"How would you have contacted him?" Obi-Wan asked. "You must have some sort of prearranged loine of communication."
Floria and Dane gave each other a nervous look.
"Because you're going to use it. You're going to contact him and tell him that you've captured us," Obi-Wan said. "And you're going to ask him to meet you on Ragoon-6."
"What if we do?" Floria asked. "Do you think we're crazy enough to contact Granta Omega and lie to him?"
Obi-Wan merely look at them. It was enough.
"All right, all right," Floria muttered. "We'll contact Granta Omega and lie to him. Just arrange a really nice funeral for us, will you?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No funerals. But the game is over. We're not chasing any more bounty hunters. Granta Omega will come to us."
Floria agreed grudgingly. "I guess we'll cooperate. I'm tired of trying to outthink you, anyway. Obviously, we're outmatched. Besides, I'm starting to like you. And I bet Dane is, too."
Dane groaned. "Guilty. Some bounty hunter we are. We befriend our prey instead of betraying them. Okay." He gazed seriously at Obi-Wan. "If we do this, will you protect us?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "You have my word."
Slowly, Dane withdrew a comlink from a hidden pocket in his cloak. "It's only got one channel," he said. "It's a direct line to Omega." Dane activated it and inputted a code.
"We have the Jedi," he said. "But lost our transport. You must come to us."
He listened for a moment, then shut off the comlink. "He's agreed to meet us. He sounded surprised that Floria and I were the ones to catch you. Kind of insulting, actually. But he's coming." Dane looked at his sister. "Unfortunately, he wants to meet us at the top of the mountain."
Floria groaned. "Not again."
"Don't worry," Obi-Wan said. "We'll get up a faster way."
This time, they did not follow the trail. They used the cable launchers to vault straight up the cliffs. From that spot, they were able to hike above the tree line. The air was thin and cold here, and Obi-Wan and Anakin paused to don their thermal capes. The snow was ankle-deep on the trail.
"There's a good chance he'll be wary," Obi-Wan told Anakin. "We must pretend to be Dan and Floria's prisoners until the last possible moment. I don't have to tell you that we need to take Granta Omega alive. Perhaps more important than catching him will be finding out why and how he targeted us."
Floria and Dane slipped laser cuffs over Anakin and Obi- Wan's wrists but did not seal them. It would appear that the two were prisoners. They marched ahead of Floria and Dane.
"Wasn't it your idea to become bounty hunters?" Floria grumbled to her brother as she pushed her way through the snow. "Floria, we can see that galaxy. Floria, it will be fun. Floria, it's an easy way to make a fortune — "
"Floria, you're driving me crazy," Dane interrupted.
"We're getting closer, you two," Obi-Wan warned from behind them. "Try to act like professionals. We could be under surveillance."
"Master, there is someone ahead," Anakin said under his breath.
A humanoid male sat on top of ice-encrusted snow ahead. He was dressed all in white, and had blended in with the snow.
"It must be Hunti Pereg," Dane murmured to them. "He's the only bounty hunter left."
The stranger did not move as they approached.
"Greetings," Dane called. "We are Dane and Floria, bounty hunters. We have caught the Jedi."
The man smiled pleasantly. "I can see that. Congratulations. I am Hunti Pereg. Bounty hunter as well."
Obi-Wan was poised for an assault. Surely the fearsome Hunti Pereg would not let two children take away his prize. His face looked fierce and frightening. It had the patched- together of a recent application of synth-flesh, as though he had been badly injured.
The scars of life as a bounty hunter, Obi-Wan thought. It bothered him to think of young Floria and Dane continuing with such a life. Despite their grumbling and their tricks, they were not bad creatures.
And they are exactly the sort of beings Qui-Gon would have befriended. And I would not have understood why. Now I do, Qui-Gon. Now, I do.
"Don't worry, kids" Pereg told them. "I won't interfere with your prize."
"I'm glad to see you abide by the rules of honor." Dane said.
"It's not that," Pereg said, "I can't move my legs. That scoundrel son of a gravel-maggot Teleq shot me with a paralyzing dart four hours ago. So it looks like you've won."
"Is there anything we can do for you?" Floria asked politely. "It's awfully cold up here."
"Very kind of you to ask," Pereg said. "after you collect the reward, if you wouldn't mind sending a ship back for me, I'd appreciate it. Professional courtesy. I'll make it worth your while."
"Have you seen Granta Omega, by any chance?" Floria asked him.
He shook his head. "Sorry. It's just been me and the mountain."
They left Hunti Pereg behind and continued to the rendezvous point. They were almost at the top of the mountain now. The sun had slid behind the peak, and the wind had picked up. A few snowflakes drifted down from a white sky. Floria wrapped her cloak tighter around her.
They stopped at the coordinates Granta had given them. They looked up at the sky, waiting to see a ship. Dane got out a tarp with thermal coils and spread it on the ground. He and Floria sat, trying to keep warm. Obi-Wan and Anakin stood, holding their arms so the laser cuffs were visible. Obi-Wan did not feel the cold.
The minutes ticked by.
"He isn't coming," Obi-Wan said at last.
"Do you think he knows it was a trick?" Anakin asked.
"There's no way to know," Obi-wan said. "But a storm is coming, and we need to find help for Wren. We'll have to track Omega after we get Wren to safety."
"How?" Anakin asked. "we don't have a ship."
"We'll have to take another look at Teleq's," Obi-Wan decided.
Floria stood. "At least I can get off the mountain."
"Well, at least all the bounty hunters have been accounted for," Anakin said. "We don't have to worry about being attacked."
They started back down the trail, their footsteps crunching through the thin skin of ice into the densely packed snow."
Obi-Wan heard a slight whistling noise behind him. A small metal ball whizzed by his ear and caught the light as it arced through the air.
"Hit the ground!" Obi-Wan shouted as he vaulted forward and pulled Floria and Dane down underneath him.
Chapter Fourteen
The explosion sent a shower of snow high into the air. Obi- Wan lifted his head. The thermal detonator had hit thirty meters away. That was close. Detonators had a twenty-meter radius of destruction.
Three Attack Droids headed toward them, gliding just above the surface of the snow with repulsorlift engines.
There was no cover. They could not avoid this battle, even if they'd wanted to. They would have to protect Floria and Dane and foil their attacker. He or she was fighting wisely, attacking without advancing.