Part 10 (1/2)

That was indeed the question. And if he had learned one thing during his long, eventful life, it was that any being who did not permit self-doubt would certainly, at some point, make a grave error in judgment. Nine hundred years had granted him many advantages, but infallibility wasn't one of them.

Weary am I. Worry for Obi-Wan and Anakin do I feel. Distort perceptions this can. Clear my mind I must and seek for answers in the Force.

And he would, just as soon as he'd taken care of two last pressing concerns. The first thing he did upon his return to the Temple was make his way to the quietly bustling communications center, where Master Ban-yaro waited.

”I'm sorry, Master Yoda, but there's still no word, ” Ban-yaro said, as though the silence were his fault. His dark face was slack with weariness, his violet eyes shadowed. ”I'm monitoring every possible frequency, I've diverted as much power as I can to the tracking station, and I've tasked the central unit to a triple- redundancy voiceprint search with a plus or minus variation of fifty. If Obi-Wan and Anakin are trying to reach us, I'll hear them. If their signal's been diverted or degraded, I'll find it. But if you want my absolutely honest opinion...”

”Always, Ban-yaro, ” he said, frowning.

”I think they've gone dark. And I think we need to trust that they will find a way to communicate with us as soon as they can.

Unless...” Ban-yaro shook his head. ”But you don't think they're dead, do you?”

44.It was a statement, not a question. As befitted a communications expert, Ban-yaro was a highly attuned, highly sensitive Jedi. ”No. In trouble only, ” Yoda replied.

Ban-yaro's lips pinched. ”And that's bad enough. Have no fear. Master Yoda. This will stay between us. I'm using a dedicated private console for my search. ”

”Your discretion I trust completely, Ban-yaro. And agree with your plan of action I do. Alert me you will when contact our missing Jedi make, even if with the Supreme Chancellor I am. ”

Hands folded before him, Ban-yaro nodded. ”Yes, Master. ”

From the communications center Yoda made his way down to the lowest levels of the Temple, where the Alderaanian biochemist labored to find a defense against Dooku's bioweapon. A good man, Tryn Netzl. Of course that was to be expected; he was Organa's friend, after all.

So engrossed was the scientist in his work, he didn't notice at first that he was no longer alone. And when he did finally realize, he nearly tripped over himself with surprise.

”Master Yoda! How long have-when did you...” Netzl tossed datapad and stylus to his bench and dragged his forearm across his face.

This evening his s.h.i.+rt was striped black and white, his trousers were electric purple, his socks vibrant pink, and his clogs sun yellow.

His long pale hair had mostly escaped its braiding, and his eyes-eerily emerald now-blazed in a hawkish face grown thinner in alarmingly little time.

”Doctor Netzl. Come, I have, to see how you progress. ”

Half laughing, Netzl flattened his hands to his face. ”Oh. You know. ” His shaking voice was m.u.f.fled. ”Slowly. ”

Besides Netzl, Bant'ena Fhernan had recommended three other scientists who possessed the skills for this daunting task. If what he sensed from Organa's friend was no exaggeration, perhaps it was time to consider an alternative approach.

”Doctor Netzl, ” he said sternly, and rapped his gimer stick to the laboratory floor. ”A question I will ask you and answer honestly you must. ”

Netzl lowered his hands, blinking. ”Sorry? What?”

”a.s.sistance do you require to complete your work here?”

”a.s.sistants?” Netzl shook his head. ”No. I don't like working with lab a.s.sistants. I spend half of my time explaining what I'm doing and-oh. Wait. That's not what you meant, is it?”

”No. It is not. ”

Netzl dug his knuckles into his eyes and pressed hard. ”Sorry, Master Yoda. I'm a bit tired. ” He let his hands drop by his sides, then shoved them into the frayed pockets of his lab coat. ”No. Thank you. I appreciate the offer but I don't need any outside help. ”

”Sure are you. Doctor, that out of misplaced pride you do not speak?”

Tryn Netzl's pointed chin lifted. ”Quite sure. Because all I care about is saving lives. And no matter how technically proficient those other scientists Fhernan named might be, they have different priorities. But you know that already. Master Yoda. ”

He did. The Force had told him quite plainly that this odd human was the man they needed to defeat Dooku and his henchman Durd.

But even so...

”Close to an antidote are you at this moment, Doctor Netzl?”

His pale face flushed, Netzl turned away. ”I don't know how to answer that. It always feels like you're a million pa.r.s.ecs from success, right up to the instant when everything falls into place. ”

Yoda rapped his gimer stick on the floor again. ”Answer me precisely, you should. On your success countless innocent lives depend. ”

”G.o.ddess below, Master Yoda, ” Netzl said raggedly. ”You think I don't know that? But I can only tell you what I told Bail: I'll do my best, but I can't promise you a thing. ” Breathing hard, he leaned a list against his lab bench and let it take his body's full, sagging weight. ”This toxin's formula is a tricky beast. It has a branched, quadruple-helixed molecular matrix that's specifically designed to 45 resist any kind of disruptive agent. Yes, there are individual components that I can neutralize. That I have neutralized. It's just...”

Netzl's other fist thumped the bench. ”I'm missing something. If I can just work out what it is, see what I'm not seeing, then...”

”And convinced you are that no other eyes but yours should look?”

Netzl hunched over the lab bench. ”I know it seems like I'm being stubborn and territorial... ” He turned his head, far enough to reveal one wide, tormented green eye. ”But yes. I'm convinced. All I need is a little more time. ”

Sighing again, feeling the weight of his years keenly, Yoda rested his chin on his chest. ”The gift of time mine to give you is not, Doctor. In enemy hands does that gift lie. ”

”I know, ” Netzl said. ”But don't worry. I'll get it. Every problem has a solution. All you have to do is look at it in exactly the right way. ”

And that declaration was a kind of promise, born of fear and a quiet desperation. This was a good man. A man to trust and leave alone to his difficult work. Only- ”No use to us or anyone will you be, Doctor Netzl, if collapsed you are from lack of rest and food, ” Yoda said sternly. ”Trust you, can I, to take care of yourself? Or like a child must I treat you and send over a nurse?”

Netzl pushed away from the lab bench and, bemused, stared down at him. ”You sound like my grandmother. ”

For the third time Yoda struck the floor with his gimer stick. ”Then a wise woman she is. And both of us you will heed. ”

”Master, ” said Netzl, and clasped his hands to bow, ”I'm fine. But thank you. I truly do appreciate your concern. ”

He nodded. ”And appreciate do I your good heart and hard work. Our senior healer will I send to you. Ease your body and mind Vokara Che will. ”

And without giving the scientist a chance to argue further, he turned and left the lab.

Because he was Yoda, his float chair was stopped over and over again as he made his way to the upper levels of the Temple.

Padawans and younglings and Jedi Knights all knew they could approach him for advice and he would listen.

Though scores of Jedi had been lost on Geonosis, and scores more now served in the theater of war, the lives of those residing in the Temple, or visiting, continued. There were younglings to cherish and teach, older students to challenge and a.s.sess. There were the ill and wounded to care for and healers to train. And of course there were still countless civilian disputes to settle, as well as research to conduct and knowledge to acc.u.mulate and safeguard.

Sometimes-particularly when he was the only Council member resident in the Temple-the sheer weight of his calling threatened to flatten him. That was why he wanted Mace Windu released from his current a.s.signment. He keenly felt his friend's absence.

With a dozen questions answered and a dozen more small problems solved, he at last reached his austere private chamber. Blessedly alone, he activated his personal holoimager and initiated a comm signal.

”I can't say I'm surprised, ” Mace said, upon hearing of Palpatine's desire that he stay indefinitely on Kothlis. ”The interim government's very nervous. This attack coming after the attempt on Bothawui-the ruling council's convinced Grievous will come hack to finish what he started. ”