Jedi Apprentice Special Edition 2: The Followers

Chapter 6

Qui-Gon noted Obi-Wan's injury as well as the scowl on his face as the young Jedi peered down the street. There was no sign of anyone. Like Obi-Wan, he was wondering where Lundi could have gone so quickly. But he had witnessed stranger disappearing acts.

Obi-Wan turned back toward his Master. His mouth was slightly open, as if he were about to say something. But at that moment a third figure fled in the opposite direction. Without so much as a nod to each other, the Jedi gave chase.

The figure retreated down an alley and disappeared into a narrow walkway between two buildings. The Jedi followed close behind, nearly colliding into a duracrete wall. A dead end.

Qui-Gon ran his fingers along the wall's surface to see if it was some kind of temporary barrier. The wall seemed permanent and solid, but the elusive figure was nowhere to be found.

"This mission is making me crazy!" Obi-Wan said, exasperated. "We're not getting anywhere!"

Qui-Gon gazed steadily at his Padawan. Then he bent to take a closer look at the boy's wounded shoulder.

"I was surrounded by a street gang," Obi-Wan said more quietly, but he couldn't keep his frustration in check. "They were looking for trouble and when they found I was a Jedi they wanted to stop me even more." Obi- Wan's voice grew louder and he pulled away from his Master. "I don't understand how there can be so many people after us when we hardly know what we are after ourselves!"

The young Jedi's response was not appropriate, of course. A Jedi Knight did not throw temper tantrums. But this mission was frustrating. In addition to the humiliation of being injured by a band of ruffians, Obi- Wan, he realized suddenly, was feeling anger fed by close contact with the dark side. It was essential that he be patient and guide him in the right direction. If he didn't, the boy could take a fateful turn and be lost to him forever.

"You must not let the nature of this mission disturb you so, Padawan, " Qui-Gon said calmly.

"I know it is difficult. We are dealing with a powerful evil. But becoming angry only takes you a treacherous step closer to the dark side."

Obi-Wan looked down at his feet, as if ashamed of his anger.

"Anger and fear of the dark side are easy paths," Qui-Gon went on, as if Obi-Wan had spoken of his shame. "It is not difficult to let negative emotions overtake you. It is difficult to let them move through you and leave without reacting to them. Yet that is exactly what you must do."

Obi-Wan nodded, and Qui-Gon sensed that the boy understood in his head what, he was telling him. But he also knew that it was much harder to feel it in one's heart.

Without speaking, Qui-Gon turned and left the dead-end alleyway, heading back toward the street. "Let us review what we do know," he said as he strode forward. In truth he did not feel as confident about how to proceed as he appeared. But he wanted to give his Padawan a sense of positive direction.

"We know that Dr. Lundi has a large and zealous following of students — and many others as well. There are Sith Sects throughout the galaxy and they are very likely in touch with one another. That could explain why so many people are anxious to stop us. We know Lundi is after a Sith Holocron, and that he needs difficult-to-obtain mining equipment to get it. Or at least he would have liked to have had the equipment to go after it. We also know that there is some question of timing, and whether Lundi can manage the powerful Holocron on his own."

"Those are just the rantings of a delusional student," Obi-Wan pointed out. "One who was desperate to be included on the trip."

Qui-Gon paused in his step, but only slightly. "True," he agreed.

"But we have received accurate information from far stranger sources."

Obi-Wan did not respond, and Qui-Gon did not pressure him any further. The boy needed time to process his emotions.

The Jedi decided to head back to the hangar. If they moved quickly they might be able to steal aboard Dr. Lundi's newly hired ship before it departed.

Making their way back toward the marketplace, Qui-Gon pulled his comlink from his utility belt. It was time to contact the Jedi Council.

This mission was anything but ordinary, and he wanted to keep Yoda informed about how it was developing.

He was surprised by the information that Yoda had for him.

"Information about another, larger collection of Sith items we have,"

Yoda said gravely. His voice was steady, but Qui-Gon sensed that the wise Jedi Master was alarmed nonetheless. "An anonymous informant it was."

Qui-Gon listened intently to everything Yoda said, pausing in the street several times. Obi-Wan slowed alongside him, his eyes registering curiosity and concern. When the transmission was finished, Qui-Gon sighed heavily. He was beginning to get a bad feeling about all of this.

"They've discovered other Sith artifacts," Qui-Gon began.

"I thought it was something like that," Obi-Wan said with a serious nod. "What did they find?"

"A whole storehouse full of partially constructed weapons and devices, and copies of Dr. Lundi's texts and teachings," Qui-Gon replied.

"The trademark drawing of a Sith Holocron was on the wall."

Obi-Wan was quiet for a moment as they continued to head back to the hangar. "Where was the storehouse?" he finally asked.

"Umgul, in the Mid Rim," Qui-Gon replied. He quickened his stride slightly. The sooner they got back to the hangar, the better.

Obi-Wan kept up with his Master. "Nowhere near the first stash," he said thoughtfully.

"Exactly," Qui-Gon agreed with a nod. Though he and his apprentice had only recently become aware of them, Sith Sect followers were becoming a hard, cold fact of life.

Qui-Gon moved past an alien selling electronic gadgets and a humanoid female pushing a loaded fruit cart.

Do they study the Sith? he wondered.

A small crowd of people suddenly appeared in front of Qui-Gon, and he momentarily lost track of his apprentice. Normally this would not have bothered him. It was impossible to keep his eyes on his Padawan at all times. But for some reason this time it was disturbing.

Before he could weave through the cluster, blaster fire rang out.