It was still dark, but the sky had completely cleared and the planet's two moons shone in the night sky. Their silver light partly lit the paths, bridges, and brooks.

Qui-Gon continuously scanned the area around them. He did not sense anything dangerous — the park seemed serene and peaceful, just as it had during the day. But it would have been foolish to let his guard down. Obi- Wan stood a distance away, alert for any trespass.

Suddenly, Lena stopped short next to a small stand of lush tropical trees. A stream gurgled over smooth rocks and into a pool of clear water.

With a sigh, Lena sat down. "This was our special place," she said.

"I remember the first time Rutin brought me here four years ago. We were not even married yet. But we had so many plans, so many dreams." Her eyes shone with happiness for a brief moment. But before long, tears were welling in them and she broke down, sobbing.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "Sometimes it is more than I can bear. I find myself wishing that it was I who had been killed, not him. I would have gladly given my life to save his."

Qui-Gon nodded. "I, too, have wished I could have given my life to save another, one whom I had loved. But now I know that it is often harder to be the one left behind. I would not have wanted her to feel such loneliness, to go through the pain I have gone through." He touched Lena's arm briefly. "Rutin left these things for you because he knew his death was possible, and he trusted that you would carry on."

Qui-Gon looked into Lena's eyes, and knew that his words were getting through to her. Surprisingly, he felt a lightening in his own chest as well. His grief for Tahl was still excruciating, but he suddenly knew that there would come a time when it would be possible to bear. And in his heart he was certain that Tahl would want him to carry on, too. She would have hated the way he had chosen to mourn her, he realized suddenly. He had allowed his grief to remove him from everyone who had tried to help him.

Because the weight of his sorrow was so terrible, he could not lift his head to see that others mourned her, too. Obi-Wan. Yoda. Bant. Clee Rhava.

The list was long.

Her face rose in his mind. He could see the ironic twist to her lips.

"Now who's blind?" she said.

Her voice was so real to him. How he wished he could answer….

"Thank you, Qui-Gon," Lena said softly, breaking his reverie. "As difficult as it is to live without Rutin, I know that you are right."

Qui-Gon briefly squeezed Lena's hand. He noticed that his Padawan's face wore a look of confused frustration, and felt he had some explaining to do. But now was not the time to discuss it. They had to find the evidence and leave the planet.

"Do you have any ideas about what the clues from the package mean?"

Qui-Gon asked.

Lena got to her feet and began to look under rocks and thick green leaves. "I'm sure this is the spot," she explained. "But the clues don't make any sense to me. Why would I need a drill? Or a pair of boots?"

The three searched the area, finding nothing but grass, water, rocks, and plants.

"There's nothing here," Obi-Wan finally said, sounding exasperated.

"It's just like any other lovely spot in the woods."

Hearing his words, Lena suddenly looked up. "But it isn't, of course, " she said. "It's all manufactured. Human made." She began to look at the ground in a new way. She stepped across a patch of fake ground covered with moss. Getting to her knees, she peeled it back.

Underneath was a large, locked panel.

Lena picked up the beam drill and forced the panel open. Lifting it aside, she found a short tunnel descending down.

Excited, Lena lowered herself into the tunnel. A moment later Qui-Gon heard a loud splash.

"Well, I know what the boots were for," she called up. "I'm up to my ankles in water. But at least it's not sewage!"

Qui-Gon handed Lena the boots. They were big, and Lena pulled them on over her shoes. Then she turned on the flashlight and splashed around. She was inside a small pump room.

"Do you need help?" Obi-Wan called down.

There was some more splashing, but no response. Then several moments of complete silence.

Qui-Gon and his Padawan exchanged glances. Qui-Gon was just about to lower himself into the tunnel when they heard a gleeful shout.

"I found it!" Lena exclaimed.

A moment later she emerged with a second small package in a waterproof sheathing.

Qui-Gon hoped it was the evidence they needed.

The three wasted no time getting back to the warehouse. They had been at the park for a couple of hours, and it was now very early morning.

Obi-Wan was anxious to get to the makeshift apartment and open the package. He was also exhausted, and hoped they would be able to rest for a few hours before planning their next move. But then his Master was never one to rest. There had been many times when Obi-Wan was certain that the older Jedi simply did not need sleep.

Once safely inside the warehouse, Lena ripped open the package.

Inside was a datapad, well wrapped and protected from water or shaking.

Lena switched the tiny machine on and they all waited while it hummed to life.

The next few moments seemed to go on for hours. Her hands a bit shaky, Lena put the data-pad on a low table and sat down on the sofa. The datapad beeped.

Lena pressed a series of buttons on the side of the machine, and information began to flash across the screen. Information about illegal land negotiations, bribery, government extortion, contracts for murders…

the list of crimes went on and on.

"Say good-bye to power, Solan," she whispered. Lena looked up at the Jedi, smiling. "This will put the Cobral behind bars for a long, long time, " she said.

Obi-Wan sighed in relief. Soon this mission would be over. Lena would be safe, and Frego would be free.

Qui-Gon did not waste any time in contacting Senator Crote on Coruscant. He explained that they had the evidence they needed, and they would be traveling with it first thing in the morning.

"Wonderful," the senator replied. "Take the Degarian II. It is fast and available. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow."

With nothing more to do, Lena and the Jedi settled down for a few hours' rest. But while Lena slept in the room next door and his Master dozed nearby, Obi-Wan found that, exhausted as he was, sleep evaded him. He kept remembering the conversation he'd overheard between his Master and Lena in the park. Qui-Gon had never spoken so frankly about his grief-to anyone. Why did he choose to confide in a woman he barely trusted, and not in his own Padawan?