Adi bid the elder good-bye and turned to the others. "This news is distressing. It can't be a coincidence."
"Jenna Zan Arbor must be behind this," Qui-Gon said grimly. "She has done this before, introduced a virus or bacteria into a population in order to rush in at the last moment and save it."
"We'd better get to the royal grounds," Adi said.
Hurrying now, they followed the curving streets to the palace, which was visible on the main hill of the city. The palace gates stood open to all so that the population could enjoy the gardens. As they walked through they could see that large temporary domes had been set up on the wide lawns surrounding the sprawling rosy palace. Medics walked rapidly by them, and some children sat on benches nearby. They wore white robes, and their thin faces were turned toward the sun.
Adi looked shaken. "If Zan Arbor is responsible, this is monstrous."
"Could she deliberately make all these children sick?" Siri asked.
"I'm afraid she could," Qui-Gon said.
Tup swallowed. "If she could do this to kids, imagine what she would have done to us."
They asked a medic for Uta S'orn's whereabouts, and he pointed them to a garden at the back of one of the Ward Domes. They found S'orn sitting on a bench, watching over a group of children. Instead of her usual jeweled head-wrapping, she wore one of fine white linen. A small girl with dark curls sat in her lap.
Uta S'orn was speaking to the girl with a smile on her face, but it faded when she saw the Jedi.
"This is a surprise," she said to Qui-Gon. She gave a disdainful glance to Astri, Cholly, Weez, and Tup. "Is this your new entourage?"
The little girl shrank shyly back against Uta S'orn's lap. Qui-Gon crouched down and smiled gently at her.
"And who are you?"
"Joli K'atel," she said, and added confidingly, "I'm sick."
"I am very sorry to hear that. But I'm sure you will be well again."
She nodded. "My father says it is so."
"Then it is so," Qui-Gon said gravely.
Uta S'orn gently eased the girl off her lap and gave her a gentle pat. "Go sit with the others, Joli. I need to speak to these people.
Unfortunately."
The little girl wandered off, the sash of her robe trailing in the grass. Uta S'orn's face was creased with worry as she watched her.
"I have volunteered as a med aide," she said quietly. "I thought I could help. I did not know it would break my heart."
"Is that the Leader's daughter?" Adi asked.
"Yes. But she is no more important than all of these children," Uta S'orn said, waving her hand to take in the Ward Domes. "They are our future. We must save them." She turned to them. "What is it that you want?
As you can see, I am busy. Why are you here? It seems I cannot get away from the Jedi."
"We have reason to believe that Jenna Zan Arbor — " Qui-Gon began.
She stood up angrily. "Not this again. You have told me what you believe about my former friend. I have not heard from her, nor do I wish to. She has nothing to do with me."
"But we think that she does," Adi said. "We think that she is here, on Belasco. We're not sure why. There could be some link that we are overlooking, some reason she needs to contact you again."
"But she hasn't," Uta S'orn said impatiently. "And I will not see her if she tries. All right?"
"She might insist," Qui-Gon said. "And she can. Ona Nobis is here as well. She has kidnapped and killed for Jenna Zan Arbor before."
"If you're trying to frighten me, it isn't working," Uta S'orn said dismissively. "I have no time to worry about phantom threats. My world is dying. I see now there was a reason I returned here."
"We are merely trying to protect you — "
"No need. I am safe here. Although we have no king, the royal droid guards still protect the Leader and everyone on the grounds. Thank you for your concern, but Ona Nobis cannot get to me here. Now if you'll excuse me, there are sick children to tend."
Uta S'orn walked away.
"I guess she has a point," Siri said, glancing around at the busy grounds as medics walked by and guard droids, their shells polished to a golden gleam, patrolled. "It would be hard for Ona Nobis to get to her here."
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance. "I'm afraid, Siri, that in our experience," Qui-Gon said, "Ona Nobis can get anywhere."
Chapter 13
"Why didn't you tell Uta S'orn that we suspect Jenna Zan Arbor has engineered the bacteria explosion?" Obi-Wan asked Qui-Gon as they left the royal grounds.
"Because we have no proof, only our suspicions," Qui-Gon said. "She would not believe us. She doesn't even believe that Zan Arbor is here."
"Nevertheless, she will take care, just in case," Adi said. "Despite what she said, she is afraid of Ona Nobis."
"We have to get proof," Qui-Gon said.
"I'm confused," Siri admitted. "I don't understand why Zan Arbor would come to Belasco at all."
"We know that Zan Arbor killed Uta S'orn's son. Uta S'orn knows it, too. But Zan Arbor doesn't know that she knows — as far as she's concerned, Uta S'orn is still an old friend," Adi explained. "Perhaps Zan Arbor came here because S'orn is a powerful ally, and she needs her help."
"That could be," Qui-Gon said, nodding. "And Zan Arbor feels she still needs the protection of Ona Nobis as well. She knows we will be pursuing her. Yes, I think Zan Arbor will contact Uta S'orn. But we must convince S'orn that Zan Arbor is here. Let's go back to the landing platform. If we can prove that Zan Arbor landed on Belasco, Uta S'orn might listen. In the meantime, even if Zan Arbor used an alias, we should be able to track her."
"How can I help?" Astri asked.
"The royal grounds are open to all," Qui-Gon said. "And those guard droids seem to have a mostly ceremonial function. Someone needs to stay there and watch Uta S'orn. Ona Nobis could show up at anytime."