Early Adventures 1: Serpent Part Three The Jedi master returned to his hotel room and threw off the business suit. He fell onto the bed to relax a bit before he cleaned himself up. Qui-Gon rubbed his large hands over his face and lingered to toy with his beard. He had managed to get himself invited to supper with the owner of the computer facility and a friend of his who owned the speeder dealership in this town. The dealer was yet another friend of Ghennt/Theera and he was equally in awe of the charismatic man. He had a small sampling of people to rely on so far, but each person who talked to Qui-Gon about Theera seemed to only have good things to say...many good things. He was certainly a friend of business and commerce here. Where Theera had come across all the money that he was pouring into the companies must be part of what the Jedi wanted him for. Certainly while Ghennt was a knight, he had not become rich enough to throw credits around the way he was doing here. Qui-Gon rolled over onto his stomach and stared at the wall. So far he had done a good enough job of endearing himself to the men he had met this day. It would take time to settle into the business community here. And he would have to do something to give the appearance of making moves to bring his finances here. He couldn't expect that they would continue to take his word, a stranger's word, for much longer. But he would think about that later. For right now he was tired and tried to let all the day's events go. He needed to meditate, to rest and to renew his strength. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Qui-Gon was having breakfast in the hotel dining room the following morning and wondering where to go next, his comlink beeped and he hoped that the seeds he had been planting were about to sprout as he answered. "Good morning, Mr. Uda," the bank president said in a very cheerful voice. "If you are truly interested in a good investment, I have someone I'd like you to meet today. I admit a certain prejudice for the man, after all, he is one of my best clients, but his business has really taken off and if you are looking to make quick returns on your investment, this is the way." "Well, certainly. Of course I would like to meet him. After all, if I am going to move my own operations here, I need to know the business community as well as I can." With those words another day of whirlwind meetings began. The bank president introduced the Jedi to an equipment manufacturer who introduced him to the owner of a mining firm for whom he made equipment. In turn that woman introduced the knight to the owner of a medical research group. All of these people knew Ursan Theera. Although he had not invested in all their companies, the men and woman all had at least social dealings with the man and all thought highly of him. Qui-Gon was cautious about bringing up the same subject again and again. However, none of them seemed suspicious and seemed only too willing to talk of Theera. The Jedi didn't know if that was because Ghennt was just so popular or if they were hiding their suspicions. It had always been said of Yivva that he could talk anyone into anything, so it was not entirely surprising to Qui-Gon to find that he had so many friends here. At the end of the day, Qui-Gon found himself at a social function, invited on the spur of the moment by yet another member of local industry. The bank president had already been invited long ago and convinced his friend that it was worthwhile to invite the recent arrival. "Our new friend is moving his operations...and his money here," he had said. "He needs the proper introduction to the business and social community." "Indeed!" the host had declared. "And this is a good place to start. I had hoped also to conduct a little business tonight. I've invited my partners and sponsors. It will be a good introduction to him. Mr. Uda, you are warmly invited." Now Qui-Gon sat at a long table in a lavishly decorated room, eating food flown in "today and especially for this dinner." He was practically being interrogated by the men and women around him and had to think fast to fill in the holes of his quickly invented persona and business. Had he only known what he would be walking into before he had arrived. But he did not and was quite literally making this up as he went along. The Jedi's sharp mind was keeping up with the details, committing them to memory as quickly as he invented them. One major slip could be embarrassing and potentially dangerous. By the time the evening was drawing to a close, Qui-Gon was physically and mentally exhausted. He was full and somewhat sick from the overly rich food, something he was not used to as a Jedi. However, he knew he had to play the game, fit in, seem at ease with such trappings. And just as he was about to walk out the door, almost in a run to escape and get back to the peace and quiet of his hotel, the bank president grabbed him by the arm. "I've been talking to one of Mr. Theera's associates just now and we are agreed that you should meet him. Don't walk away from this opportunity, Mr. Uda. Theera is important if you want to succeed in business here. You should take advantage of the opportunity while you can. Theera is a busy person and you may not get another chance for at least two or three weeks." "Oh, of course. I can tell he is an important person. I was hoping for the opportunity to meet him sooner rather than later." "Fine. I'll talk with his associate and see what can be arranged. I'll get back to you as soon as I can." Had it happened too fast? Qui-Gon really had no way of knowing. The past couple of days had been a blur as he had been introduced and shuttled from business to business. It seemed as long as the promise of investment money paved the way, the road opened up quickly before him. He hoped this was the normal flow of things. He could not afford to seem other than what he had tried to set himself up as, a new arrival that was scoping business opportunities for his idle credits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The warm water hit the Jedi's weary body and he sighed. Qui-Gon ran the events of the last couple of days through his tired mind. It all sounded so odd. Yoda painted Ghennt as a dark and evil man...and he probably was that very thing. The knight had no reason to doubt anything Master Yoda had told him. However, a Jedi turned to the dark side didn't seem like the business type, especially the charming man that everyone described Theera as. However, he also thought of the venara, a serpentine creature that he'd seen on a mission before. It was beautiful with its iridescent scales glimmering multicolored in the bright sun. The venara was quiet but not shy. It would readily come up to any creature, but stealthily, from behind...because that was how it took its prey. The venara would slip quietly up and slowly wrap its body around the victim while it quietly hissed a gentle, almost hypnotizing sound that never failed to sooth and mesmerize even a thinking being. Then when it was in place, all coiled around the prey, it would begin to slowly but firmly squeeze the life out of it. The venara...beautiful to behold, seemingly friendly...but deadly. That could be Theera. His charming personality was a front to these people. What lay behind that Qui-Gon could only guess at for the moment. But whatever Ghennt was up to, he would not be happy to know a Jedi was looking for him. He could not afford to be lax. He must be mindful, even more so now. What would he do when he met Ghennt? Yivva would recognize him at once. Then what? The upstanding citizen couldn't afford to attack Qui-Gon in the presence of others. He could flee. The knight began making his plans. What would be the possible outcomes of a meeting with Yivva? And how would he react to each? However, as his mind ran over the potentials, the water began to cool and that interrupted his musings. Quickly the knight toweled off and retreated to bed where he fell quickly and readily into meditation. A close link with the Force would be important to him right now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qui-Gon had had breakfast and was uncertain what to do next. Because the possibility of meeting Ghennt loomed before him, he had shaken off other offers of tours or meetings until he could find out when his meeting with the former Jedi would be set up. The knight was uncertain what to do with himself as he waited. He set out walking, to look at the city. It had not changed in the days he had been here. It wasn't just cloud cover that made the planet gloomy. Even when the sun was shining, it was a dimmer star than the one he was used to on Coruscant. The town still had the dark dreary look that he'd remembered from his first day when the sky was overcast. Even with the additional light, everything still was dull and lacking color. It only helped darken his mood. I still don't know why Master Yoda chose me for this. Is it because I have had experience facing the dark side now? I should know what to expect? But if he thought that, that I should know what to expect, why was he so insistent that I prepare myself? It was almost a demand, not a recommendation. And why did he refuse to answer questions about this? Even for Master Yoda this is odd. I don't understand. But, I suppose I shouldn't dwell on that, but just prepare myself for what I will do when Ghennt recognizes me. I must be prepared for any reaction. I can't predict what he will do, so I must be ready to act instantly, without hesitation. What will Ghennt be like now? He was such a good person before. Compassionate and caring. He was not like Xanatos at all. I can see, in hindsight, what Xanatos was like...cold, uncaring, arrogant. Why couldn't I see all that at the time? But I can't be sidetracked by that right now. Later...later. I must concentrate on Yivva. How will he have changed? I can't picture him as a follower of the dark. He was so very different. What changed him? How did this happen to him? What drew him away from the light? The Jedi sat down on a bench in the park he had been wandering through. One advantage of a dimmer sun was that even when it shone brightly in the sky, it was not very hot. He was comfortable even though he had been walking for a long time...and quickly. He leaned his elbows on his knees, watching a nearby fountain as his mind wandered back. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Yivva! Wait just a minute." The man turned. His ready smile was there and those eyes...how they shone, like liquid metal. "Qui-Gon! Good to see you. I was hoping to see you before they sent me out again." "I heard about your mission." "Well, it was not exactly what I would call a good time." "You risked yourself to get through a blockade that had been labeled as unbreakable and got those medical supplies in. I suppose it wasn't a good time, but it was a good deed. You didn't have to do it. Negotiations were going on to allow a medical freighter in." "True, but I didn't know how long that would take. I didn't know if one side or the other might try to use that to help their argument. I couldn't allow those people to be held hostage by a bunch of bureaucrats who were so far removed from the events on their own planet that they needed us to tell them there was an epidemic. It might have taken days to get them to agree." "Yes, you're right, but you didn't even give them a chance to..." "They had all the chance they needed. As I said, they didn't even know there was an epidemic on their planet. Do you think they really cared? If it wouldn't touch them, they would not be moved by it. Someone had to do something...other than wait." "I'm not criticizing your actions, Yivva. It was a brave thing you did." Qui-Gon pounded the man on the back. "There are not many, not even Jedi who would have done what you did. Mostly likely, many people would have waited to see if the talks would stall or not." "I'm not most people." "I know. You're a very compassionate person, Yivva." "All I know is that I couldn't just sit and wait for more to die, especially from that horrible sickness. Agonizing death." He shook his head and his pale eyes suddenly darkened. "Well, I understand that not many more died once you delivered those medicines to their doctors. You can feel good about that." "I don't want congratulations or even thanks. I did what felt right, that's all that matters to me." "I know. That's why I want to congratulate you...because you don't expect it. You're quite a person." "Well....thanks, Qui-Gon." He looked down and shifted on his feet. The tall Jedi knew the man was always uncomfortable with compliments and shows of gratitude. A more humble and compassionate being he did not know. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear you just have a death wish," Qui-Gon grinned. He wanted to lighten the atmosphere so Yivva would not be so ill at ease. "But I do," he declared. "You don't know me as well as you think." Qui-Gon laughed. "You must. It's not the first time you have done such a rash thing. But...it's not the first time that you have helped save lives either." "Qui-Gon..." "I'm sorry. I know you don't like to talk about it. You're just a natural born hero." "Qui-Gon!" The Jedi just laughed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That was the Yivva Ghennt Qui-Gon remembered. A very, very compassionate and caring man. A Jedi totally committed to serving the order and the Republic. How did this happen to Yivva, of all Jedi? He shook his head...again. He still couldn't figure it out. But that was a distraction right now. Memories such as those could only blind him to Ghennt's intentions when he finally did meet him. Qui-Gon could not allow that. He had to think differently. This was a different person he was dealing with now, not the Jedi he had known before. His comlink beeped. The knight sat up straight and answered. "Mr. Uda," the bank president said happily. "I have good news for you. Mr. Theera wants to meet you...soon. Is tomorrow too soon? I have no idea what sort of schedule you are keeping." "No, no. That's fine. I have been keeping an open one. New in town, I have to be available to everyone else whose schedule I am intruding on." "Oh, it's no intrusion, I assure you! We are happy to have you here." "So...tomorrow?" Qui-Gon tried to drive the conversation back to the subject. "Oh yes. Lunch at an exclusive club. Mr. Theera has a reserved table that is very private and quiet. You will not be disturbed. And should your meeting go beyond lunch there are many meeting rooms there. I have business lunches there often. A very nice place, indeed." "Wonderful. Can you direct me to it then?" "Better than that. I'll be picking you up and taking you there. It would be my pleasure to bring you two together. I'm sure you will have much to discuss and this union will be good for our community." "Fine. Tomorrow at lunch." "I'll pick you up at your hotel."