Part 11 (1/2)

”My lord Sidious, ” Dooku said, more than usually deferential. ”How may I serve you?”

”By confessing your failure, Tyra.n.u.s, ” he snapped. ”And explaining how you intend to rectify your mistake. ”

Dooku gasped. ”Lord Sidious, there is no failure. At least- it is true the government of Umgul has weakened in its resolve to join us, but...”

”What?” It had been a long and irritating day, so he surrendered himself to the luxury of rage. ”Weakened? Tyra.n.u.s, you a.s.sured me you had them eating out of your hand!”

Dooku dropped to one knee, his silver head bent low. ”My lord, I do not know-yet-what has happened. But I have an appointment tomorrow with Protector Chanso-ba. I will he able to read him then, and learn who has dared to interfere with our plans. ”

”See you that do, ” Sidious said. ”Umgul's revolt is required so that other systems are emboldened to join them and further weaken the Senate. ” With a deep, shuddering breath he leashed his temper. ”And what of the Project? Is Durd's scientist on track?”

”She is, my lord, ” said Dooku. ”The weapon will soon be ready to deploy. ”

A tickle in the back of his mind made him pause. ”You're sure of that?”

”Yes, my lord. Durd promises that's the case and he would not dare lie to me. He knows the punishment if he does. ”

There was no question Dooku believed it-so he would need to be content with the belief, for the moment.

But I am counting the days until the old fool is but a memory... and I have a worthier apprentice to stand by my side.

He gave Dooku a sharp nod. ”Very well. You will inform me the moment the weapon is completed. And you will make sure the Umgul Cabinet votes to join the Separatists. Do I make myself clear, Lord Tyra.n.u.s?”

Durd wasn't the only one who understood the price of failure. Now Dooku's forehead was resting on his bended knee. ”My lord Sidious, I hear you and I shall obey. ”

”Good, ” he said, then severed the connection.

And after that stood long in the sweet night, drinking in the dark.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

It took Obi-Wan and Anakin nearly two hours to thoroughly explore Torbel, mainly because they were the object of much interest and surprise. Though harsh times had bruised its inhabitants' spirits, they still challenged the strangers wandering their streets, the animal pastures, the central artesian well, the common food store and mostly empty poultry barn, the schoolroom, the machinery workshop, the antiquated power plant, the storm-s.h.i.+eld generators, the locked buildings whose purpose wasn't immediately apparent, and the junkyard where dead groundcars and antigrav floaters were laid to rest and rust. Interestingly, there was no human graveyard. It could he these people cremated their dead.

They told only four villagers the sad tale of Yavid and Markl's drought-ruined farm, their flight to the beast-infested Core, and how they hoped for a better life now they'd returned to Lanteeb. After that the story spread of its own accord and soon they found themselves confirming their history instead of explaining it.

”Just like Mos Espa's slave quarter, ” Anakin said under his breath. ”Everybody knows everybody else and nothing much stays secret.

Obi-Wan nudged him with an elbow. Not now.

They'd acc.u.mulated a gaggle of children, who seemingly had nothing better to do than tag along in the newcomers' wake, giggling and whispering and kicking a soggily inflated synthafibe ball. Their ringleader was a girl of perhaps eleven or twelve seasons; skinny in a patched s.h.i.+ft dress, barefoot, with brown eyes that were older than Teeba Jaklin's. She wore a red braided bracelet about her bony left 49 wrist, and her sun-streaked dark hair had been hacked raggedly to chin length. She didn't play with the ball like the other children, only watched from the sidelines and growled when things got too rough. And when she wasn't watching her little tribe she was watching Torbel's newcomers from beneath lowered eyelashes, her lips pursed in a thoughtful way that made them both think of Yoda.

Having worked their way around the village, finding nothing to wake their uneasily sleeping sense of alarm, Obi-Wan and Anakin returned to the beaten-dirt square and the charter house. Its doors were open now and a woman who had to be Teeba Brandeh stood on the broad step, hands on her narrow hips, watching the children scatter across the square to play a proper game of kickball.

Grinning, without bothering to ask if he might, or if it were wise, or if they had the time to spare, so independent these days, Anakin jogged to join them. After a moment's amazed hesitation the children welcomed him with squeals of delight, rough-and- tumbled him into their midst and made him one of their own.

Obi-Wan shook his head.

”He's nice, ” said the girl with the bracelet and the ragged hair, wandering over to stand beside him. ”Don't be cross with him, Teeb Yavid. ”

He glanced down at her. ”You know my name?”

”I've got ears. ”

”Yes. I see that. Two of them. And what makes you think I'm cross?”

That earned him a derisive look. ”I'm not a blind one neither. You can smile all you like, Teeb. Underneath it you're cross. ”

Well, well, well. Idly, Obi-Wan stretched out his senses and straightaway felt the potential in this child. What a pity she was half grown and could never be a Jedi.

”I'm Greti, ” she said. ”I don't have sibbers or a da. My mam's Bohle. She hurt her hand. ”

Bohle. One of the miners he and Anakin were replacing. ”I'm sorry to hear that, Greti. How did she hurt it?”

”In the refinery, ” said the girl, her brows pulled tight. ”If you work in there you got to have a care for your hands, Teeb. And if you work in the mine you got to have a care for all. Even your toes, boots or no boots. Teeb Jyml lost his toes, once, and he was wearing boots. But he's dead now. The years got him. ”

Her matter-of-factness moved him. ”Will your mother's hand be all right?”

Greti shrugged. ”Don't think so, Teeb. I think it's set to go poison on her. ”

”But...” Gathering his thoughts, disciplining himself, he watched Anakin scoop up one small excited boy, too young to kick the ball, and zoom him overhead like a fighter chasing a vulture droid. The boy nearly sickened himself with laughing. ”Greti, are you saying...”

”Could be the convoy might take us to 'tibba, when it comes. There's a medcenter there, I heard once, ” the girl said. ”Only if we have to pay, that could be a trouble. ”

Obi-Wan frowned. He and Anakin had money kept safe in their s.h.i.+rts' s.h.i.+elded pockets. They wouldn't miss it.

Or I could try to heal Bohle myself.

Except that would jeopardize his cover, wouldn't it? Of course, there was a chance he might be able to hide his tracks. Not heal the girl's mother completely, only nudge her body in the right direction-But no. It was simply too dangerous. And how could he in good conscience take Anakin to task for his impetuosities in one breath, and in the next indulge one of his own? Even in a good cause?

”I'm very sorry. Greti, ” he said, feeling a twist beneath his ribs. ”I hope your mother gets better. ”

Greti stared at him, curious, and touched her sun-browned hand to his dirty sleeve. ”You are sorry, aren't you? You're a nice man, too.

50.On the steps of the charter house, Teeba Brandeh clapped her hands. ”You children, you get along now!” she bellowed, her deep voice carrying like a marketplace spruiker. ”You're wanted for ch.o.r.es and schooling!”

Greti sighed. ”I hope you like mining, Teeb Yavid. I hope you think to stay. ”

He had to force a smile. ”Nothing's writ in stone, Greti. We'll see. ”

Without looking back at him the girl skipped across the bare dirt to gather her tribe and chivvy them to where they were meant to be.

They wandered off, reluctant, waving good-bye to their new Teeb friend, little faces alight with their few moments of pleasure.

”What?” said Anakin, coming back. ”What's that look for?”