"Can you give me any reason to do so?" Obi-Wan asked.

Lorian hesitated. "I cannot prove my honesty."

"Then we'll continue to suspect you," Anakin said.

"We come from the same place," Lorian said, looking at them both. "I was raised in the Temple. I fell away from its teachings for a time.

Why? I was afraid. I was young and alone and I took a step forward, the only step I felt I could take. Then I took another, and another, and I ended up in a life I didn't recognize."

"These are excuses," Obi-Wan said. "Tell that to the people of Junction 5. Tell that to Cilia Dil."

"I harmed my people," Lorian admitted. "And I must say that Cilia is not one of my supporters. She can't forget what I was. I know all I have are excuses. When you live a life filled with wrong, what else do you have but excuses and blame?" He paused. "Do you believe in redemption, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan had been asked the question, but it was Anakin who spoke up.

"I do."

"I do, as well, young Anakin Skywalker," Lorian said. "It is what keeps me going. At the end of my life, I will do good. That's all I can tell you for now."

"Do you believe him?" Anakin asked as they walked outside the inn.

"I think he talks well," Obi-Wan said. "And I don't know what to believe. Not yet." Would Qui-Gon have known? He had always seemed to know who to trust.

"You are too hard on beings sometimes," Anakin said. "Mistakes are made. Things happen. That means that change can happen, too."

"The meaning of life is change," Obi-Wan said, startled at Anakin's characterization of him. The charge stung. He did not think he was hard on other beings. Perhaps that had been true once, but he had learned from Qui-Gon. "I didn't say I didn't believe Lorian. But I can't discount the rest of his life just because he tells me I should.

If he is in league with Dooku, we should find out what they are planning. And if he is not in league with Dooku, we should still find out."

"So what's our next step?" Anakin asked.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I have a question," Anakin said. "If Robior Web was hired to kill Samish Kash, he has accomplished his objective. Why is he still on Null? Assassins seldom hang around after they finish an assignment."

"He was going to meet Lorian and give his report," Obi-Wan said.

"That could be true," Anakin said, "but usually that is done by comlink or dataport. Usually an assassin and his employer don't like to be seen together."

"So if he's still on Null, he could have another assignment to accomplish before the meeting," Obi-Wan said. "Maybe we should find him."

"Sure," Anakin said. "But how? It's a big mountain."

"Exactly," Obi-Wan said. "If I were Web, I'd want transport. His was destroyed. I'd need to do it without attracting any attention, so that lets out stealing one from a villager or an aide. But he knows where another one is — "

Anakin grinned and finished the sentence. "- just hanging around."

When they got to where Dane's speeder was hanging emeshed in the spiderweb, Robior Web was in the tree, trying to slice the web with his vibroblade. It was clear he had been trying for some time to release the swoop. His hands and tunic were covered with the sticky, ropy web. He had managed to free the back of the swoop, and it hung suspended from the handlebars, which were covered in the sticky goo.

Below on the ground, a dead reclumi spider lay in pieces, a victim of the same vibroblade, no doubt when it tried to defend its web.

Robior Web consulted a chrono, then attacked the web even more fiercely. He succeeded only in winding a large tendril of the web around his arm. They could not hear his curses, but they could see his frustration.

"Time is running out," Obi-Wan murmured. "My guess is he has an appointment."

With one last savage thrust, Robior Web managed to cut loose a ropy tendril, but it flopped away, then smacked back against the body of the swoop. Now it was more enmeshed than ever.

With a strangled cry, the assassin dropped from the tree and hit the ground. He began to run.

Obi-Wan and Anakin followed. They had to keep well behind, but it was easy to track his progress through the forest. He was heading around the mountain but climbing steadily.

"I think he's heading for the landing platform," Obi-Wan said. "We'll be coming at it from above."

After a hard climb, they realized Obi-Wan was right. Robior Web climbed over a peak and disappeared below. Obi-Wan and Anakin waited a moment, then climbed behind him and peered over the edge. Web was moving down toward the landing platform below.

Suddenly the sun was blocked out overhead. They looked up. A large transport was hovering. Robior Web quickened his pace and almost slid down to the deserted landing platform.

Behind the large transport, a sleek interstellar sloop dropped down from the sky, a sail ship, like none other in the galaxy.

"Dooku has arrived," Obi-Wan said.

The solar sailer landed. The landing ramp slid down and the tall, elegant figure of Count Dooku emerged. Obi-Wan felt Anakin tense.

Unconsciously, he touched the metal hand that had replaced the one Dooku had severed.

"So Dooku hired the assassin," Obi-Wan muttered as Robior Web skidded to a stop in front of Dooku, then bowed. "With or without Lorian, we don't know."

Distracted, he had not realized Anakin was rising until his Padawan was almost to his feet.

"Anakin what are you doing? Get down!"

"Let's get him now," Anakin said.

"Get down!" Obi-Wan insisted. To his relief, Anakin crouched down again. He faced him, his eyes full of fire and purpose.

"We have our chance to end it here," Anakin said. "Let's kill him. We can take him together. We won't make the same mistakes this time."

"Like being reckless and rushing him without a plan?" Obi-Wan asked pointedly. "It is what cost you your hand last time, and you are doing it again, Padawan."

"What are we waiting for?" Anakin asked. "We missed him at Raxus Prime, but we won't here. If we kill him, we kill the Separatist movement. What is one life against thousands? Maybe millions?"

"Anakin — "

"He killed our brothers and sisters on Geonosis," Anakin said bitterly. "Have you forgotten how they died?"