“My cousin Mica brings me everything now that I am in hiding.” Lena smiled at the silent Mica. “She brought me this tea yesterday. And today she has brought you to me as well.” Lena turned her infectious smile on the Jedi; Obi-Wan found that it was nearly impossible not to smile back.
“She is too good to me.” Lena’s upbeat voice gave no clue that there was any real threat. “She insists on staying with me without any thought of the danger to herself. I know I should not allow it.”
“You are the one who does not give any thought to putting yourself in danger,” Mica said softly.
As Lena watched her cousin stand and leave the room, Obi-Wan thought he caught a first glimpse of tension and fear on her face. He looked at Qui-Gon to see if he too had noticed it, but Qui-Gon had retreated inside himself once more and was gazing into his tea cup.
“I’m sorry,” Lena apologized, suddenly placing her hand to her brow. “I’m wasting your time, and I have not been entirely honest.”
Obi-Wan sat up and Qui-Gon placed his cup on the table. They did not speak, but waited for Lena to continue.
“It is true that I need an escort to Coruscant. And it is true that I wish to testify against the Cobral. I must complete the task that Rutin started. The task he died for.” Lena’s voice caught and she stood, turning toward the shrouded windows before continuing. “In so many ways it is my fault. I did not mean to fall in love with him. I did not know he was a Cobral. But love isn’t a choice, is it?”
Obi-Wan thought he saw Qui-Gon nod slightly.
“Before we married, Rutin promised he could stop the crime, but he could not stand to be cast out of his family. He was his parents’ favorite and he loved them. He hoped that he could convince them to change their ways. He was not content to remove himself; he wanted to stop it all.” Lena spoke more quickly as she went on, as if she could not stop the flow of words.
“But then his brother Solan found out that Rutin was trying to change things. Furious, he went to their father. Rutin could not close the crime ring from the inside. So he decided to try to close it from the outside. It was the hardest decision he ever made. I wanted him to get out, but I begged him not to risk his life. He insisted. For me, he said. He did it for me.” Lena paused again and turned back toward the Jedi. Her dark eyes were moist with tears.
Obi-Wan felt she was looking only at him, and her eyes bore straight into his heart. It was as if she were searching him, checking to see if he had the strength and courage to help her. If he could be trusted.
Obi-Wan knew instinctively that he trusted her. There was something about the way she carried herself, about the way she spoke. She was not lying to them. He could sense her fear, yes, but also her honesty. And he could feel her strength. Lena Cobral was not a coward.
“That is why I must carry out his plan,” Lena said, straightening. “I can’t let Rutin’s death be for nothing. I will testify, I will stop the crime. But…”
Obi-Wan leaned in. So far the story was as he expected. But what?
“I don’t have any solid evidence to bring before the Senate.” Lena sighed. “Rutin worked very hard to protect me. Although I have heard many things, as all Fregans have, I have only my word against theirs.”
Qui-Gon stood. Obi-Wan could tell by the look on his face that he was not happy about being fooled. They were sent to escort a witness in danger and now it seemed their witness had no testimony.
“Please,” Lena said, taking Qui-Gon’s large hand. “I beg you, stay until I have the proper evidence. I know it exists—lists and dates, accounts and records of the Cobrals’ crimes. With your help—”
“We were sent only to protect you. If you cannot testify we must return to Coruscant alone,” Qui-Gon said flatly.
Obi-Wan flushed, unable to believe what he was hearing. How could Qui-Gon deny this woman help?
3
“Master!” Obi-Wan said, more sharply than he’d intended. “I—” He stopped, realizing that it would not be good to discuss their differing opinions in front of Lena. “I would like to speak with you,” he finished.
Obi-Wan nodded to Lena and walked quickly toward the stairs and down one flight. Qui-Gon’s footsteps followed. When he reached the landing, Obi-Wan whirled.
“Master, you can’t mean to leave this woman here. She is obviously scared and in danger!” he burst out.
“She lied to us about having evidence, Obi-Wan. Who’s to say she is not lying about the danger as well?” Qui-Gon said calmly.
“Her fear is real,” Obi-Wan said. “Surely you can feel that. We cannot abandon her.” His face felt warm. He had not spoken so strongly to his Master since before Tahl’s death, but since then Qui-Gon seemed to feel nothing outside of himself.
Qui-Gon gazed at his Padawan for some time. Obi-Wan did not look away. He would not allow Qui-Gon to walk away from this.
“We can stay for two days, that is all. If she does not have the evidence by that time we will return to Coruscant without her,” Qui-Gon decided. “But I do not think this is a good idea. You are letting your emotions guide you.”
“I will not regret it,” Obi-Wan said tightly.
“That is my hope,” his Master replied.
Anger and frustration welled up inside Obi-Wan. He started back up the stairs without another word. Hadn’t Qui-Gon let his emotions guide him in the past? If only his Master would allow himself to feel some of those emotions now he would understand. They were making the right decision. Lena—and Frego—needed them.
Struggling to let go of his frustration, Obi-Wan paused before reentering the living quarters. Lena heard the Jedi on the stairs and turned. Her face was full of hope.
“We will stay two days,” Obi-Wan told her with a smile.
“We will protect you while we are here, but that is all. We will not gather evidence against the Cobral,” Qui-Gon added.
It was enough. Lena threw her arms around Obi-Wan’s neck. “Thank you,” she said in his ear. “Thank you. It is more than I can ask.”
Obi-Wan felt his face and neck grow warm as he hugged Lena back awkwardly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Qui-Gon and, behind him, Mica. Neither of them were smiling.
“Two days will be plenty, but there is no time to waste,” Lena said.
She dashed from the room and returned a moment later with a robe similar to Mica’s. She quickly coiled her hair and pinned it on her head before covering it with a hood.
“I’m coming with you,” Mica stated.
Lena shook her head. “There’s no reason to put you in danger, too.”
Obi-Wan thought he saw a flicker of annoyance in Mica’s expression, but she was silent as the Jedi and Lena left the apartment.
Lena’s manner was very brusque and her expression one of pure determination as she led the Jedi outside into the alley. Obi-Wan noticed her brows were drawn before she covered them with a pair of dark goggles that hid most of her face.
Lena moved through the streets even faster than her cousin. She led the Jedi from the dark, towering warehouses to a neighborhood filled with tall, sparkling buildings. Bubble like turbolifts silently glided up and down their outside walls.
Lena came to an abrupt halt a dozen meters away from a particularly large and grand-looking building. Three imposing men stood on guard outside the bubble turbolift.
“We’ll have to go in the back way,” Lena said, finally turning toward the Jedi. She sighed sadly. “I haven’t been back to my apartment since—”
“Your apartment?” Qui-Gon interrupted.
Obi-Wan guessed that his Master was not entirely surprised about their destination, but that he didn’t think going inside was a good idea.
Obi-Wan wasn’t sure it was, either. But he wanted to help Lena.
“Are you certain that’s wise?” Qui-Gon finished.
“We have no choice,” Lena explained. “There’s vital information inside. I need it to testify.