Chapter 3
Obi-wan was still brooding over Garen's disappearance as the announcement that they were nearing Telos came over the intercom. But he shook off his worries to focus on the mission before him. As the ship landed, Qui-gon came over to him and sat down.
"Are you all right Obi-wan? I know that Garen is your friend. You must be worried about him."
"Yes I am worried." Obi-wan replied. "But it is time for me to think of the mission ahead. Besides, I trust Tahl to find him." Qui-gon glanced at Tahl.
"Yes I can think of no one better for the job than Tahl. Come now, we need to find lodging." As they exited the ship with Tahl and Too-jay, Tahl thought of something.
"If we get lodging together, it will cost less, and we can compare missions. I can't help but think that they are connected somehow." She said.
"I too feel that way." Qui-gon stated with a smile. "That will work well."
****************************************
The next morning was crisp and sunny. Qui-gon and Obi-wan rose early to do their morning meditation. Afterwards, feeling refreshed, they walked a short distance to meet Tahl for breakfast. They found her at a fresh fruit market. They purchased some fruit and sat down at a small table together.
"I believe today I will just mingle. Too-jay will help me out." Tahl remarked. "We are going to see if we can find Offworld's headquarters. From there it should be rather simple to find Xanatos." Said Qui-gon. "Of course, it won't be that easy, it never is, but it does seem like a good place to begin looking." Tahl nodded her agreement.
"Shall we meet for evening meditation then?" Tahl asked. Qui-gon glanced at his former Padawan, who nodded his consent. "We shall be there." Qui-gon said, and so he and Obi-wan headed towards a busy looking part of town, hoping to borrow a speeder.
As Obi-wan and Qui-gon walked along the busy streetway, Obi-wan noticed that no one would look at them. He mentioned to Qui-gon who frowned.
"I have noticed it as well. It's strange." Qui-gon said. Just then something caught Obi-wan's eye. A speeder was driving recklessly about the commonplace. It whizzed down and came to a halt in front of the two Jedi. The rider dismounted and walked over to the two of them, pulling off his helmet so that they could see that it was a boy slightly older than Obi- wan.
"Hello! My name is Kivutan. You're new around." It was a statement, not a question.
"We are Jedi, here on business from Coruscant. Perhaps you could help us." Qui-gon said.
"You are Jedi then?" asked the boy. "I thought you might be, but I wasn't sure." Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Surely you knew Jedi are outlawed here. Offworld has decreed it so."
"Offworld?" Obi-wan asked. "As in Offworld Mining Corporation?"
"The very same." Kivutan replied.
"Offworld plays a very major part in our current governing system. Basically Offworld's word is the law. It's been this way since old Carthak died, and Xanatos abandoned us. They say it's only until they can find someone to be governor, but."
"But what?" Obi-wan asked.
"Oh it's nothing." Kivutan replied. Obi-wan gave him a skeptical look, and Kivutan's determined expression softened. Qui-gon watched the exchange with interest. Sometimes it was better to let the younger people communicate with the people their age. It was just one more reason to have a Padawan. But could he restore the bonds of trust between him and Obi-wan? He became aware of Kivutan speaking again, and tuned back into the conversation.
"I should have known I couldn't hide anything from the Jedi." Kivutan sighed. "After Xanatos left, my parents should have acquired control of Telos's government. But assassins snuck into our house, and there was somewhat of a brawl. My mother told me to go get a speeder and get to safety. She then went back to help my father. The assassins they, they." Kivutan trailed off, unable to continue. Then he straitened and went on. "They killed my parents, to leave the path to the government open, no doubt. They let me live because they don't consider me a threat. But I am the rightful heir to the position. I will gain control someday! I just need to get a bit stronger, that's all."
A short silence followed his speech. Then Obi-wan broke the silence. "The assassins were probably hired by Offworld. It makes sense, seeing as Offworld is in control now." He said.
"My thoughts exactly!" Kivutan remarked. Qui-gon noticed the warmth in Kivutan's voice. Perhaps he and Obi-wan would form a bond, since they were around the same age. It would be in their favor to have a guide, as long as Obi-wan did not let his friendship with Kivutan interfere with their mission, as he had on Melida/Daan.
"So you're related to Xanatos then." noted Qui-gon.
"We're second cousins once removed or such. But I really never knew him. And now he's who knows where." Said Kivutan. He might be closer than you think! Qui-gon thought, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
"So Kivutan," Obi-wan started, but Kivutan interrupted. "Please, call me Kiv. All my friends do."
Obi-wan felt a twinge of warning. He was determined not to get swept up in Kiv's cause. He had learned his lesson on Melida/Daan, and he would never make the same mistake again. He might never get a chance to, if Qui-gon didn't accept him back. But he understood Qui-gon's hesitation. A Padawan pledged his loyalty to his Master, once that trust has been broken, it is hard to regain.
"Obi-wan?" Kiv said.
"Oh yes," Obi-wan returned to the present, and resumed his question. "So Kiv, you haven't learned anything like how to get into Offworld headquarters, have you?" he asked.
"Actually yes." Said Kivutan. "I don't know if it's the actual headquarters, or just the base for their operations on this planet, but I can get you in. It's really quite simple once you find out where they're located. Of course, that alone took me three months of searching. But why do you want to get into Offworld headquarters?" he asked.
"It's sort of a long story. Could you help us get in? I'll explain it all on the way." Obi-wan said.
"How about we go in the morning?" Kiv suggested. Obi-wan looked at Qui-gon and replied, "That will be fine. Let's meet back here when the marketplace opens up." Kiv nodded, got back on his speeder, and sped away as recklessly as he had come. "Let us head back to the lodge, and see if Tahl has found anything." Qui- gon said, striding off the way they had come.
Obi-wan was still brooding over Garen's disappearance as the announcement that they were nearing Telos came over the intercom. But he shook off his worries to focus on the mission before him. As the ship landed, Qui-gon came over to him and sat down.
"Are you all right Obi-wan? I know that Garen is your friend. You must be worried about him."
"Yes I am worried." Obi-wan replied. "But it is time for me to think of the mission ahead. Besides, I trust Tahl to find him." Qui-gon glanced at Tahl.
"Yes I can think of no one better for the job than Tahl. Come now, we need to find lodging." As they exited the ship with Tahl and Too-jay, Tahl thought of something.
"If we get lodging together, it will cost less, and we can compare missions. I can't help but think that they are connected somehow." She said.
"I too feel that way." Qui-gon stated with a smile. "That will work well."
****************************************
The next morning was crisp and sunny. Qui-gon and Obi-wan rose early to do their morning meditation. Afterwards, feeling refreshed, they walked a short distance to meet Tahl for breakfast. They found her at a fresh fruit market. They purchased some fruit and sat down at a small table together.
"I believe today I will just mingle. Too-jay will help me out." Tahl remarked. "We are going to see if we can find Offworld's headquarters. From there it should be rather simple to find Xanatos." Said Qui-gon. "Of course, it won't be that easy, it never is, but it does seem like a good place to begin looking." Tahl nodded her agreement.
"Shall we meet for evening meditation then?" Tahl asked. Qui-gon glanced at his former Padawan, who nodded his consent. "We shall be there." Qui-gon said, and so he and Obi-wan headed towards a busy looking part of town, hoping to borrow a speeder.
As Obi-wan and Qui-gon walked along the busy streetway, Obi-wan noticed that no one would look at them. He mentioned to Qui-gon who frowned.
"I have noticed it as well. It's strange." Qui-gon said. Just then something caught Obi-wan's eye. A speeder was driving recklessly about the commonplace. It whizzed down and came to a halt in front of the two Jedi. The rider dismounted and walked over to the two of them, pulling off his helmet so that they could see that it was a boy slightly older than Obi- wan.
"Hello! My name is Kivutan. You're new around." It was a statement, not a question.
"We are Jedi, here on business from Coruscant. Perhaps you could help us." Qui-gon said.
"You are Jedi then?" asked the boy. "I thought you might be, but I wasn't sure." Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Surely you knew Jedi are outlawed here. Offworld has decreed it so."
"Offworld?" Obi-wan asked. "As in Offworld Mining Corporation?"
"The very same." Kivutan replied.
"Offworld plays a very major part in our current governing system. Basically Offworld's word is the law. It's been this way since old Carthak died, and Xanatos abandoned us. They say it's only until they can find someone to be governor, but."
"But what?" Obi-wan asked.
"Oh it's nothing." Kivutan replied. Obi-wan gave him a skeptical look, and Kivutan's determined expression softened. Qui-gon watched the exchange with interest. Sometimes it was better to let the younger people communicate with the people their age. It was just one more reason to have a Padawan. But could he restore the bonds of trust between him and Obi-wan? He became aware of Kivutan speaking again, and tuned back into the conversation.
"I should have known I couldn't hide anything from the Jedi." Kivutan sighed. "After Xanatos left, my parents should have acquired control of Telos's government. But assassins snuck into our house, and there was somewhat of a brawl. My mother told me to go get a speeder and get to safety. She then went back to help my father. The assassins they, they." Kivutan trailed off, unable to continue. Then he straitened and went on. "They killed my parents, to leave the path to the government open, no doubt. They let me live because they don't consider me a threat. But I am the rightful heir to the position. I will gain control someday! I just need to get a bit stronger, that's all."
A short silence followed his speech. Then Obi-wan broke the silence. "The assassins were probably hired by Offworld. It makes sense, seeing as Offworld is in control now." He said.
"My thoughts exactly!" Kivutan remarked. Qui-gon noticed the warmth in Kivutan's voice. Perhaps he and Obi-wan would form a bond, since they were around the same age. It would be in their favor to have a guide, as long as Obi-wan did not let his friendship with Kivutan interfere with their mission, as he had on Melida/Daan.
"So you're related to Xanatos then." noted Qui-gon.
"We're second cousins once removed or such. But I really never knew him. And now he's who knows where." Said Kivutan. He might be closer than you think! Qui-gon thought, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
"So Kivutan," Obi-wan started, but Kivutan interrupted. "Please, call me Kiv. All my friends do."
Obi-wan felt a twinge of warning. He was determined not to get swept up in Kiv's cause. He had learned his lesson on Melida/Daan, and he would never make the same mistake again. He might never get a chance to, if Qui-gon didn't accept him back. But he understood Qui-gon's hesitation. A Padawan pledged his loyalty to his Master, once that trust has been broken, it is hard to regain.
"Obi-wan?" Kiv said.
"Oh yes," Obi-wan returned to the present, and resumed his question. "So Kiv, you haven't learned anything like how to get into Offworld headquarters, have you?" he asked.
"Actually yes." Said Kivutan. "I don't know if it's the actual headquarters, or just the base for their operations on this planet, but I can get you in. It's really quite simple once you find out where they're located. Of course, that alone took me three months of searching. But why do you want to get into Offworld headquarters?" he asked.
"It's sort of a long story. Could you help us get in? I'll explain it all on the way." Obi-wan said.
"How about we go in the morning?" Kiv suggested. Obi-wan looked at Qui-gon and replied, "That will be fine. Let's meet back here when the marketplace opens up." Kiv nodded, got back on his speeder, and sped away as recklessly as he had come. "Let us head back to the lodge, and see if Tahl has found anything." Qui- gon said, striding off the way they had come.