“We can get in through the galley,” she said, motioning with her head toward a small entrance.
Qui-Gon watched as Lena and Obi-Wan moved silently into position by the galley door. Moments later a cooking servant emerged. He did not notice as Lena slipped her foot into the door, preventing it from closing. When the servant rounded the edge of the building, Qui-Gon slipped into the galley after Lena and Obi-Wan.
The entrance had been too easy.
The cooking quarters were vast, with rows of gleaming countertops and food storage units. Servants bustled about, busily preparing a large meal.
Lena waited until most of the servants had their backs to the door, then pulled up her hood and walked through the quarters. She carried herself with such authority that nobody bothered to ask who she was or where she was going.
Soon after entering a spectacularly long hallway covered in lush, thick carpet, she ducked into a small room and pulled Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon in after her. The room held several holoscreens.
“This used to be a guard station,” Lena explained. “But when her husband died Zanita didn’t think she needed as much protection, so it’s no longer used.”
Qui-Gon felt slightly relieved. At least there was an explanation for the easy entrance.
Lena adjusted one of the holoscreens until it showed a large dining room filled with people.
“It’s Bard’s birthday,” Lena said with relief. A large Fregan birth celebration banner lay across the dining table. “I should have remembered.”
The crowd milled about the room, smiling and carrying glasses filled with red liquid. At first glance it looked like any other party. Qui-Gon looked harder.
“There’s Zanita,” Lena said, pointing to a tall older woman dressed in a black gown covered in tiny smokats. A large scarf was wrapped attractively around her head like a turban. In spite of her age she was easily the most striking person in the room. Qui-Gon was surprised by her commanding presence and the way she set people around her at ease—laughing, smiling, and making sure they were taken care of. Then something else caught his eye.
“Is that Solan?” he asked quietly, pointing at a scowling man in the corner.
“Yes, how did you know?” Lena asked. Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows but said nothing. His eyes stayed trained on Solan. Like Zanita, the frowning man was surrounded by a large group of people. But none of the people near Solan seemed to be enjoying his company. They simply stood nervously by.
Suddenly Solan stood. A woman next to him rushed to take his empty cup and napkin. Someone else asked if they could get anything for him, but he brushed them off with a wave of his hand. Solan approached the guest of honor, a man shorter than him but who otherwise bore a striking resemblance to him. It was the middle brother, Bard.
Casually tossing an arm over Bard’s shoulder, Solan interrupted the conversation and steered him toward the outer edges of the party. He spoke in hushed tones.
“They’re all afraid of him,” Obi-Wan remarked.
Qui-Gon was glad to see the stiffening shoulders of the younger brother had not escaped the attention of his apprentice. “Exactly,” said Qui-Gon. “Even his family is fearful.”
Lena held up a hand to silence the Jedi. “Zanita’s leaving the party,” she whispered. “This is my chance.”
Without another word Lena slipped out the door, leaving the Jedi to watch her on the holoscreen. She made her way down the long hallway toward the library. It was a large room, with towering shelves of important-looking books and polished furniture. Zanita was inside, apparently taking a moment to relax.
Qui-Gon felt a strange unease. In spite of Zanita’s pleasing manner he did not think the meeting would go well.
Obi-Wan leaned close to the screen. Lena entered the library unseen by the other guests.
The look on Zanita’s face when she saw her daughter-in-law was one of sheer pleasure. The older woman stood and embraced Lena, holding her close for a long time.
Obi-Wan fiddled with the projection controls beneath the screen, tuning out the party guests until all they heard were the voices of Lena and Zanita in the library.
“But, my dear, why would you hide from your family?” Zanita asked, her voice filled with concern.
“I was afraid,” Lena explained. “And without Rutin, I didn’t know what you would think of me.
“You will always be a Cobral,” Zanita said solemnly, looking thoughtfully at her daughter-in-law. “But why were you afraid?”
Lena hesitated, then lowered her voice. “I am afraid because I think Solan had Rutin Killed.”
Zanita staggered back before sinking onto a large, comfortable-looking sofa. Her skin paled and she reached a shaking hand toward Lena.
“It was my greatest fear,” Zanita whispered as tears sprang to her eyes. “I did not want it to be true. And yet, when I look into my heart, I know you are not lying.”
She pulled a piece of embroidered cloth from her pocket and wiped her eyes before going on. “I tried to stop Solan, to make him see reason, but it was too late,” she sobbed again. “And now Rutin is gone.”
Kneeling beside her, Lena comforted Zanita as best she could. She also told Zanita all she knew of Rutin’s plan to end the crime ring. “I know it will not be easy for you to hear, but now I am planning to testify against the family. Rutin’s dearest wish has become mine as well. I want to stop the violence,” Lena explained, looking into her mother-in-law’s eyes. “And I need your help.”
In the guard room, Qui-Gon detected a slight quaver in Lena’s voice.
He could not fault her, of course. She was asking Zanita to join her in betraying her own family—her own children.
Zanita kept her eyes on her lap, but let go of Lena’s hand. Her commanding presence seemed somehow diminished as she sat unmoving on the sofa. At last she looked up at the portrait hanging on the library wall. It was a picture of three men, the Cobral brothers. Rutin stood proudly in the center.
“Yes,” she breathed. “It must stop.”
5
Zanita sat quietly for another long moment. When she looked up, there were tears in her eyes. “There is a set of documents,” she said slowly. “I think I can get them for you. But you must promise me that you will not link my name to the testimony in any way.”
“Of course not, Zanita,” Lena assured her. She squeezed her mother-in-law’s shoulder. “I know the violence and corruption are not your doing.”
Zanita seemed to become empowered while her mind worked. It reminded Qui-Gon of Lena. “It will take me some time to get the documents. Perhaps by tomorrow night,” she said. “I must be very, very careful. If Solan were to suspect—”
Suddenly a loud voice boomed just outside the library door. Qui-Gon’s face registered concern. It was a man’s voice, and it sounded angry.
Lena let go of her mother-in-law’s arm and put a finger to her lips.
Without wasting a second she got to her feet and ducked behind a heavy curtain covering the library’s transparisteel portal.
A moment later the door slid open and Solan thundered into the room.
“Mother,” he said sternly, looking at her as if she were a child who needed scolding. “What are you doing in here?”
Zanita looked evenly at her son. She was not a child, and it appeared that she did not appreciate being treated like one. “I was just having a moment to myself,” she replied simply. Her face showed no sign of fear.
Solan tapped his foot on the floor impatiently. “You are the hostess of your son’s birthday celebration,” he stated. “It is not appropriate for you to slip away to have a moment to yourself. If necessary you can do that when the party is over.”
“Stop bullying me, Solan. This is my house, and I’ll do as I like.” She looked her son in the face.
Solan blinked and stepped backward. “Juno needs you in the kitchen,” he said more quietly. “He is not clear about which service platters you would like to use for dinner.”