"I left instructions that I was not to be disturbed — "

"Yes, Governor. But we have received an external communication. They ask for you only. They say they are the kidnappers."

Roan looked at the Jedi. "I would like you to hear this." He spoke into the comm unit. "Please put them through."

The voice that came through the comm unit was obviously electronically manipulated. It had an eerie, echoing quality, half machine, half living being.

"Good afternoon. Today the descendants of Ewane were taken in a raid.

We are holding them. We are willing to release them upon your meeting certain conditions."

"Are they all right?" Roan asked. "Let me speak to them."

"They are safe and were not harmed. Do not speak. Listen."

"I will pay for their release — "

"Do not speak! We do not want money. We want you to resign your position as Supreme Governor. You will say you are bowing to the will of the people. You will call for new elections. You will never reveal that you have resigned in order to free the twins."

Roan met Qui-Gon's eyes. Qui-Gon saw that he would agree. He had no choice.

"Oh, yes. If you say you will do this, and you go back on your word, both you and the twins will be killed. Make no mistake that we are capable of getting to you anywhere. Even with Jedi protection."

"All right," Roan said, leaning toward the comm unit. "I agree to your terms. But I must see the twins and escort them to safety. I don't want them frightened again."

"That would be acceptable. We will contact you with details."

"When?" Roan asked urgently, but the communication was cut off.

Roan sat down heavily. "They are alive, at least. If we can believe them."

"You must not go to this meeting alone," Qui-Gon said. "When they contact you again, you must ask for a Jedi escort. You must ensure that both you and the twins come back from this meeting alive."

Roan nodded. "I will. I know you will protect them. I am all they have. I must do as the abductors ask. But I will be grateful for your assistance. Our first concern is the lives of those girls."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan left Roan, who promised he would call the Jedi as soon as the kidnappers contacted him again. They had only gone a few steps from the government building when Qui-Gon's comlink signaled.

"Qui-Gon, I need you."

It was Tahl. Qui-Gon felt his worry collect into one burning mass in his chest. She sounded breathless, in trouble. Not to mention that she was asking for his help.

"Tell me."

"I don't know how, but they discovered that I am a Jedi. They are afraid of how much I know. I escaped from the headquarters, but they've sent probe droids after me. Qui-Gon, I… I can't see the droids — "

"Do you know your location?"

"I crossed to the Worker Sector. I went four blocks south, three blocks east. I am concealed in a memorial, you know the ones with the standing columns?"

"Yes." Qui-Gon was already walking rapidly toward the Worker Sector.

"I'm hiding between the glass columns, but it won't take long before the probe droids locate me. There are many beings on the streets, so that will confuse them for a time, but — "

"We are on our way."

Qui-Gon quickly explained the situation to Obi-Wan, and they began to run. Tahl could not sense the droids through the Force, and this made her predicament all the more dire. He remembered precisely the location of the Absolute headquarters.

Was this it, was this the meaning of his vision? Would he find Tahl curled up between the columns? Would the probe droids have found her?

Her eyes were black and dull, but they sparked to life when she saw him..

He had seen Tahl's eyes in the vision, and they were dark, the color of the lenses she had donned to conceal their distinctive color. Qui-Gon remembered this detail like a blow. Did that mean the rest of the vision would come true?

"Qui-Gon, we're here." Obi-Wan spoke quietly by his side, his breath roughened by the hard run. "We should be cautious now. The probe droids might be searching for us, too."

It was a good point. He should have thought of it. He slowed his pace to a walk so that they were not obvious among the passersby. Then they gradually increased their speed, mingling with the crowd. Because of the unrest concerning the twins' disappearance, the streets were crowded.

Qui-Gon counted off the blocks, struggling not to run. Attuned to the air above, he did not see any probe droids. He did not know whether to be reassured or worried by this.

At last they reached the corner where the monument to the dead Workers stood. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan hurried toward the glowing columns. They searched through the rows, at last finding Tahl near the back, at a place where she was hidden but still had room to escape the cube and run.

She turned her face up at the sound of their footsteps. Her eyes were dark, but not dulled with pain. She was fine. Her wry smile tore at his heart. "Thanks for coming."

Qui-Gon crouched down and signaled to Obi-Wan to do the same. "There are many on the streets. It will be hard for the probe droids to track you.

I think the safest place for us now would be with Roan. Even if he is behind the kidnapping, he must maintain the illusion that he is not. Since your cover is blown, it doesn't matter who knows that you are Jedi."

"True," Tahl said. "Let's go."

Obi-Wan scanned the sky. "Surveillance will be heaviest around here.

Once we get into the Civilized Sector, the probe droids might give up."

"Stay between us, and stay close," Qui-Gon told her.

They made their way cautiously out from the glowing glass columns, then into the flow of pedestrians. Gradually it became clear that the passersby had a destination.

"They are heading somewhere," Qui-Gon murmured.

"Probably a demonstration," Tahl guessed.

The demonstration turned out to be only a few blocks ahead. The crowd all turned toward the small park where Workers were massing. Qui-Gon, Obi- Wan, and Tahl were left alone.

"We could hide in the crowd," Qui-Gon said in a low tone.

"But we would just have to leave it later," Obi-Wan said.