The last thing he wanted to do right now was take a detour from their quest, but his Padawan needed care.

Eritha drove her landspeeder, and a Rock Worker took Obi-Wan's swoop.

Qui-Gon followed as they raced through the canyons toward the Rock Workers'

settlement.

He was glad that the distance wasn't far. The settlement lay in a small valley surrounded by quarries. Walkways made of slate were laid out in rows and led to residences, stores, a school, and a small med unit.

Obi-Wan was met by a young woman who hurried out immediately to look at his wound.

"I am a trained medic," she said. "My name is Yanci. I've seen many wounds such as this in the quarries. This isn't too bad. Your friend will mend quickly."

Qui-Gon nodded his thanks. Together he and Yanci helped Obi-Wan into the med center.

"I can take over from here," Yanci told him, setting out a splint and beginning the procedure for a bacta bath. "The refreshment unit is across the walkway. Why don't you rest, and I will come over and give you a progress report?"

Obi-Wan flashed Qui-Gon a grin that was also a grimace. "I'm fine here."

Qui-Gon patted his shoulder in support, then left the med unit. It might be helpful to talk to the Rock Workers about the Absolutes. He was surprised to hear that the Absolutes had been conducting raids. That meant their numbers were bigger than he'd thought. That was most likely not good news for his mission. He felt frustration rise up and threaten to choke him. He took a deep breath to calm himself. The frustration eased, but he knew it still simmered, ready to boil again. He wanted to continue tracking, but he couldn't leave Obi-Wan without knowing the extent of his injury.

Qui-Gon walked across to the refreshment unit. There he found the two Rock Workers who had been inside the mole miner. They had brought tea and food to Eritha. Qui-Gon shook his head at their offer as he took a seat opposite them.

The tall female pointed to her companion. "I am Bini, and this is Kevta," she said. "Again, we must tell you how sorry we are to have mistaken you for Absolutes. We don't get travelers out in this area, so we jumped to conclusions too fast. How is your young friend?"

"It was an understandable mistake," Qui-Gon said. "Obi-Wan will be fine, according to your medic. She'll give me a report soon."

"Yanci has great skill. It is good that you brought him here."

"Tell me," Qui-Gon said. "You said that the Absolutes had raided your camp. How many were there?"

Kevta stirred honey into his tea. "We were attacked by a squad of maybe thirty, but when there are casualties, more take their place. We have no way of knowing. We are forty here, but that includes elders and children. The Absolutes are also heavily armed. In the first raid, they captured our small weapons — blasters and flechette missiles."

"You don't know where their headquarters are?" he pressed.

Bini cupped her mug of tea in her hands. Qui-Gon noted that her hands were large and looked extraordinarily strong. One finger was black and blue, and there were old scars on her knuckles. Her hands told him how hard the work conditions were at the quarries better than words could.

"We do not know," she said quietly. "We have searched. If they have a base, it is well hidden."

Qui-Gon felt his irritation rise. There was so little information to be had. He couldn't get over the feeling that he was wasting time. "Is it possible that they conduct their raids from the city?"

Kevta shook his head. "No. We know their base is in the quarries somewhere. Their raids are spaced too close. Especially lately. We have been raided five times in the past month."

"Do you have weapons left?" Qui-Gon asked.

"We have a few blasters, not many," Kevta said. "We only have our tools and the explosives we use in the quarries. They are expensive and we don't like to use them. But we are getting desperate. That is why we attacked you today. We have had enough. We know they are after our large explosives. If we lose those, we're doomed. This mining outfit is a cooperative. We all share in the work and profits. If we lose our tools and explosives, we won't be able to buy more."

"You need help," Eritha said. "Have you informed the United Legislature? They could send a security force to protect you."

"We informed them weeks ago and have heard nothing," Bini said. "The troubles in the capital city have overshadowed ours."

Qui-Gon thought over what Bini and Kevta had told him. He remembered back to Mota, the black market seller with the empty tables where weapons had once been for sale. The Absolutes were gathering weapons on a large scale. They were ready to make their move. All of this had coincided with Tahl's kidnapping. But was there a connection?

Restlessly, Qui-Gon drummed his fingers on the table, then stilled them. Eritha watched him over the rim of her mug.

The door opened, and Yanci strode in. She saw Qui-Gon immediately and came over.

"Obi-Wan is a good patient," she said, "only stubborn. He wants to leave. But I am prevailing on you to reason with him. His wound will heal, but he needs time for the bacta to regenerate what he lost."

"How long?" Qui-Gon asked.

"A day. Maybe more. He will risk permanent damage if he does not stay off that leg."

Qui-Gon nodded. Accepting the diagnosis was not easy. Every part of him was screaming to leave, to rescue Tahl. He should at least wait until morning before making a decision. He wanted to leave tonight. Right now.

Yanci seemed to understand. "The moons are waning. It would be difficult to track tonight. The quarries are treacherous."

"Do you have a probe droid you can lend us?"

Bini shook her head. "Probe droids are illegal. Absolutes still use them, of course. We do not."

Qui-Gon saw he had no choice. Reluctantly, he rose. "May I sleep in the med unit tonight? I don't want Obi-Wan to be alone."

"I'll make arrangements," Yanci promised. "And Eritha can sleep in my unit," Bini said. "It is only one more day," Yanci said.

But one more day could mean everything. He could not risk Obi-Wan's health. Qui-Gon pushed his decision off until morning. If Obi-Wan was not better, he would consider going on alone and leave Eritha here with him. It was not a choice he wanted to make.

And when the chase began again, he would not have the probe droid. He would have to track Balog on his own. It would take longer. He might not succeed.

Tahl felt farther away than ever.