choice.
He accessed the Force and leaped. Beside him, he saw Obi-Wan do the same. They sailed over the wall, high above. In those quick seconds, Qui- Gon had a chance to swipe two probe droids. Obi-Wan neatly cleaved one in half. The three droids fell sizzling to the ground.
They landed on the other side of the wall. A long expanse of grass stretched before them. Parked on it were large swoops.
The intruders had already loaded the two containers onto swoops. As the Jedi raced forward, they took off.
A concealed door in the wall opened and security forces rushed through. Qui-Gon recognized Balog, the head of security.
'What's going on?' he barked angrily. 'What are you doing here?'
'I think the twins have been taken on those swoops,' Qui-Gon said, pointing at what was now a fleet of dots in the sky.
Balog spoke quickly into his comlink, giving the coordinates of his position and asking for air support.
'Did you see them?' he asked.
'We saw two sensory deprivation containers, the same design that we saw at the museum. I saw one of the girls' hair. That's all.'
Balog turned to the guards. 'Check the house again. And check the grounds.' He then turned back to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. 'I thought you were tourists. What were you doing here?'
'We are Jedi,' Qui-Gon answered. 'We are not here on an official mission. I knew the girls six years ago. We came to see them.'
Balog gave them the hard stare of a security officer who was used to lies. Something must have convinced him, because he sighed. 'This happened on my watch. I thought security was perfect. Somehow they got through the house security and immobilized the guards. They tripped the alarms, but it took too long for us to get here.'
'Do you have suspects?' Obi-Wan asked.
'Obviously, it could be the Absolutes,' Balog said. 'Those devices were supposed to be destroyed, but of course we know that some must have been smuggled out. Anyone could have bought them on the black market. In other words, no, I don't know who took the twins.' He gazed at the sky. 'I just hope that whoever took them is planning to ransom them. I hope this is a kidnapping, not…'
He did not complete the sentence. 'The use of the containers points to that,' Qui-Gon said. 'If the intruders were going to kill the twins, they would have done so here.'
Balog ran a hand over his forehead. 'I must tell Roan personally. He will be devastated.'
He walked off, too distracted to say a farewell.
Qui-Gon stared after him. 'Unless Roan already knows,' he said.
Chapter 14
They met Tahl in a prearranged location deep in the Worker Sector. It was a small park that commemorated an early protestor of Apsolon's system.
A single white glass column stood in the middle of the small green. They kept their hoods drawn over their faces as they circled the park, around and around. Once she heard the news of the twins, it had taken three turns for Tahl to speak.
'I do not think it was the Absolutes,' she said finally. 'I believe I would know it. There were extreme factions of the group, but they are under the control of the central committee now. At least I think so. It's a possibility, but I'm more inclined to think that Irini and the Workers kidnapped the twins. They feel strongly that Roan murdered Ewane. Perhaps they could even justify the kidnapping as keeping the twins away from danger.'
'You should join us in tracking the kidnappers,' Qui-Gon said. 'If you believe the Absolutes are not involved, it is a waste of time for you to remain there.'
'I said I thought they weren't involved,' Tahl corrected. 'There is always the possibility that rogue members have done this. I need to stay in place and investigate. It would be natural for the Absolutes to try to find out who did it. I can use their surveillance resources.'
Obi-Wan noted that his Master seemed to be restraining his objection.
He did not understand why. Tahl was right. She should remain undercover, at least until they knew who had taken the twins.
'Do you think Roan could be involved?' he asked Tahl.
'I don't know,' Tahl said. 'Of course we need to entertain the possibility.'
'We were on our way to speak to him when we interrupted the kidnapping,' Qui-Gon said.
'Maybe we should try to speak to him now,' Obi-Wan suggested.
'It might be hard,' Tahl pointed out. 'He will be on a full-scale alert. He won't have time for us.
Just then Qui-Gon's comlink signaled. When he answered it, it was Balog. Qui-Gon listened intently for a few moments, then clicked off the communication.
'It will be easier than we thought,' Qui-Gon said. 'Roan has asked to see us.'
Roan met the Jedi in his office at the massive Institute of Government Service building. Despite the grandeur of the building, his office was sparsely furnished, with chairs lined up against a wall, a long table that served as a
