Jedi Apprentice Special Edition 2: The Followers

Chapter 10

By the time the ship landed on Kodai, Obi-Wan felt refreshed and no longer afraid. He was ready to move forward with the mission.

Unfortunately, doing so was not going to be easy.

Although the Jedi were quite certain that they were on the right planet, it was not at all obvious where they should go or what they should do. It was only clear that they were running out of time.

Not to mention that wherever they went, they seemed to be attacked.

Their pursuer, or pursuers, would not be shaken and wanted them stopped.

After dropping the Jedi off on a tiny platform in the sole island city of Rena, Elda entered new coordinates into her navcomputer.

"Don't think I'm sticking around just because you diffused that bomb, " she grumbled, eyeing the shabby-looking city. "Good luck to both of you,"

she added, shaking her head. "I have a feeling you're going to need it."

"Thanks for the support," Obi-Wan said dryly as he and Qui-Gon walked down the ship's ramp. "And the transport, of course."

Out in the bright sunshine, the Jedi had to shade their eyes until they adjusted to the light reflecting off the vast sea. The city was small and appeared to have few inhabitants outside. There were cantinas, a single lodging house, and a marketplace where locals exchanged and bought food, most of which was harvested from the sea. Giant walls lined the streets — an attempt at flood protection, Obi-Wan guessed.

While the locals didn't stare at them — in fact, nobody looked at them at all — Obi-Wan got the feeling that they were definitely being noticed. The Kodaians were trying too hard not to look at them. As the Jedi approached they cast their yellow eyes downward or bent their slender necks to study the horizon in the opposite direction.

"Do you get the feeling they wish we were invisible?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Our presence seems to pain them."

"Exactly," Obi-Wan agreed. It was a strange feeling.

"Let's check the lodging quarters," Qui-Gon suggested. "We need a place to stay, and Lundi may be there as well."

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement and they strolled into a shabby but clean lobby. A thin Kodaian sat on a stool behind a counter. When he saw the no- longer-disguised Jedi, he nervously got to his feet.

"May I assist you with something?" he asked, fiddling with his stubby fingers and gazing at the floor. Obi-Wan wondered if he was always this agitated around his customers.

"We would like to rent one of your spaces," Qui-Gon explained. "Do you have any to spare?"

The Kodaian closed his golden eyes for a moment, surprised by the question, and Obi-Wan guessed that Kodai and the quarters did not have visitors particularly often. After taking Qui-Gon's credits, the Kodaian placed a card with a door code on the counter. Their room was 4R.

"We are also looking for a Quermian guest we believe you have at the moment. A Doctor Murk Lundi."

The Kodian winced at the mention of Lundi's name. Without making eye contact he pointed to an old turbolift at the end of the hall. "His quarters are on the second floor, number 2F."

The Kodaian looked around to see if anyone was nearby before continuing, then leaned forward and addressed Obi-Wan's boots. "He's a fine guest. He hasn't spoken to anyone since he got here. Hasn't even come out of his room."

Obi-Wan thought this was interesting information. He had gotten the distinct impression that the professor liked an audience. Any audience.

"Thank you," Qui-Gon said, taking the key.

The Jedi made their way down the hall and stepped into the turbolift.

An older model, it shuddered as it moved up the single flight to the second floor.

Dr. Lundi's room was located at the end of the hall, and the room next to it was rented out. With the exception of breaking in or listening at the door, there was no way to know what was going on inside.

Obi-Wan put his ear to the door and focused his auditory senses, but found it difficult to concentrate. It almost felt as if something was blocking his connection to the Force. He could not hear anything on the other side.

"Why do you suppose he would hurry to get here only to lock himself up and do nothing?" Obi-Wan asked.

"We do not know what he is doing," Qui-Gon pointed out. "It's impossible to tell what is going on inside."

Another dead end. Obi-Wan let out a long sigh. Fear and frustration began to well in him once again, and he closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles until he felt these emotions fade. It was not easy, but he was able to do it.

Qui-Gon was smiling faintly and nodding at him when Obi-Wan opened his eyes. "Well done, Padawan." He pointed toward the turbolift. "Perhaps we can gather information if we talk to the Kodaians," he added, turning away from the closed door.

Obi-Wan followed. "Right," he said sarcastically. "After we get them to look deep into our eyes."

"So glad to see you are maintaining a sense of humor," Qui-Gon said as they stepped back into the turbolift.

Back outside, it quickly became clear that it would be nearly impossible to get Kodaians to talk to them openly.

"Excuse me," Obi-Wan said, trying to appear friendly as he approached a Kodaian woman.

The Kodaian stopped but did not look up at the Jedi. She stepped from one foot to the other as if unable to stand still. "Yes?" she whispered.

"We are looking for information about a Quermian visitor. A professor. He is here to dig up an artifact at the bottom of the sea — "

At the mention of the bottom of the sea the woman looked up, clearly alarmed. Her eyes were as large as saucers and her hands began to tremble.

"I cannot help you," she said. "I must go now."

Watching her hurry away, Obi-Wan wondered if her fear was caused by interaction with outlanders or the mention of the sea, the current state of the moons, and the impending low tide. Or perhaps Kodaians simply lived in a constant state of fear because of their difficult past. Whatever the reason, she clearly did not want to share information.

Obi-Wan was looking around for someone else who might talk to them when he spotted a young boy watching them from several meters away. Unlike the other Kodaians, he looked right at them and did not seem afraid.

"Have you seen a visitor with a long neck and many arms and hands?"

Qui-Gon asked, approaching the boy.

The boy nodded and pointed to the lodging quarters. "He's inside. But hasn't come out. If you want information, go to the cantina and ask for Reis. He'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Obi-Wan smiled down at the boy, grateful for the tip. "Thanks," he said.

Reis was not hard to find. He sat in a bare, dingy corner sipping a mug of drale, the only humanoid in the place. His gray hair was matted against his head and his face was unshaven.

But his dark eyes were sharp as he took in the approaching Jedi.

"Mind if we sit down?" Qui-Gon asked.

Reis continued to size up each of the Jedi in turn, pausing where their lightsabers hung from their utility belts. "Not at all," he said.

"I've always got time to talk to Jedi. Suppose you want to know all about the Holocron, eh?"

Obi-Wan felt a wave of shock at the mention of the word Holocron.

Finally, someone else said it first. Perhaps now they would get the answers they so desperately needed.

The Jedi were quick to sit down, and Reis smiled. "Thought that might get your attention," he said. He took a long swig of drale.

"It's there, all right," he said, putting the mug down. "Been there for thousands of years. Problem is, no one can seem to get it. Everyone wants it, but no one can get it. They try, but turn up dead or crazy every time."

"Yet attempts are still made to retrieve it?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Of course. People can't leave that kind of power alone," Reis replied with a wave of his grubby hand. He leaned toward the Jedi, and Obi- Wan could smell the stale drale on his breath. "I've heard that somebody, somewhere has offered to pay an incredibly large fortune for the Holocron.

Nobody knows who it is. Still, it makes going after it a pretty desirable propo — "

Obi-Wan suddenly stopped listening when a familiar figure entered the bar. It looked like Omal, from Dr. Lundi's lecture on Coruscant. The younger Jedi squinted, but the cantina was dark and he couldn't be sure.

With a pang of guilt he realized that his observation abilities hadn't been their strongest at the lecture. Things had been a little hazy.

"Excuse me," Obi-Wan said, getting up from his chair and ignoring Qui-Gon's quizzical look. If it was Omal, Obi-Wan wanted to talk to him.

Obi-Wan crossed the cantina quickly, but not quickly enough. Whoever was at the bar saw him coming. With a panicked glance over his shoulder, the person disappeared out the door and into the street.