Now, did I lie? Nope. ;) Here's that second post today. I hope you guys enjoy it! And as always, Thanks for reading!!! :D
K-Rock – I hope you liked? ]:) Ahh, the bitter sweet Obi-Torture! ]:) I'll try and make my way over to your original story soon, I hope. You reminded me that I have to work on mine as well. But I want to finish this first. And I have to get in the right mood to work on that. Anyway, about that Robin Hood story. I'm still working on it. For some reason, I was gung-ho in the beginning but have not been able to find inspiration since. I would definitely still like to do it, just need to find time and encouragement. If you have any ideas to offer, please let me know. It could be anything that could jump-start the writer's bug. ;) Thanks again, and enjoy this latest installment. :D
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Somberly, the trio entered their ship. Their venture to Simpla-12 had not provided them anything in their search for Obi-Wan and his captors. In fact it left them with even less to go on. Sulking, the group sat in the bridge trying to figure out what to do next. "Well, that was a complete waste of time."
"It's alright Anakin. At least we know they aren't here." MysAri tried to remain optimistic despite her own frustrations.
Counting on his hand, Anakin ran down the extremely short list, Coruscant and Simpla-12 while verbalizing his actions. "Great, so we can scratch two planets off the list. Now we only have - what? - One billion more to check."
"Anakin, please, this won't help us any. We need to think." MysAri did her best to keep the boy's temper in check. She thought she had succeeded when Bant decided to voice her annoyance.
"But Simpla was our best chance, where else can we go?"
Anakin continued her thought, "Who knows what hideouts Arbor had? Maybe we're looking in the wrong place. Perhaps we should try finding connections to Nobis instead. Master said she had a hideout on Sorrus. Why don't we try there next?"
While the others debated aloud, MysAri rummaged through her thoughts. They were missing something, she just couldn't place her finger on what it was. "No, I don't think we will find anything connected to the Bounty Hunter. She's out purely for revenge and nothing else. Even though Nobis might be involved, this is more Arbor's operation. She's the one with plans in the works. No, I believe the answer lies with Arbor."
"Then where else can we look?" Anakin stared up at his acting Master. Doing his best to keep a calm head, waited for her to give them some direction.
Silence enveloped them as MysAri worked through her musings. After some minutes passed, her emerald eyes lightened. "Maybe the question we should be asking is; Where else could she go?"
Perplexed the others questioned, "What? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Remember what the Ledo's said, they bought that old lab cheap." The young couple they had just spoken to purchased the house when it went up for auction. They had been living there happily now for the past 15 years. They asked the couple if they knew anything about the building's history. The mentioned that it had been a lab of some sort but never really looked further into it. As far as they were concerned it was sold as an incredibly low price due to the work that would have to be done to return it to living standards. It was hard work, but it paid off for the Ledo's. An idea was beginning to form in MysAri's head.
Bant recognized the intense contemplation, she had seen the look before when they were working on her cure. "What do you suggest, Mys?"
"Well, when most criminals are convicted their possessions are confiscated and often sold to repay some of the damage they caused. Perhaps some how she was able to purchase one of her labs back." She turned to a terminal behind her on the communications panel.
"What are you doing?" Bant asked as she stepped up behind her. Anakin followed suit, flanking the Knight.
"I'm contacting my Master." Quickly, she was able to patch a communication link with the Temple. In pale blue the visage of her feline Master appeared.
Instant recognition brought a smile to the Koyn's face, "Hello, my old Padawan. I hope you are well." There was something underling the elder Jedi's tone, having been her Padawan only MysAri picked up on the subtlety.
Glancing quickly at Bant, she turned back to her Master grinning, "I'm fine, Master. I can't explain too much right now, but I have a favour to ask of you."
Sounding more than happy to oblige, Uulia offered, "Anything, what can I do to help?"
"I need you to get me a list of all the properties Jenna Zan Arbor had confiscated upon her conviction and if possible, all the names of those who purchased them."
"Alright, but it will take me a few minutes to access the Republic files."
"We'll wait if you don't mind. This is very important."
"One moment." And the communication was put on standby. No one moved as they waited. The tension slowly rising, reflecting their anticipations and hopes. About 5 minutes later the Koyn's image reappeared. "Alright, I'm uploading the information to you now. There's quite a bit. I trust you will be able to find what you are looking for without too much trouble." She paused and then added in a more comanding tone, "And Padawan, I want us to get together once your mission is over. We need to readdress some issues, including protocol and procedure. I've been contacted by a certain Master who was rather concerned for your welfare, amongst other things."
The Knight knew when she had been caught red handed for something she shouldn't be doing, so she rescinded, "Of course Master, upon my return, I will contact you again. And thank Master Yoda for indulging me." She always found it amazing that no matter how old one got, a Master could make them feel like an initiate again.
"Good luck, Kitling. May the Force be with you." Master Uulia Uvontra Vylond knew her padawan would keep her word and wouldn't give it another thought until their meeting.
MysAri on the other hand blushed at being called by her Master's nickname for her. She felt even younger than when she was reprimanded. Trying to keep up a semblance of dignity, she concluded, "And you, Master." Then the transmission ended. MysAri turned toward the Healer once more, with a curious look on her face. "I'm assuming you didn't tell the Council of our plans?"
"I assumed you didn't want me to. You know they would never have cleared you for this mission, if we can even call it a mission. But I knew nothing would stop you, so I felt it best that we just sneak out before they noticed. Besides, I believe our best hope is the connection we all share with Obi-Wan and using it to find him."
Nodding, MysAri accepted the Calamarian's reasoning. "You are correct on all counts, and I thank you for your discretion. Now let's hope this information will give us what we need." Turning back to the terminal, she began accessing the records her Master provided.
Anakin had been fascinated by everything that transpired. But his attention was focused on the data that was being displayed and how it was obtained. He leaned in closer, looking over her shoulder. "These files are directly from the Republic's Judiciary system. How in the galaxy did your Master get her hands on them? And so fast?" A child-like wonder laced his tone.
MysAri smiled at his bewilderment. So easily she forgot that he had only met the Koyn Mindhealer on a couple of occasions. "She has authorization to access those systems." His small gasp made her chuckle. "My Master is well respected amongst the Jedi as well as many other groups outside the Order. Amongst those, the Republic's Judiciary Circles. Quite often her expertise is requested for criminal profiling and psychiatric evaluations. As a result, they have granted her permission to retrieve vital files to assist her with the cases she's involved in. Does that answer your question?"
Mouth still agape, Anakin said, "Yes, Master. But that doesn't mean I'm not amazed by it still."
Satisfied for the moment, the trio hunted for a clue. After a few minutes, Mys leaned back in her chair sighing. "I can't believe it. Not only did she have personal properties all over the Galaxy, but she had hundreds more listed under Arbor Industries. This will take forever to sort through."
"Is there any way we can narrow the search?" Bant asked.
"I don't know how." They sat trying to find a way to weed through the extensive data.
Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Anakin tentatively spoke up, "Master, in the reports by Qui-Gon, there was frequent mention about her harbouring antidotes. Master Obi-Wan retrieved an antidote for Didi Odo from a small stash here on Simpla-12."
Still unsure where this train of thought was going, the Knight encouraged, "Yes, but most of her caches were confiscated and distributed as well."
"But someone as cunning as Jenna Zan Arbor might not reveal her entire inventory. Perhaps one of her warehouses had more hidden somewhere."
"Even if she did, there could be secret stores in any of her properties."
"But if I was Arbor, I would hide them in the place least likely to be searched. Someplace so obvious it would easily get looked over. Someplace big."
"I'm sure there are still plenty of places that could match that kind of description."
"Wait, Anakin may be right," Bant interjected, following this reasoning, "I remember Winna mentioning the clearing out of one of Arbor's Warehouses. We received many samples from there, so that we would be able to heal our people that contracted illnesses from their various missions. I asked her if they were able to distribute vaccines to everyone that needed them. She said yes, but she also mentioned that they thought they were going to find more that what they did. That there were some records listing out additional stores, but they couldn't find them."
Taking in the suggestions, MysAri decided, "So I'll input criteria to bring up all the warehouses and who might have bought them." The search didn't take long. Within minutes they had a considerably shortened list. She read off the first item, "Arbor Industries Laboratory and Warehouse." Selecting the property it brought up a detailed screen naming dimensions and various stats. She was about to go back to the main list when something caught her eye. "I don't believe it," she whispered.
"What? What did you find?" the other two asked in chorus.
"I think we found our prime choice. This was her main Laboratory on her home planet of Balesco. It also had a Warehouse housing virtually every thing she ever created."
It matched what they were looking for, but Bant was still not convinced, "So why would that be our prime choice?"
A dark shadow passed through the Knight's gaze. There was obviously something more to this than the others thought. "Because, this property was purchased by one of her top scientists; Harenti."
At first, both were baffled by her reasoning. Until Bant remembered her conversation with Obi-Wan when he had first learned of MysAri's illness. He mentioned a man named Harenti had introduced the contagion into MysAri 15 years ago. And he was working for Arbor at the time. The pieces started falling into place. "You mean…"
"Yes, Harenti bought this as soon as he was released. And he's always been loyal to Arbor. He doesn't even go to the 'fresher without her approval, which means Arbor wanted this property back for a reason. And I can bet what that reason is."
Anakin had been listening intently as the women worked through the problem. But when they managed to find an answer, he quickly made preparations to follow through with their deduction. He sat in his seat and began prepping the ship. As the engines warmed up he punched in the coordinates to Balesco.
The two Jedi women watched him in silence. No need to ask, since they already knew what he was doing, they were content to wait. It felt as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders, and they could feel the rightness of their decision in the Force. MysAri closed her eyes and stretched out with her mind, thinking of Obi-Wan. We're coming for you, Tschüxani, hold on just a little longer. She stood intending to re-take her position in the co-pilot's seat when a wave of dizziness swept over her. She reached for her head attempting to steady herself. Bant stood and came up behind her, seeing her moment of distress. "Are you alright?"
The Knight wanted to say she was fine, but she couldn't. Suddenly, a swell of power pierced her mind, rendering her unconscious instantly.
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So now that you've read it, tell me what you think. Thanks again! :D
More tomorrow!! :D :D :D