check. They go through a criminal check.'
'You mean they're scanned for outstanding warrants?' Obi-Wan asked.
She grinned as she sidestepped a group of tourists. 'No, they're checked out by criminals. Nanno L'a and his gang keep tabs on all Senate petitioners and commission members who visit from other worlds. You never know who might have something worth stealing. So I talked to Nanno. He'd do anything for Didi. He gave me the rundown on the names on the list. His gang had copies of the textdocs on each of them. The only one who came up blank was Reesa On. She had a couple of ID facts in her textdoc, but no record of financial transactions. For someone with plenty of wealth, that seemed odd. So I figured Reesa On was a false identity. Nan no knew where Reesa On was staying. So I went there.'
'How do you know she wasn't in her room?' Obi-Wan asked. He felt a little irritated that Astri was able to focus on Reesa On quicker than he had.
'These guesthouses all use the nearby cafcs and restaurants for food service,' Astri explained. 'I went to the Galaxy Grill down the street and asked my friend Endami for the service code. Then I pretended to have a meal delivery and punched in the code.' She shrugged. 'That got me inside.
The service code will also tell you who is staying in what room. It was easy.'
Easy! 'So did you break into her room?' Obi-Wan asked irritably.
'I knocked and said I had a food delivery,' Astri said. 'No one answered, so I opened the door.'
'But it was locked.'
Astri smiled. 'I learned how to bypass a basic security lock when I was seven, Obi-Wan. My guess is she's not coming back. There was a travel bag there, but it's filled with things that are supposed to make you think someone is there.'
'If that makes sense, I'd sure like to hear why,' Obi-Wan grumbled.
'It's got a new personal care kit with soap and bath items, but they haven't been used. A couple of fresh tunics and sleepwear that haven't been worn. My guess is that the bounty hunter never even stayed there at all — she just paid up for her two week minimum so that she'd have an official address.'
Astri was probably right, Obi-Wan thought.
They were no closer to finding Reesa On's true identity. In frustration, he turned away and started to walk.
'Where are we going?' Astri asked.
'You are going back to the Temple,' Obi-Wan said. 'I'm trying to find Qui-Gon. This is Jedi business.'
'This is my business.' Astri stopped short, forcing Obi-Wan to stop, too. 'Didi isn't waking up, Obi-Wan,' she said, her dark eyes serious. 'Not without that antitoxin. You and I both know that. And Reesa On is our first clue to where Jenna Zan Arbor is. You think she is holding Qui-Gon, right?'
Obi-Wan nodded reluctantly.
'So I have just as much reason to find Reesa On as you do. The bounty hunter could lead us to Zan Arbor. And I have another reason. Nanno told me that because of Fligh's murder and Qui-Gon's disappearance, a warrant has been issued for the bounty hunter's arrest by the Coruscant security forces. There's a reward, too. Don't you see?' Astri tossed the curls out of her eyes impatiently. 'This is the only thing I can do for Didi. I can find the antitoxin and get us a new stake. All I have to do is find Reesa On.'
He shook his head. 'It's too dangerous.' 'I can help you, Obi-Wan.'
'What are you going to do, cook us out of danger?' Obi-Wan asked skeptically.
'There are other things I can do!' Astri protested. 'Do I have to point out that I found Reesa On quicker than you did? You have to admit I have some skills.'
'Not with a blaster,' Obi-Wan muttered. He thought for a moment. He knew Astri well enough to guess that if he didn't include her, she would try to find the bounty hunter on her own. She would be safer with him.
'We can team up, but I need a couple of conditions,' he said. 'First of all, you don't use a blaster.'
'But I need protection,' Astri protested. 'And I'm getting better at aiming.'
Obi-Wan winced. 'Sure. You came within five centimeters of killing me instead of six. I'll make a deal with you. We have to wait until Tahl comes up with information about Reesa On. I'll go back to the Temple with you and choose a new weapon. We'll see how you do with a vibroblade. You should have some kind of protection, I suppose.'
'What's the other condition?' Astri asked.
'If things get dangerous, I'm going to ask you to return to the Temple,' Obi-Wan said. 'A pile of credits isn't going to help Didi if you're dead.'
Astri hesitated.
'I know you think I have no right to tell you what to do,' Obi-Wan said. 'That's true. But I represent the Jedi. You must trust us, not just me.'
Reluctantly, Astri nodded. 'So we're a team?'
Obi-Wan nodded grimly. 'For now.'
Astri was hopeless with a blaster, but she was adept with a vibroblade. Obi-Wan gave her a quick lesson in strategy and defense. Her body was agile and strong, and she was surprisingly quick.
'Try to stay behind me or at my side,' Obi-Wan told her. 'But don't get in the way of my lightsaber.'
'Don't worry,' Astri told him.
The door to the training room opened and Tahl hurried inside. She immediately turned her face toward
