They've made some hits on ships coming in with supplies for the Commerce Guild executives."

"So how do you get in touch with this black market?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It's on the outskirts, in a plaza that's in ruins — that is, if you can tell ruins from the rest of these crumbling, cracked-up excuses for buildings." Thacker's darting gaze flicked to the ceiling. "I can give you the coordinates. If you want something, go at dusk. Ask for Auben. She's the best of a bad lot — she won't cheat you and she knows everything that's going on. I've bought a few things from her myself. But watch out for the army — the executives in the Commerce Guild are tired of buying back their own items. They want to smash the black market."

The Jedi stood.

"One more thing," Thacker said. "The army isn't your only concern.

Auben might be less than cooperative. She won't trust you. And she's heavily armed."

"That won't be a problem," Obi-Wan assured him.

Dusk on Korriban lasted for hours, beginning in midafternoon as the weak sun slowly made its descent. The shadows cast by the buildings on Dreshdae seemed thick and full of menace. There had been an attempt to install glow lights on the streets, but they were staggered in odd patterns. As the Jedi walked toward the plaza, they moved from light to shadow. They knew it was dusk only because the light was failing. There was so much cloud cover that they could not see the sun. The clouds just deepened to a dark red.

"I have a suggestion, Master," Anakin said. "This Auben might feel less threatened if she's approached by one person. Especially someone young."

Obi-Wan nodded. "That's not a bad idea."

"We can't surround her, we'll spook her for sure," Siri said. "Why don't Anakin and Ferus go?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "You can say that you're brothers, and you've been stranded here. Sounds plausible."

Brothers! Anakin swallowed his groan. Being teamed with Ferus was bad enough.

They approached the plaza. It was surrounded by pillars that had once held up some sort of roof over the plaza. Part of the roof still hung over the space. Behind the pillars were the ruins of a building. There were plenty of places to hide, which was no doubt why it was chosen as the spot to conduct illegal business.

"We'll stay here," Obi-Wan said, stopping a good distance away from the plaza. "Whatever you do, don't reveal that you are Jedi. That's information that can be sold. We know Omega is expecting us, but he doesn't know when we'll arrive."

Anakin and Ferus took off for the marketplace in silence. The tension hadn't lessened between them. Anakin had hoped to gain information about Omega before Ferus did. He wished he were meeting Auben alone. It wasn't that he would jeopardize the mission in any way, but he wouldn't mind being one half-step ahead.

They didn't say a word as they walked. They didn't make a plan. Anakin wanted to complete the assignment as quickly as possible and return to the others.

They cruised once around the plaza. They could see a few beings in the shadows. It wasn't until they'd made one circuit of the area that they were approached.

A young woman dressed in a tight-fitting gray tunic and leggings came to them. She wore a leather headpiece that fitted snugly over her ears, and she carried an enormous satchel on her back without strain.

"Looking for something, friends?"

"Are you Auben?" Anakin asked.

Her eyes flicked over them. "Who wants to know?"

"Thacker sent us. He said you had things for sale."

"I've got it or I can get it. What's your need, friend?"

"Blankets and handwarmers," Anakin said.

She dumped the satchel on the ground and held up two handwarmers. As she crouched, Anakin saw two blasters in her belt. "Let me see the credits first," she said.

Anakin held out his hand. She took the credits from it, then tossed the handwarmers to Ferus. "No blankets today, but I've got a tip on some plush thermal capes. You can meet me here same time tomorrow and I'll have them."

"How much?" Ferus asked.

Auben named the price. Ferus raised his eyebrows. "I said they were plush. Top quality. I'll have some other luxury stuff, too." She shrugged.

"If you don't want them, someone else will."

"You have a lot of customers?" Ferus's gaze roamed the empty plaza, pretending skepticism.

"I've got the whole spaceport as customers, friend." Auben shrugged the pack back onto her shoulders.

It was clear she was about to take off. Anakin spoke quickly. "Our parents marooned us here on Dreshdae. They said they'd be back, but it's been a few weeks now, and we don't know where — "

Auben's face was expressionless. "I don't need your story, just your credits."

"We heard that a couple landed at the spaceport recently," Anakin continued. "A human man and woman. Maybe you've seen them — "

Auben's eyes grew hard. "I don't discuss my customers."

"But I just — "

"Ever."

Anakin knew they were at a dead end.

"So you only find things, not beings?" Ferus asked. "Seems to me that there's not much difference. You need the same skills. Contacts and discretion."

She stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean?"

"It seems to me that for the right price, you could help us with more than handwarmers."

Auben hesitated. She gave them an appraising look, as if wondering how much they could pay.

But before she could speak, a blast of artillery fire shattered a column behind her. The explosion of rocks sent her flying toward Anakin and Ferus. All three landed on the ground.

"Commerce Guild droids," she panted. "Run!"