her figure, but revealed she was in excellent shape. Her four arms were slender, but muscular and Obi-Wan could see her legs were not only long, but strong-looking.
"Who ya calling a cheat?" the Codru-Ji screeched.
Since her species normally talked in high-pitched whistles and sighs, her voice was quite high and the Basic she spoke sounded more like a drawn out scream that actual words.
"You! I'm calling you a cheat, ya four-armed slarg!" the Gamorrean bellowed.
Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head. He hoped his contact arrived before things got hairy. If the authorities showed up, there was a good chance they'd not only stop whatever altercation had brewed, but shut the whole place down and, possibly, cart everyone who was in the tavern away to lock- up. Obi-Wan had found that most law enforcement agents who operated outside the Republic believed in arresting everyone in sight and sorting out the perpetrators, victims and innocent bystanders later.
As he looked around, he noted some of the patrons were apparently familiar with the practice of mass arrests, for they were already rising from their tables and heading for the door. The vast majority, however, as Obi-Wan was not surprised to see, were gathering around the Gamorrean and the Codru-Ji female, spoiling not only to see a fight, but possibly join in.
Then, as Obi-Wan had feared, the Gamorrean, with an earth-shattering roar, leapt across the table toward the Codru-Ji. Drinks shattered on the floor, the sabacc table tipped over, and screams ripped through air as patrons scrambled to get out of the way. Obi-Wan was far enough away from the melee that the wave of fleeing customers was heading away from him. He remained at his table, hoping that the fight would soon be over. He did not want to be forced to leave the tavern before Jareo showed up.
As he watched the Gamorrean and the Codru-Ji struggling, although the Gamorrean was much heavier, the Codru-Ji, with her four arms, was holding her own. The two grappled on the floor with the Gamorrean trying as hard as he could to wrap his thick hands about the female's slender throat. Although Obi-Wan could see the Codru-Ji was a very adept and able brawler, he still didn't like to see a male fighting with a female, even if she fought like a Kryliksian wild-cat. However, he hesitated to get involved. He needed to be here when Jareo showed up. Onara's life depended on it.
The Codru-Ji now had her legs and two of her arms wrapped about the Gamorrean's chest. With a loud, ear-splitting cry, she twisted her body and threw him to the side. He crashed into a table. A Nikto and Rodian, who had been sitting at the table, were tossed to the floor. The Codru-Ji leapt to her feet, her four hands raised before her.
The Gamorrean shot up from the floor and ran back towards the female, roaring as he did so. However, he was now joined by the Nikto, who Obi-Wan recognized as a Kajain'saNikto or Red Nikto, and the Rodian.
Obi-Wan quickly rose from his table. Although he knew he was risking not meeting his contact, he could not stand by and watch a woman take on three male attackers. He ran over to where the Codru-Ji was standing. As the Gamorrean once again plowed into her, Obi-Wan intercepted both the Nikto and the Rodian. He leapt up and kicked the Nikto in the chest.
The alien flew backwards, landing near the bar. Obi-Wan whirled about, his other leg outstretched and clipped the Rodian across his green snout. The Rodian screamed and fell to his knees. The Nikto, who had regained his feet, ran howling towards Obi-Wan, swinging at the Jedi.
Obi-Wan ducked, then punched the Nikto in the stomach. The Nikto grunted and swung at Obi-Wan again. Obi-Wan easily avoided his blows, which only enraged the alien. He made as if to grab a blade that Obi-Wan saw was attached to his belt.
Obi-Wan was tempted to use to the Force to grab the blade, but he wanted to avoid doing anything that would identify him as a Jedi since he wasn't officially on Jedi business. Instead, as the Rodian reached for the blade, Obi-Wan took hold of his arm and flipped the Rodian over his shoulder. He soared through the air, crashing into a table which was, fortunately, empty of customers.
As Obi-Wan turned to see how the Codru-Ji female was doing, he heard the sound of a blaster rifle being fired. He reeled around. A fat, dark-skinned man with long, yellow hair was standing in the middle of the tavern, a blaster-rife in his hand.
"All right, that's enough," he said lazily. "Ya all had ya fun. Now, get out of here, the lot of ya, before I call the blues."
Obi-Wan looked over at the Codru-Ji woman. She was standing, breathing heavily. She had the Gamorrean in a headlock, all four of her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. The Nikto and Rodian rose slowly to their feet, rubbing at sore backs and heads.
"That's right," the tavern owner said as he gestured with his rifle. "Just get up and get out. Now! Or the lot of ya can spend the night in lock-up."
"What about my winnings?" the Codru-Ji female cried as she released the Gamorrean.
"Ya can pick 'em up in the morning," the owner told her.
"Nah, nah, she don't deserve 'em. She cheated I tells ya," The Gamorrean shouted.
"Stop by in the morning. We'll sort it out then. But for now, I want ya all out of here."
Obi-Wan sighed. Great, he thought. He turned and followed the rest of the brawlers out of the tavern and onto the street. The tavern owner followed them, making sure they left his establishment. He then slammed the tavern door shut behind them.
Obi-Wan looked over at the others. The Rodian and Nikto were already making their way down the dark street, but they kept throwing glances over their shoulders as they walked away. The Gamorrean made as if to start up with the woman again, but Obi-Wan stepped in front of him.
He glared down at Obi-Wan with his piggish red eyes. Then, with a loud, spongy snort, stepped back and turned, waddling away in the opposite direction from the Rodian and Nikto.
"Thanks."
Obi-Wan turned. The Codru-Ji female was smiling at him, her violet eyes seeming to glow in the dark.
"You're pretty good in a fight," she went on.
Obi-Wan had to struggle to squelch down his frustration. For all he knew Jareo could have come in during the fight and was, even now, waiting inside for him. He had to find out. He couldn't afford to waste anymore time trying to find the man. Just as he was about to open the tavern door, he felt the woman's hand on his arm.
"I wouldn't do that."
"I have to get back inside."
"Teb will call the blues on ya. He warn't jokin'. Ever been in lock-up?"
"No."
"Trust me. It ain't a place ya want to be. Especially ya being a stranger and all."
Obi-Wan frowned at her. "How do you know I'm a stranger?"
"Cause ya helped me," she said grinning.
Obi-Wan was tempted to tell her that if he had it all to do again, he wouldn't have helped her. By the sly look in her eyes and face, she probably had been cheating at sabacc.
"I was waiting for someone," he told her tightly. "He might be in there."
"You step one foot through that door and Teb will have the blues on ya so quick, ya won't have time to blink."
Obi-Wan sighed. He turned and looked around. He supposed he could find some place to stand and wait. If Jareo was inside, after he'd discovered that Obi-Wan wasn't in the tavern, he'd have to come out. And if he hadn't arrived yet, Obi-Wan could wait outside for him to show up.
"Hey, would ya mind walking me home?"
Obi-Wan turned and stared at the woman. "What?"
"Walk me home. I'm afraid those thugs might try and jump me."
Obi-Wan looked around. The streets near the tavern were deserted. "I think you'll be fine. They've all appeared to have gone."
"But they might be waiting somewhere. Hidin' or somethin'." She reached over and grabbed Obi-Wan's arm with all four of her hands. "Please. I could maybe handle one, but not all three"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't. I'm waiting for someone. It's very important that I meet him. And I really don't think they're waiting for you. You'll be fine."
"How can ya be sure? I don't live far." She pointed to a street that lay east of the tavern. "It won't take long, I promise ya."
She squeezed his arm. Obi-Wan took in and released a deep breath. The woman truly did appear frightened. And she was right. For all he knew her attackers could be somewhere waiting for her. Obi-Wan would never forgive himself if he had let her go home alone and found out later that she had been beaten or, worse, murdered.
"All right. But we have to hurry."
"Sure, sure, no problem. Just this way. It's not far."
She turned and made her way down the street she had indicated. Soon they arrived in front of a nondescript building that looked no different than the other hulking, dark buildings that were clustered along the streets.
"You live here?" Obi-Wan asked dubiously.
The woman nodded. Then she reached over to him. Two of her arms slid up and around his neck, while the other two slipped around his back. She pulled him to her.
"Now, why don't ya come in and let me reward ya properly," she whispered, her face inches from his.
Obi-Wan struggled to get out of her embrace.
"That won't be necessary. You'll home now, safe and sound. And I have to get back to the tavern."
The Codru-Ji woman pulled him tighter against her.
"I promise," she said, her lips moving towards his, "I'll make it worth yar while."
Obi-Wan reached up and grabbed the woman's arms from about his neck, but she still had him hard about the waist. When he undid one pair of arms, she quickly put the other pair around him.
"Don't you want me?" she asked coyly. "Ever been with a Codru-Ji female?"
"No, I don't, and no, I haven't, and I'm sorry, but I'm not interested," he said curtly.
The woman stared at him for a moment, then abruptly released him. Obi-Wan adjusted his clothing, then bowed to the woman. As he turned to go back to the tavern, he heard her call out to him.
"Yar wasting your time going back there, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Obi-Wan jumped. He quickly turned around and stared at the woman.
"Jareo's not at the tavern," she went on.
Obi-Wan moved back over to her. "How do you know my name? And do you know he's not there?"
The woman smiled at him. She opened the door of the building. Obi-Wan saw a long, dark hallway stretching away from the entrance. She gestured with her shoulder at the door.
"Cause he's in there. Waitin' for ya."
Obi-Wan stared at the woman.
"Ya can trust me," she said nodding. "Dex told us ya was comin'. So ya going in or not?"
Obi-Wan looked at her for a moment, then entered the building. The woman followed, closing the door behind them.
"Just keep walking. Ya'll see a light soon."
Obi-Wan did as she instructed and, as she had promised, a light did appear in the gloom. Obi-Wan followed it and it soon become a glow-lamp set high in a wall. The glow lap lit up a small room in which was a table and a few chairs.
Inside it, much to Obi-Wan's surprise, was the Gamorrean, the Nikto and the Rodian who had been involved in the brawl at the tavern. However, before he could say or do anything, a heavy-set human male with a long black beard, equally long hair, streaked with gray and widely-set dark green eyes, who had been sitting at the table, rose from it and walked over to him.
"Welcome, Obi-Wan Kenobi. My name is Jareo. I believe you've been looking for me."
To be continued....