"Well, it's definitely not going anywhere," Anakin said. "We ran into a reclumi," Obi-Wan said., "Web!" Dane shouted.
"Yes, a big one — "
"No, Web! That's his name! The assassin," Dane said. "I met him about two years ago. Robior Web. We had auditioned for the same job but he didn't get hired. The thing about him was, he got started as a security officer but the security force was disbanded on his planet so he found himself out of a job. He's got a reputation for taking on big jobs, assassinations, things like that. He used to be a Guardian on Junction 5."
Obi-Wan slowly rose.
"There is our connection to Lorian Nod," he said.
Chapter 24
Promising to return, Obi-Wan and Anakin raced out of the prison and into the inn. They found Lorian in a secluded area of the lobby, deep in conference with the rulers of Bezim and Vicondor. Obi-Wan and Anakin hovered unseen, able to pick up some of their conversation.
"What is happening?" Yura Telamarch asked, his voice full of distress.
The ruler of Bezim was a tall humanoid with a domed head and a grave manner. "Do you think Count Dooku is behind the murder of Kash?"
"I don't know, Yura," Lorian said. "They've arrested Samish's bodyguards. It could be an internal plot of Delaluna."
"We are not safe here," Glimmer Uziel, the ruler of Vi-condor, said.
She had a musical voice and pale gold skin. Four tiny tentacles waved delicately in the air, like fronds. "What if this is a trap? There are those among my aides who say that Count Dooku will not show up. He has lured us here to kill us all and take the space station by force."
"Without Samish, our alliance is weaker," Yura said. "No doubt the pressure will increase. What do you think, Lorian?"
"I think we trust Dooku for now," Lorian answered. He stood. "I suggest you get some rest. The meeting is scheduled to take place in an hour."
Reluctantly Yura and Glimmer rose and headed for the stairs. As soon as the rulers were out of sight, Obi-Wan and Anakin walked up to Lorian. "Trust Dooku?" Obi-Wan asked sardonically. "Good advice, Lorian."
"What did you expect me to say?" Lorian asked. "Dooku must not suspect that I am against him."
"Are you against him?" Obi-Wan asked. "Things have changed now that Samish Kash is dead. If someone wished to drive a wedge through the alliance, it has worked."
"Are you accusing me of killing Samish? He was my friend."
"So you say. Have you ever heard of Robior Web?" Obi-Wan asked.
Lorian frowned. "The name is familiar, but.." "He was a Guardian."
"I could hardly be expected to remember every Guardian."
"He is now working as an assassin."
Lorian took several moments to reply. "He is on Null?" "Yes. Dane recognized him."
Lorian nodded slowly. "You think this Web killed Kash, and I hired him to do it."
Obi-Wan said nothing.
"I did not," Lorian said. "And if you think about it for a moment you will see that if someone wanted to smash the alliance, the way to do so would be to kill one member and pin the murder on another. It is no accident that the assassin is a former Guardian. Naturally you would suspect me."
"Naturally," Obi-Wan said.
"And that is exactly what Dooku would want Yura and Glimmer to do,"
Lorian continued. "This is how he works. He waits. He watches. He likes to undermine loyalties. He likes to fracture bonds. He likes to encourage betrayal."
All of this was true, but it didn't mean Lorian wasn't guilty. Just clever.
"There is more going on here than the Force can sense," Lorian said.
"And more than your logic can decipher. There are feelings here, Obi-Wan. And among those feelings are mine for Samish. I did not do it."
"We have only your word for it, along with everything else," Obi-Wan said. "That is the problem."
"There is only one solution to the problem, then," Lorian said. "You must trust me."
"Can you give me any reason to do so?" Obi-Wan asked.
Lorian hesitated. "I cannot prove my honesty."
"Then we'll continue to suspect you," Anakin said.
"We come from the same place," Lorian said, looking at them both. "I was raised in the Temple. I fell away from its teachings for a time.
Why? I was afraid. I was young and alone and I took a step forward, the only step I felt I could take. Then I took another, and another, and I ended up in a life I didn't recognize."
"These are excuses," Obi-Wan said. "Tell that to the people of Junction 5. Tell that to Cilia Dil."
"I harmed my people," Lorian admitted. "And I must say that Cilia is not one of my supporters. She can't forget what I was. I know all I have are excuses. When you live a life filled with wrong, what else do you have but excuses and blame?" He paused. "Do you believe in redemption, Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan had been asked the question, but it was Anakin who spoke up.
"I do."
"I do, as well, young Anakin Skywalker," Lorian said. "It is what keeps me going. At the end of my life, I will do good. That's all I can tell you for now."
"Do you believe him?" Anakin asked as they walked outside the inn.
"I think he talks well," Obi-Wan said. "And I don't know what to believe. Not yet." Would Qui-Gon have known? He had always seemed to know who to trust.
"You are too hard on beings sometimes," Anakin said. "Mistakes are made. Things happen. That means that change can happen, too."
"The meaning of life is change," Obi-Wan said, startled at Anakin's characterization of him. The charge stung. He did not think he was hard on other beings. Perhaps that had been true once, but he had learned from Qui-Gon. "I didn't say I didn't believe Lorian. But I can't discount the rest of his life just because he tells me I should.
If he is in league with Dooku, we should find out what they are planning. And if he is not in league with Dooku, we should still find out."
"So what's our next step?" Anakin asked.