The light over the door flashed, then slid open partway. Manex's protocol droid, fashioned of highly polished black plastoid, hovered.
"Manex has returned and would like a word with the Jedi," it said.
Glad for the interruption, Qui-Gon turned. "Please tell him to come in."
A moment later the door opened wider and Manex entered, along with Obi-Wan and Bant.
"Excuse the interruption please," Manex said, running a hand through his cropped curly hair. For the first time, Qui-Gon noticed that it had begun to turn gray like his brother's. "I have just come from the United Legislature, and I have some news that I thought you needed to hear. I'm glad to see the new Jedi team has arrived."
"I am Mace Windu and this is Bant," Mace said.
Manex bowed his greeting. "I'm honored to have distinguished Jedi in my home. But I'm afraid that my news is not good. Information has been leaked to the Senators that Tahl was helping the Absolutes. There is a holotape of a meeting that she chaired in which she is discussing taking over the government."
"Tahl was working undercover in order to expose the Absolutes," Obi- Wan explained.
"The Senators don't know what to believe," Manex said.
"How did this tape get circulated?" Mace asked.
"Balog," Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon said together.
"Obviously it's been leaked by him," Obi-Wan continued. "He needs to discredit the Jedi in order to prepare the way to return to power."
"It doesn't matter," Qui-Gon said. "We'll clear Tahl's name when we find Balog."
"If you can find him quickly," Manex said gravely. "My fear is that he will come to, power and we won't be able to charge him with anything. Do you know who is backing him? Whoever it is, he or she must be powerful."
"We are not certain of anything," Mace said. The Jedi were not ready to confide in Manex. He knew nothing of Alani's treachery. He might even be an ally of hers.
"I have further news," Manex said. "I have been appointed Acting Supreme Governor until the elections are held. I haven't sought this position, nor do I want it. I'm a businessman, not a politician. But the Senators prevailed on my love of my planet and my desire for peace. They feel that Roan's brother has the best chance of holding the government together. No doubt the election period will be volatile. I've tightened security and closed the Absolute Museum. We are mainly trying to keep the people calm. And there's one more thing. As Acting Supreme Governor, I'm making an official request to the Jedi. I'd like you to oversee the preparations for the upcoming elections. We are holding them in three days.
We can't afford to wait. It's the only way to keep the peace."
"But not everyone trusts the Jedi," Obi-Wan said. "I'm sure the Tahl holotape didn't help."
"There are enough who do," Manex said. "And once you find Balog, as you said, Tahl's name will be cleared. Until then, you'll have all my support. I've instructed World Security to give you cooperation."
Mace nodded. "Then we accept."
Qui-Gon bristled. Mace had not even glanced at him, or sought his opinion. He would have been against the acceptance.
"I'll leave you, then," Manex said. He rushed out, his gold robe swirling around his soft, polished boots.
Qui-Gon knew he should speak diplomatically, but he didn't have time for tact. "This is a mistake," he told Mace. "Overseeing elections will divert us from the investigation of Tahl's death. We should be concentrating on finding Balog."
Mace took Qui-Gon's stern tone in stride. "I disagree," he said. "The political situation is part of the pursuit of justice for Tahl's killer. It is all tied together. We will be in the perfect position to gain information. Not to mention that our overall mission was to restore New Apsolon to stability. If the Supreme Governor requests our help in a legitimate cause, the Jedi must agree."
Qui-Gon pressed his lips together. He knew better than to push the argument further. But he was furious at Mace's decision. He wanted to stalk out of the room, out of the house, and keep going. He wanted to push an airspeeder as fast as he could, even without a direction. Frustration boiled inside him. With every second that ticked away, he could feel Balog slipping out of his reach.
Chapter 4
"I suggest that we find our quarters and take some refreshment," Mace said, turning to Bant. "We had a long journey, and we don't know when we'll get a chance to rest. Then we'll head to the United Legislature and get started."
Obi-Wan had felt Qui-Gon's displeasure with Mace's decision. It was clear how deeply he disagreed with Mace. Obi-Wan knew that Qui-Gon saw this as a waste of time. But his Master had not come up with an alternative plan, either.
Mace lifted an eyebrow at Qui-Gon. "If you had an idea of Balog's whereabouts, or a way to find him, we would delay and follow your lead. But until then, the only course open to us is to gather information."
Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon. His Master had not told Mace about the probe droids he'd sent out to find Balog. It was one thing to break the laws of a planet because a Jedi was in immediate danger of death. It was another to employ them in tracking a citizen of the planet where they were illegal. He wasn't sure how Mace would react, which was most likely why Qui-Gon did not tell him. The Jedi were already on uncertain footing on the planet.
Mace and Bant left the room. The tension did not dissolve. Qui-Gon paced, brooding. Clearly, he did not want to talk.
Manex's protocol droid once again hovered in the doorway. "So sorry to intrude. Another visitor. She says you know her, so I took the liberty.
Her name is Yanci."
"Yanci? Show her in, please," Obi-Wan said, surprise in his voice.
Yanci was the Rock Worker medic who had fixed his leg after a rock had crushed it. She had come after them and begged for their help in resisting an Absolute attack on their settlement. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had returned with her, but it was too late. Every man, woman, and child had been killed.
Yanci's terrible grief still burned in Obi-Wan's memory.
Yanci entered the room. Obi-Wan could see at once that she had changed in the course of two days. The massacre of her fellow Workers along with the death of the man she loved had etched sorrow into her features.