Qui-Gon inserted himself smoothly into the conversation before it could flare into open argument. “You say that Leed has disappeared. He left no word of where he was going?”
“No,” Meenon said, turning his back to Taroon. “I do not know where he is.”
Taroon put himself in front of Meenon again. “And you’ll swear to this?” he demanded, eyes flashing.
Meenon gazed at Taroon. “I do not need to swear. I do not lie.”
Qui-Gon spoke a beat more quickly than his usual reserve. Obi-Wan knew that he was trying to restrain Taroon without seeming to. “This is unfortunate.”
Meenon shrugged. “He knew of your coming. I assume that is why he is in hiding. He does not want to return to Rutan.”
“We are not here to force him,” Qui-Gon said. “We only wish to talk to him.”
“I assured him that if he met with you I would not allow him to be taken back to Rutan by force,” Meenon said. “Apparently he has taken matters into his own hands despite my advice.”
“We will search for him, with your permission,” Qui-Gon said as Taroon fumed beside him. “Can we question the family who brought him up?”
“Here on Senali we live in clans,” Meenon said. “I entrusted him to my sister’s clan, the Banoosh-Walores. They live one kilometer to the west, on Clear Lake. You are welcome to question them.”
Qui-Gon nodded. “We will be in touch.”
“I wish you ease and serenity,” Meenon said, bowing.
Obi-Wan could feel Taroon’s anger as they walked out of the courtyard to exit Meenon’s dwelling.
“He wishes us ease and serenity after such news?” Taroon said, disgusted. “He was mocking us!”
“It is a traditional good-bye of the Senali,” Qui-Gon remarked mildly.
“This is intolerable!” Taroon continued. “He plays us for fools!”
“Your father will not take this news well,” Qui-Gon said. “He will be angry, as you are.”
“I am nothing like my father,” Taroon said through his teeth.
“I wonder if Meenon knows more than he is telling,” Obi-Wan wondered.
“Of course he does,” Taroon spit out. “All Senali are treacherous. This is simply a tactic to delay us.”
“Let’s hope we can learn something from his sister’s clan,” Qui-Gon said. “Until then, let us remain calm.”
They walked out into the bright sunlight. Suddenly Taroon wheeled and kicked a tall flowering bush that stood near the entrance to the dwelling. He attacked it in a frenzy, fists flailing and feet flying. Red petals showered from the bush and soon were strewn all over the walkway.
“Well, I see you have inherited your father’s temper, at least,” Qui-Gon remarked.
5
The red-and-blue dwelling of the Banoosh-Walore clan was part of the main city of Senali, which was built on floating docks and platforms. The various islands were connected to each other by graceful silver bridges that arched over the blue water.
The brightly painted structure sprawled over a large area. The main part of the dwelling was merely a frame connected with walls of woven fronds that rolled up to let in sea breezes. One wall was let down to protect those inside from the sun. The rest of the house was open on three sides. There was no need to knock. They could see the members of the clan gathered in the large central room.
A tall female Senali with pink coral studded in her short dark hair beckoned them inside. “Meenon said you were arriving. Welcome, welcome! Let me introduce you. I am Ganeed, Meenon’s sister. These are my sons Hinen and Jaret, and this is Jaret’s wife Mesan and their daughter Tawn. That is Drenna, my youngest, and Wek, my sister’s boy, and Nonce, and my husband, Garth, and my father, Tonai. Oh, and there’s my elder mother, Nin, and the baby, we call her Bu.”
A small boy tugged on Ganeed’s tunic. “And me!”
She put a hand on his head. “Of course, Tinta. I didn’t forget you. I saved you for last because you are so important.”
Obi-Wan nodded to the bustling, busy group. He knew he would never be able to keep the names straight. He had recently begun memory training at the Temple. He could redraw a tech blueprint that he had only glimpsed for ten seconds or recite a complicated formula he had just heard once, but he still was not very skilled at remembering the names of a crowd of living beings. He counted on Qui-Gon to do that.
One of Ganeed’s sons, either Jaret or Hinen, sat at a long table, peeling fruit with a young Senali female. Was it Wek or Mesan? The elder Senali stood at a stove, stirring something in a pot that smelled delicious. A young man rocked the baby, and a slender young Senali female with silvery hair sat in a corner, mending a fishing net. Everyone seemed to be talking at once, and he could not distinguish any one voice except for Ganeed, who called for everyone to be quiet. Finally she picked up a pot and spoon and banged on the pot bottom. The clan members finally were still.
“There,” she said with satisfaction.
Taroon remained a stiff presence by Obi-Wan’s side. Obi-Wan felt just as awkward. He admired the way Qui-Gon swung his leg over a stool and began to speak earnestly with Tinta, admiring a toy in the small boy’s hand. Obi-Wan did not have the knack of ease with strangers.
“I should say right away that we have no idea where Leed is,” Ganeed said, without waiting for Qui-Gon to ask a question. “He left a note which said only that it would be better for his clan if we did not know.”
Qui-Gon nodded. “I see.”
One of Ganeed’s sons spoke up. “That is just like Leed. He does not like to cause trouble.” His wife nodded. “He is very kind.”
Ganeed’s husband, Garth, chimed in. “Even as a boy his kindness endeared him to everyone. It is a pity such trouble has come to him.”
“A pity his father will not listen to reason,” Hinen—or was it Jaret? —said.
Obi-Wan saw Taroon’s hands clench into fists, hidden by his tunic. The prince was struggling to contain himself. Qui-Gon had warned him to let the Jedi do all the talking.
The elder Nin looked up from the stove. “He always had his own way of doing things, our Leed. Set the table for the meal, Wek, if you please. Will our guests join us?”
“I’m afraid we cannot, but I thank you,” Qui-Gon said politely.
The boy Wek began to set places at the long table. He appeared only a year or two younger than Leed. Were they close companions? Obi-Wan wondered.
The same thought must have crossed Qui-Gon’s mind. “Is there any special place Leed is fond of going, Wek?” he asked in a kind tone.
Wek placed a bowl on the table. “Well, he likes to swim,” he said.
“When he isn’t sailing,” Jaret or Hinen said.
“True, Jaret,” the other son said. At least Obi-Wan could now keep the two of them straight.
“I love to sail!” Tinta cried. “Leed taught me how, and—”
“But he was always walking in the forest, don’t forget,” Mesan interrupted, turning to Jaret. “That’s where I would look—” She stopped abruptly to pick up the baby, Bu, who had begun to fuss.
“He only goes in spring,” Nonce broke in over the wailing of the baby. He walked to the stove and began to help Nin, slicing bread for the meal. “He—”
“He goes in summer, too! Everyone goes in summer!” Wek argued. “You just don’t notice because—”
“Who goes in summer? It’s too hot,” Tawn broke in. “Leed likes the cool water and long swims. And—”
“Food,” Hinen said, leaning over to snatch a piece of bread off the counter. “Leed likes his meals. He’ll be back before long—ow!” he cried as Nonce rapped his knuckles with a wooden spoon.
The baby began to cry again, and Jaret took her from Mesan’s arms. Tinta began to quarrel with the other young boy.
“I agree with Jaret,” Tonai said serenely over the noise of the baby crying and the voices raised in a quarrel. “I would search the forest, not the sea.”