"New Apsolon did hold elections open to all — "

"We do not recognize New Apsolon, only Apsolon. And not every citizen deserves to vote."

"You are entitled to your opinion," Qui-Gon said. "Yet a government was legally elected by the laws of your world, so therefore — "

"Do you think I have time to argue with you?" The voice rose angrily.

The door slid shut.

"Well, that was an interesting conversation," Qui-Gon said. "We can see that the Absolutes are just as they appear. They are fanatics."

"Not good news for us," Obi-Wan said.

"I'm sure we'll have an interesting dialogue."

"Do you think they'll torture us?" Obi-Wan asked the question in a firm voice. He did not want Qui-Gon to think he was afraid. But when he remembered back to the different methods they had seen earlier that day, he couldn't say he felt comfortable with the notion.

"I have no idea what they are planning," Qui-Gon said.

They did not say any more. There was a good chance they were under surveillance. Qui-Gon moved closer to Obi-Wan and gently indicated his lightsaber with his fingers. It was to let his Padawan know that if torture lay ahead, they would not submit. Obi-Wan nodded.

They did not have long to wait. Less than an hour passed before they heard the door hiss open. They were pulled outside and then pushed along for a short distance. Another door was activated. Qui-Gon felt himself shoved inside.

He did not know what lay ahead, but he had his lightsaber. His hands were still bound, but he would find a way to resist.

He was forced into a chair. A bright light was in his face. He knew his Padawan was beside him.

"Here are the Jedi."

"We can see that, brother." The voice was low and powerful, with a wry twist to the cadence that he knew well. "You may leave us."

Yes, his hands were bound. Yes, he was blindfolded. He was a prisoner with no way out that he could tell. But Qui-Gon's heart sang. He had found Tahl.

He sensed other presences in the room. At least three, he thought.

"Why are you on Apsolon?" a male voice asked.

"A stopover," Qui-Gon replied. "We are traveling, and I was here six years ago. I had some curiosity as to how this world fared."

"Who sent for you?" another voice barked. "No one."

"Why were you present at a secret meeting of Workers?" a third shrill voice asked.

"We were not present at the meeting. We were observing it. Surely your own people could tell you that."

"Just answer the questions. Who is your contact in the Workers?"

"No one."

"You were seen with lrini. How did she contact you initially?" She did not contact us. We went for a tour."

On and on the questions came. Qui-Gon answered them briefly. Tahl did not speak again. No doubt she had spoken first to let him know that she was in the room. Somehow she had infiltrated the inner circle of the Absolutes.

She had done it in a short amount of time, and she had done it well. Qui- Gon admired her skill, but then, he always had. He felt almost liquid with relief that he had found her. A growing desperation had haunted him, and he had had to push thoughts of his vision aside.

When he released her, her body could not stay upright. She seemed to fold into his arms like drifting silk. Odd, because he had always counted on her strength. Now he felt the softness of her hair, her skin, the lightness of her bones. He felt how she could melt against him and become part of him. Tears sprang to his eyes at the way one of her hands curled weakly around his neck.

He wrenched his mind back to the present. He realized that the three men were arguing.

"Killing them would send a message," one said.

"Two messages. One to the Workers, one to Roan. It will show them we have power. But do we risk tipping our hand?"

"Perhaps if we threaten to kill them and then do so, it would be better."

The three continued to argue. Qui-Gon did not worry. The absence of Tahl's voice told him something important: She had done more than infiltrate the inner circle. She had gained power.

Again, Qui-Gon marveled at her fearlessness. Yet it only increased his own fears for her safety. His belief in his vision strengthened. Now he saw it as a vision that could happen, if she stayed on this dangerous course.

"T, you have said nothing," one of the men said at last.

"We will let them go," Tahl said. Immediately the others erupted in shouts. "

"Why?

"Just let them go?"

"This makes no sense!"

But the three quieted so abruptly Qui-Gon knew that Tahl had made some kind of gesture. That was the kind of power she had.

"Again you all fail to factor in the one thing that we lack in our struggle," Tahl said. "Popular support. We cannot achieve power without it.

I know you don't like to hear this. But the people of Apsolon are used to thinking they have a voice in government now. We can give them that illusion. That is not difficult. But we still need their support."

"What does this have to do with the Jedi?" someone asked sullenly.

"The Jedi are still respected on Apsolon. The people think they were responsible for keeping the peace during the transition. They see them as neutral — "

"They supported our dissolution! They were against us!"

"I am talking about appearances," Tahl snapped. "Always remember that appearances are much more important than reality. If we kill the Jedi and take responsibility for it, our hope of popular support will be gone. There will be time enough to kill our enemies."

"Well, why don't we just kill them and get them out of our way? We don't have to take responsibility for it."

There was a short silence. Qui-Gon could feel the tension in the room. He could only imagine the look of scorn that Tahl was directing at the speaker.

When she spoke, her voice was measured and slow, as if she were talking to a child with no notion of the way things worked. "First of all, killing Jedi is not cut and dried. You don't just kill them and expect no consequences. There would be an investigation. Certainly one from their order, and perhaps one from the Senate. This time, when we take power, we want the backing of the Senate. We have discussed this. We will be clever this time. The people will have the illusion that they have some control.