Part 6 (2/2)
”I did not exaggerate. The best.”
”Yes.”
”I only call what I have the best if it is. I do not fool myself about anything. Take my brother.” Manex crashed back against the soft pillows. ”He is n.o.ble. Courageous. Dedicated to the common good. All the things I am not. I should despise him, for I'm told brothers become jealous when one is vastly superior to the other. Yet I don't despise Roan. I'm glad beings like him are on this world. They make it possible for me to live well.”
”Since your brother is now Supreme Governor, you stand to profit even more,” Qui-Gon pointed out. ”You would not gain anything by despising him.”
”I could despise him and still exploit him,” Manex shot back.
”Surely you have seen enough of the galaxy to know that, Jedi.”
”Yes,” Qui-Gon admitted.
”You are suggesting that I am behind the murder of Ewane,” Manex said shrewdly. ”I know others believe this. But why should I endanger my fortune in such a way?” Manex shook his head. ”I like my comfort too much to risk it.”
”Besides, it would be wrong,” Obi-Wan pointed out.
”That too.”
”Do you think your brother had anything to do with Ewane's murder?”
Qui-Gon asked. ”There are those who believe that, too.”
”Roan?” Manex shook his head. ”He loved Ewane like a brother. Look how he took in those girls.”
”That could be to get sympathy on his side,” Obi-Wan said.
Manex did not seem disturbed by this suggestion. He leaned forward.
”You must understand something. Duty is everything to my brother. He feels responsible for Alani and Eritha.”
”There are those who say the twins are in danger, living in the house of one who is a suspect in their father's killing,” Obi-Wan said.
”There are those on New Apsolon who will say anything right now to get what they want,” Manex said evenly. ”Those girls are free to go, and yet they stay. They know Roan better than they knew their own father. All this grief they are displaying - who is it for? They never knew their father. Ewane was in prison for all the years of their childhood. Then he was Supreme Governor and had his hands full. He never really knew his daughters.”
”One cannot fault a child's grief for a father, no matter how distant the relations.h.i.+p,” Qui-Gon said.
”Of course not. I am sure the twins are sincere.” Manex sat up and pushed the plate of pastries toward them. ”Such somber talk for such a beautiful morning. Please, eat. I'll send for some tea.”
Qui-Gon stood. ”We must be going. Thank you for your hospitality.”
”I am delighted to receive the Jedi. You may return anytime.” Manex stood to bid them good-bye.
The same protocol droid led them to the door. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan paused on the steps. Qui-Gon took a deep breath of morning. It was encouraging to feel the cool air and suns.h.i.+ne, but he felt no closer to helping Tahl.
”What do you think?” he asked Obi-Wan as they returned to the street.
”I found him unpleasant,” Obi-Wan said. ”He could have the cunning to engineer an overthrow of the government. But I can't see him having the energy to do so. He would have to get off his sleep-couch.”
”You are allowing dislike to color your perceptions, Padawan,” Qui-Gon said disapprovingly. ”Remember it takes energy to ama.s.s wealth. Manex had it easier than most, but he did build an impressive financial empire.”
”Which he uses for his own pleasure,” Obi-Wan said disgustedly.
”I have seen men and women of vast wealth who did not enjoy their own comforts,” Qui-Gon remarked. ”At least Manex enjoys what he has built. His choices are not our choices. Do not let his enjoyment of pleasure blind you to his merits.”
”You see merits there?” Obi-Wan asked incredulously. ”I see corruption.”
”I see a man who lives the way he wants to live and makes no apologies. The question is, how desperate is he to maintain his life of wealth and comfort?” Qui-Gon wondered. ”If Manex seems weak, I suspect he is not. Despite his denials, he could secretly hate his brother. But we still should not discount his perspective, Padawan.”
Qui-Gon reached inside the pocket of his robe. ”And he reminded me of something important.” ”A clue?”
He handed Obi-Wan a pastry he had plucked from Manex's tray on the way out. ”Even in the middle of a mission, don't neglect to taste the pastries.”
CHAPTER 13.
”Let's head to Roan's,” Qui-Gon suggested next. ”It's time we met the Supreme Governor.”
The official residence was close by. Qui-Gon thought over the conversation with Manex. He wished he had learned more. He had hoped to take some information to Tahl. Instead, he had only vague feelings.
”Qui-Gon,” Obi-Wan said softly, ”look ahead. Ten meters to the right, near that monument.”
Qui-Gon glanced over. His Padawan's keen gaze had picked out a small tracking droid. It hovered in the gra.s.sy square across from the residence of the Supreme Governor. He had not noted it. He sternly told himself to focus on each moment. He could not let his worry distract him this way.
”Do you think it's looking for us?” Obi-Wan asked.
”No. It is watching the residence. It's not a probe droid. It could be used just for security.” Qui-Gon searched the area carefully, dividing it into quadrants and examining every meter. ”There. By the trees in front. Another.”
”Roan has stepped up his surveillance.”
”Or someone has stepped up surveillance on Roan. I don't like what we're seeing. I'm feeling a disturbance in the Force. Come, Padawan.”
Qui-Gon strode toward the residence. When they stepped up to the door and pressed the security b.u.t.ton, a guard did not materialize onscreen. The blank screen merely shone blue.
Qui-Gon's foreboding changed to alarm. He pushed against the door, but it would not open.
”We could try the gardens,” Obi-Wan suggested.
A high wall separated the front of the residence from the gardens behind. The top was ringed with electro-wire. It was not a challenge for the Jedi. Summoning the Force, the two leaped high and cleared the wall easily. They landed softly on the gra.s.s.
They ran alongside the great mansion toward the back, where the gardens were. As they ran Qui-Gon searched for access to the house but there were no windows on this side. Perhaps the residence was built with exits only in the front and back. It made it easier to defend.
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