Irini glanced at him. "What they did not realize, the Absolutes, was that for the one being tortured it somehow helped to know others were watching. The Absolutes thought only of the pain they could inflict — the double pain of the victim and the watcher, you see. But the victims took courage from the idea that they would be brave for those who knew and loved them. They would withstand anything for love. Probe droids are illegal on New Apsolon now. No one wants to bring back those days again."
She looked back at the screens again. "There were many days in this place that I said goodbye to life. Yet I did manage to survive."
"It must be difficult for you to return," Qui-Gon said. "And yet here you are, giving tours to others."
"Remembering is most important," Irini said. In the dim light, she held up her twisted hand. "I considered myself lucky to leave with only one hand damaged. They broke my hand in order to prevent me from working in the tech sector again. But what they stupidly did not know was that I am left- handed. I was just as fast a worker when I got out. Maybe faster. I had no trouble getting another job." Her smile was unexpectedly brilliant, lighting up her tense, drawn face. "I had a cause to work for."
"Have all the Absolutes been arrested?" Qui-Gon asked.
Irini shook her head as she led them down a catwalk to a lower level, past another row of cells, these with low ceilings so that an adult could not stand upright. They had to duck their heads as she led them inside. Her tunic gaped slightly as she bent, and Obi-Wan saw a small slender chain with a silver emblem around her neck. The delicacy of the jewelry seemed at odds with her brusque manner and severe clothing.
"Not by any means. Many of the former Absolutes went underground.
Some were protected by powerful allies among the Civilized. Recently secret records of the Absolutes were found. The government sealed them. That is one thing the Workers are still fighting. We want the records opened so that we can know who our enemies were."
"Why were they sealed?" Obi-Wan asked. Irini led them out of the tiny chamber and back to the catwalk. Obi-Wan took a relieved breath that he tried to hide. After only a few seconds in the dark, tiny space, he had felt as though an oppressive weight was on him.
"Those in power say that to release the records would compromise the efforts underway to find the criminals. Also, there were mere bureaucrats in the Absolutes — secretaries, assistants, tech people who were not involved in torture or containment. What kind of punishment do they deserve, if any? The government is afraid that if they release the names of these people, there will be mob rule and a chance for violence out of revenge. They say each person on this list must be investigated before the name is released. There are some among the Workers who do not believe this.
They believe it is merely another attempt to shield the criminals. Roan had promised to release the records after he was elected, but has not done so."
"Yet," Qui-Gon said.
"Yet," Irini said. "Or maybe never. He is a Civilized, after all."
She opened the door back into the main area of the building. A draft blew from the empty space, blowing back Qui-Gon's robe. Irini stood, holding the door open, facing him. Her eyes flicked down to his utility belt.
Her dark eyes flared with surprise. "You are a Jedi."
"What makes you think so?" Qui-Gon asked.
"I know a lightsaber when I see one." Irini's gaze ticked over them.
"I should have known you weren't just tourists. Why are you here? Did Roan send for you? Are things so dangerous for him on New Apsolon that he feels he needs to call on the Jedi for protection?"
"I get the impression that you do not trust Roan," Qui-Gon said.
Irini's eyes went flat, and she stared at him coolly. "The Absolutes taught me one thing, stupid as they were," she said. "Trust no one."
Chapter 7
As they exited the museum, Obi-Wan's mind was full of reflections on what he had seen. He could not imagine lrini's choice to continue to walk into that building and give tours, to return to a place where she had been tortured and abused. Then he remembered Bant. She had almost died in the waterfall pool at the Temple, yet it was still her favorite place to swim.
She said it was better to remember than to forget.
But how much remembering was good to do? How did you know when to put memories aside?
He looked over at Qui-Gon, ready to ask the question, but Qui-Gon did not seem in the mood to philosophize. His face was set in grim lines as he walked purposefully down the avenue, even though they had no purpose in mind.
"Something is wrong," Qui-Gon said under his breath. "I can feel her.
She is here. She is close. But something is wrong."
Qui-Gon's expression did not change, nor did his pace, but Obi-Wan felt a shift in his concentration.
"Do not turn around, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said. "When we come to the end of this avenue, go right. There appears to be an alleyway there. As soon as we turn, look for cover."
"Trouble?" Obi-Wan asked in the same calm tone.
"A probe droid."
"I thought they were illegal."
"Apparently they are still in use despite this. It could be merely surveillance. It might not be tracking us, but I think it is. Let's find out what it will do."
They reached the alley, and Obi-Wan quickly darted in, Qui-Gon at his heels. Immediately he saw that it was a service area for the buildings on that street. Gravsleds were outside some doors, and a skiff suitable for transporting goods sat in front of a utility entrance.
Without exchanging a word, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan darted behind the skiff. The probe droid zoomed into the alley and revolved, sensors blinking, searching for them.
Qui-Gon did not move. Obi-Wan knew his Master was waiting to see what would happen.
Was the probe droid programmed to keep searching? How determined was the surveillance?
The probe droid zoomed up the alley and back down, searching for movement. The Jedi were trained to keep perfectly still. They did not even blink. They could slow down their breathing and their life processes so that even the sensitive probe droid couldn't pick them up.