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Anakin double-checked the readings and grinned. Each time the results were the same. Satisfied, the young Jedi leaned back in his chair and reached for his comlink.
"Obi-Wan?" he called in a low voice.
His master's reply was immediate. "What is it, Anakin?"
"I'm just finishing up now. Where do you want me to meet you? We have twelve minutes before the ship comes out of lightspeed."
"Well done, Padawan," Obi-Wan told him in an even tone, not the least bit surprised by Anakin's accomplishments. "Saloma and I will be at the shuttle alcove in five minutes. Meet us there."
Anakin glanced at the time. "All right. I'm on my way." He had just started closing out all the different schmatics he had displayed up on the readout screen, when he suddenly felt the Force stirring around him in warning. He leaned back from the console where he'd been working and quickly quieted his mind, letting the Force speak to him.
Someone was coming. One of the Calamarian crewmembers. He could hear their distinctive shuffling footsteps now. The young Jedi stood up and looked around quickly for someplace to hide.
No, he abruptly decided. If he was discovered hiding he would immediately be under suspicion. He had to act nonchalant. He wanted to make the Calamarian believe he felt he had every right to be here. The crewmember would probably just give him a tongue-lashing and send him on his way.
Anakin sat down at the console once more and quickly brought up information on engine fuel. He leaned forward and pretended to be so engrossed by what he was reading, he didn't notice the engineer enter the room.
"Hey you there! What do you think you're doing?" the engineer called out, waving his arm at the young Jedi.
Anakin looked up and smiled easily. "Oh hello. I was just reading about the engines. I'm studying to be an engineer myself so I hope you don't mind me using your computer to find out more about them. They're something of an enigma. You don't see these engines on the newer freighters."
The Calamarian eyed Anakin warily for a moment longer, then seemed to relax. "Well, this particular make is older. There's been two improved models manufactured after it."
"How interesting," Anakin said and slowly stood up. "I suppose I better let you get back to work. Thank you again for the use of your data. I found it all very intriguing."
The Calamarian placed a heavy hand on the Jedi's shoulder and pushed him back down in the chair. "Oh you don't have to rush off," he began. "I just came down to check the sublights before we disengage the hyperdrive. It's standard operating procedure." He leaned over Anakin's shoulder and gestured at the console. "Here I'll show you how to do it. It's easy with this program."
Anakin smiled up at him indulgently. "I really must be going, but thank you anyway--"
"Here, it only takes a few minutes. Every engineer should know how to do it. And nothing beats hands on experience," the Calamarian told him good-naturedly. He started to close the screen with the fuel readouts and saw the shuttle schematic displayed on the screen underneath. "Hmm, what's this doing up?"
The Jedi licked his lips. "Uh, I was reading about that too. I was wondering what sort of power it used." He glanced at the time on the monitor and frowned.
"Oh, same as these, just not as much," the engineer supplied and continued to close out the rest of the screens Anakin hadn't gotten to. He laughed when he saw the launch procedures listed on the final screen. "You passengers. Always eager to know about emergency evac." He straightened and patted Anakin's shoulder. "Don't you worry, boy. This ship may be older, but she's secure and sound. Sounder than that shuttle by the way. They'll be no need to evacuate."
Anakin's eyes lit with newfound interest. "What....what do you mean, sounder than the shuttle?"
The Calamarian waved the Jedi's concerns away and laughed. "This ship was built using quality alloy--"
"No, no, no," Anakin cut him off. "I mean the shuttle. What's the matter with the shuttle?"
Scratching his whiskered chin thoughtfully, the engineer looked at Anakin and lowered his voice. "Well, we're not supposed to let any passengers know about this, but you seem to have a level head on your shoulders. The problem is the shuttle's stabilizers are shot. We've been meaning to replace them, but haven't really seen the need. It misfires too. And the viewscreen doesn't work."
"Misfires?"
"Yeah, you know. You're going along nice and steady at a certain speed then whoosh! Your just about doing warp speed!" He shook his head. "It's really a piece of junk. It wasn't made by the same manufacturers. Here, we'll take a look at that schematic again and I'll show you--"
Anakin stood up. "Look, I really have to leave now. Thank you so much for your time. It's been so informative." He tried to muscle his way passed the Calamarian but the big amphibian wouldn't budge.
"I scared you now, didn't I? Boy, really, there's no need to worry. I've flown over forty times on this ship and--hey, why does this screen say that sensor's been disengaged?" He looked from the monitor to Anakin. "You didn't accidently press anything did you?"
Anakin's heart sunk. "If I did, I didn't mean to." He spared a glance at the time and frowned deeply. His situation was rapidly going from bad to worse.
The engineer casually entered new commands into his computer, closed down the program, and stood back. "There, all fixed. No big deal. I'm just glad I caught that." In mere moments, the Calamarian had reversed everything it had taken the Jedi over a half hour to do.
His patience gone, Anakin growled audibly at the overly-friendly engineer and physically shoved him away from the console. His hands flew over the data board as he tried to retrieve the pass key that gave him entry into the ship's sensory control program.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" the Calamarian asked, stunned, and grabbed at his arm.
Anakin glanced up at him then stepped aside and hauled the engineer into the chair. He jerked the lightsaber from his belt and activated it, training the glowing, sizzling tip on the amphibian's throat.
"Disengage that sensor, now," the Jedi told him through clenched teeth.
The Calamarian stared up at him with his enormous eyes too shocked to move.
"Don't make me behead you," Anakin threatened futilely. "I need that sensor off."
"You're a thief, aren't you?" the engineer surmised. "Nothing but a dirty black-market thief. You're going to steal the cargo aren't you and fly it down to the surface using the shuttle."
Anakin sighed impatiently. "Hardly. I'm a Jedi. I'm on a secret mission. I need to borrow the shuttle, that's all. I'm not stealing anything."
The Calamarian shook his head slowly. "I've never seen a Jedi dressed like that." He suddenly sprang forward and slapped his hand against a lever just above the console. Now the lights flashed red and an audible alarm buzzed loudly throughout the ship.
"Fahg!" Anakin hissed furiously, fighting the urge to behead the creature just for spite. Keeping his lightsaber in front of him as a precaution, he glared menacingly at the now smug-looking engineer, and backed slowly away until he was out of the engine room. Then he turned and ran.
***
Sitting along the wall with her arms around her knees, Saloma followed Obi-Wan with her eyes as the Jedi Master paced anxiously in front of the shuttle's alcove. His head was bowed and his hands were joined together behind his back as he strode up and down the passage, his mind full of worse case scenarios. His lightsaber swung rhythmically at his hip and long blue coat swirled around his knees with each sharp turn he made. He took several deep breaths and dragged his hand through his long fair hair a few times, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Obi-Wan, calm down," Saloma told him.
The Jedi stopped pacing to address her. "Something's wrong. I can feel it. He's in trouble."
Saloma sighed heavily. It was true. Anakin should have been here by now. The ship was going to come out of lightspeed in two minutes and the window of opportunity for launching the shuttle would close rapidly after that. The sooner they could take the shuttle, the better. Saloma struggled to think of something to say to ease Obi-Wan's anxiety.
"He hasn't called. Surely he would have called you if something happened," she offered.
Obi-Wan frowned. "Maybe he can't." He thought back to the time Anakin's comlink was taken from him by the members of the resistance who were holding him captive. But who would take it from him here? And even if someone had taken it, Anakin was still close enough to him to use telepathy if he really needed Obi-Wan's help. "I don't know. I just feel--"
As if to confirm his fears, the lights above suddenly turned red and an annoying buzzing sound reverberated through the hall passages. Obi-Wan and Saloma both looked up and around, their mouths falling open in surprise.
Sighing in resignation, Saloma climbed to her feet. "He's in trouble."
The Jedi Master turned to one of the lighted diagrams of the ship which were posted every few meters throughout the passages. It showed the alarm originating from the engine room where he knew Anakin had gone to gain access to the sensory program. Unlikely as it seemed, his padawan must have accidently tripped an alarm. Or possibly been discovered? Obi-Wan gnawed his lower lip and traced the route from the shuttle alcove to the engine room on the diagram with his index finger.
"Stay here," he told Saloma. "I'm going to head towards the engine room to try to find him."
Saloma was already shaking her head, having intercepted his thinking. "No, I'm coming with you. I don't think it's a good idea for us to split up now."
Frowning, Obi-Wan reluctantly conceded, knowing she knew he didn't want to waste time arguing with her about it. He extended his hand towards her and she readily took it. They had no sooner turned the corner when Anakin suddenly raced past them. Both parties jerked to a halt and faced each other.
"On the shuttle now!" Anakin ordered without any kind of explanation. He grabbed Saloma's hand and hauled her and Obi-Wan after him back towards the alcove. He skidded to a stop just in front of the sealed shuttle access doors and quickly jabbed the entry code into the lock. As soon as the doors opened, he frantically waved his companions inside.
The buzzing alarm sounded twice as loud inside the shuttle bay. Saloma and the two Jedi had to cover their ears as they sprinted towards the shuttle. Saloma noticed the shuttle bay doors were starting to close. She stopped and pointed up at them but before she could say anything, Obi-Wan climbed in the shuttle and pulled her in after him. Anakin jumped on, sealed the hatch, and threw himself into the pilot's seat.
"Hang on," the young Jedi grumbled, his hands flying over the controls. "I swear I'll explain everything as soon as we get out of here. First things first."
Saloma and Obi-Wan slid into the seats just behind Anakin and strapped themselves in.
"Low key, Anakin. Do you remember the Council mentioning something about that?" Obi-Wan asked with a slight edge in his voice.
"Yes I do," Anakin shot back, not missing a beat. "And I'm doing the best I can, okay?"
The Jedi Master began massaging his eyes.
"Ah, did you know the bay doors were closing?" Saloma asked with a strange Jedi-like calm.
"He knows," Obi-Wan nodded with a heavy sigh.
Anakin was too engrossed to answer her. He fired up the shuttle's engines and immediately began to lift off, accelerating to full speed as soon as the thrusters were able. The shuttle dipped suddenly and banged into the descending doors on the way out of the bay, throwing the passengers violently to the left.
"Sorry," the young Jedi mumbled by way of apology. "I thought I had enough room to clear the doors, but don't worry. I don't think we dented anything important." He released a long sigh of relief and settled more comfortably back in his seat. They had gotten away even though the ship had been put on full alert and the shuttle had cleared the bay. They were in open space now. The worse part was over.
Obi-Wan couldn't help noticing the viewscreen wasn't projecting anything. "Anakin?"
His padawan faced him expectantly. The Jedi Master indicated the blank screen.
"Oh, yeah I know," Anakin replied. "This will be a real trip. We're flying blind save for the controls and the Force's guidance. And from what I found out about this shuttle, my money's on the Force."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and sighed. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear anymore.
"Is it safe?" Saloma ventured, leaning towards Obi-Wan for some sense of security.
Anakin shrugged. "....I believe so."
At that moment, the shuttle suddenly lurched forward, throwing everyone back against their seats. Anakin seized the controls and quickly adjusted the speed. He exhaled forcefully and turned back around to face Obi-Wan.
"Oh yeah. I almost forgot. It misfires and the stabilizer isn't functioning properly," Anakin reported.
The Jedi Master held his padawan's gaze for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes again and folded his arms across his chest. "Is that all?" he inquired.
Saloma had to laugh. The flippant way in which Obi-Wan had responded to the alarming information Anakin had just told him made it difficult to tell if he was being sarcastic or just blase'. She was ready to start panicking in earnest, but the two Jedi seemed to be taking their present adversity in stride, as usual.
Anakin glanced at Saloma and grinned. "Don't worry, my dear. I live and breathe for this kind of trouble. It's nothing I can't handle."
Placing her hand on Anakin's arm, Saloma squeezed it. "I'm sure you can," she stated more confidently than she actually felt.
"Behind all that bravado, he's telling you the truth," Obi-Wan added, looking up at her. "Anakin's flying expertise is reknown. If anyone can pilot this shuttle successfully, he can." The Jedi Master turned his eyes on his apprentice. "I trust his ability beyond any doubt."
Anakin swallowed and lowered his eyes, humbled by Obi-Wan's unexpected praise. "Thank you, Master," he said softly, his heart pounding inside him. He slowly turned and focused his attention back on the shuttle's controls.
Obi-Wan smiled slightly and closed his eyes once more.
***
The forest surrounding Lake Seasey was nothing more than bare, blackened stalks of charred flora. Its trees were leafless and for the most part limbless, stabbing the overcast sky of Aremont with jagged and splintered trunks.
Anakin brought the unruly shuttle down just west of the lake amidst a covering of singed boa fronds. He was pretty certain they had penetrated the planet's atmosphere undetected by any ground forces, but he didn't want to take any chances of the abandoned shuttle being discovered by overhead reconnaissance flights later on.
Following the two Jedi, Saloma stepped out of the shuttle and looked around, her heart sinking at the sight which met her eyes.
"How could they do such a thing?" she asked rhetorically, knowing the once vibrant ecosystem would never be able to recover from the destruction Captain Vrone's governmental forces had ensued.
She picked her way through the burned debris, making her way to the dark waters of the lake. On its surface, dirty, ragged-edged chunks of ice floated slowly by her, carried along by frothy-capped ripples. The banks were strewn with decaying plants and dead fish and the water itself looked dead. Its shallows were an oily yellowish-gray color which deepened to a murkier green towards the center of the lake. Saloma finally turned away from it and blinked back tears.
Sensing her sorrow, Obi-Wan walked up to her and took her in his arms.
"They killed it," she mumbled, burying her face in the collar of his coat. "They actually killed it."
The Jedi Master nodded and stroked her hair. "I know," he soothed. "But the lake wasn't the only thing they destroyed." He pulled back from her slightly and gestured to the south. "Look."
Saloma looked up and gasped. "The cathedral..."
Obi-Wan sighed despondently. "Once we had left it, they were able to attack it."
All that remained of the once magnificent structure was barely discernible ruins. Half of the north tower stood like an ancient sentinel over the scattered, dusty rubble, and one of the east walls still shadowed a crumbling stone stairway which led to nowhere.
"This is an end of an era," Saloma whispered.
Anakin was standing a little ways off by himself, his eyes fixed on the desecrated cathedral.
"It's gone," he suddenly announced.
Obi-Wan and Saloma faced him.
"What's gone?" Saloma asked, knowing he wasn't referring to the building.
Anakin stretched out his arms and gestured around him. "The Force. Our life. Our power. It's gone from here. It's lost." He dropped his arms with a heavy sigh and bowed his head.
Obi-Wan released Saloma and went to his padawan. He placed his hand on his shoulder as Anakin turned his distraught gaze upon him.
"The Force has not gone," the Jedi Master began softly. "It remains inside us, as it always has and always will. We were the ones who carried the Force to this place. Every Jedi who ever came here did as well." He paused and licked his lips. "The lifeforms in this area were sensitive to the Force's presence and that sensitivity may be gone now, but the Force itself still dwells at its source. And we are that source, Anakin. Not the trees, or the lake, or even the cathedral."
Anakin nodded, but looked away from Obi-Wan. He started towards the ruins with a determined stride. "Let's just get out of here, all right?"
Obi-Wan stood where he was, watching Anakin with a strange mixture of emotions tumbling around inside him.
"He's just angry," Saloma said, coming up beside him, her voice low. "He doesn't believe you. He thinks you're just trying to pacify him."
The Jedi turned to face her. "Thank you for the insight, but Anakin doesn't want to believe me." He took a deep breath and started walking away.
Saloma skipped after him. "Well prove it to him then."
Obi-Wan stopped and turned to face her. "I shouldn't have to prove myself, Saloma."
"Of course you do! Everybody does!" she argued. "It's not enough sometimes to just talk about something. You have to make it understood. You have to make it real." Leaning towards him, Saloma reached for his hand and slowly laced her fingers through his. "Think about it this way. The statements you make, no matter how true, like your professions of love for me, still need to be bolstered with your demonstrations of love for me. How can I believe you love me if you refuse to show me you do?" She stretched up on her toes and softly kissed him. "He's not rejecting you, Obi-Wan," she whispered. "Go to him. He needs you to reassure him that everything is all right."
Staring off into the distance, the Jedi Master nodded slowly. "Earlier today, he told me basically the same thing about you and at the time, I was feeling pretty much the same way I am now." He glanced back at Saloma and offered her a small smile. "And he was right about your needs, just like I'm certain you are right about his. I should have learned this lesson by now."
Bowing her head, Saloma whispered, "It's a lesson we all have to learn. When you don't know what it is a person needs, knowing how to meet those needs can be hard. All we can do is try."
Obi-Wan lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Thank you. You're a good friend, Saloma. To both of us."
Smiling coyly, Saloma released the Jedi's hand, and watched him stalk off in the direction his padawan had gone. She shielded her eyes from the glare of the setting sun as she looked towards the cathedral ruins. Anakin was kicking around some of the rubble when Obi-Wan approached him. He looked up. She saw the Jedi Master gesture back in her direction and furrowed her brow in curiosity.
***
Obi-Wan gestured back at Saloma who remained standing just outside the edge of the blackened treeline watching him.
"Your friend back there reminded me of the conversation you and I had this morning," the Jedi Master began.
Anakin glanced in Saloma's direction. "What did she say?"
Looking down at the rubble, Obi-Wan fixed his eyes on one of the smaller pieces and called it to his hand. "That you need...reassuring."
The young Jedi eyed his master warily. "I'm fine, really."
Obi-Wan tossed the stone up and recaught it. "I was hoping you'd believe me when I said nothing's changed, but I understand, sometimes it's best to experience things for yourself." He glanced at Anakin. "If you call on the Force, you'll see it doesn't feel any different now that the lake and the cathedral are gone," he stated.
"But it does feel different," Anakin protested.
"It's because of your anger," the Jedi Master countered. "You looked around you and saw death and destruction where there was peace and beauty and life before." He paused and took a deep steadying breath. "Anakin, we can't always be surrounded by what's alive and good. Sometimes we need to look into ourselves for these things to keep the Force's presence out of the darkness."
Obi-Wan threw the stone up once more and held it in mid-air with his eyes just over his head. Anakin looked up at the stone and frowned.
"Obi-Wan don't," he muttered. "I believe you. I'm just a little uptight, that's all."
"I want you to release your anger, Padawan, and then summon the Force," Obi-Wan said with an exasperated sigh. It was times like these that made him wonder if he was cut out to be a Jedi Master. He licked his lips and began lowering the stone slightly. "Here, take it from me," he told his apprentice. "And don't let it fall."
Anakin's frown deepened as he gestured up at the jagged stone. "Don't tempt me like this, Obi-Wan. I've had a bad day so far and I'm really not in the mood to--" He suddenly jumped back as the stone dropped heavily to the ground from above. Luckily the older Jedi moved back as well.
Trying to keep the disapproval out of his eyes, Obi-Wan pursed his lips and furrowed his brow. "I see the prospect of giving me a concussion wasn't enough to get you to let go of your anger." He quickly glanced around and spied a much larger piece of rubble. He gestured at it and sent it up into the air high above his head. "I'm not going to move this time, Anakin. You can either release your anger and feel the real power of the Force or you can kill me and never have to submit to these kinds of exercises again."
The stone began to descend, slowly at first, then gaining more speed the farther it fell. Anakin looked up at it and shook his head.
"I can't do this," he said, desperation creeping into his voice. "Please, I'm sure I won't be able to hold it."
Obi-Wan raised his hand above his head and stopped the stone. He held it just far enough up to make escaping from its descent nearly impossible. "Breathe in, Padawan. Feel the Force moving around you. Don't ever be determined to fail. Stay positive. Stay focused. Determination can be your ally."
Anakin gazed into Obi-Wan's eyes and took a deep, calming breath. He slowly stretched out his hand.
"Now, when I say 'take it', the stone will be under your control," the Jedi Master said in a hushed tone. Lowering his hand, he slowly closed his eyes. "....Take it now."
Sure she was about to witness the death of her lover, Saloma screamed from across the field and began running towards the ruins. The stone immediately dropped another inch or two before it stopped again. Anakin's eyes were fixed on it as it hovered just over Obi-Wan's head. He inhaled deeply and concentrated, gesturing with his hand to move the stone carefully aside then brought the stone to rest gently at his master's feet.
Opening his eyes, Obi-Wan looked down at it and flashed a toothy smile. He exhaled forcibly and stepped back. "I'm very proud of you, Padawan. And thank you for not taking advantage of a stellar opportunity to be rid of me once and for all."
Anakin grinned widely at him. "You were right," he breathed, excitedly. "It felt the same as it had before. The power was there when I let go of my anger."
"Anakin!" Saloma screeched, racing up to him. "Are you all right?" She glared briefly at Obi-Wan, then threw her arms around the younger Jedi's neck and hugged him. "I can't believe he made you do something like that when he knew how upset you were!"
Before Anakin could respond, Saloma spun around on her heel and confronted the Jedi Master.
"And you! Don't you ever scare me like that again!" she seethed. She hauled back her hand to slap him soundly across the face, but he caught her wrist with a lightening fast reflex, and twisted her arm behind her back, forcing her body tightly up against his.
"I know you love me," Obi-Wan cooed at her as she struggled harder and swore at him. "You don't have to prove it to me like that." Impulsively, he tilted his head and captured her mouth with his in a sensuously devouring kiss. Saloma's struggles immediately subsided and she whimpered softly, effectively appeased.
Anakin tactfully cleared his throat. "Come on you two, break it up. There'll be plenty of time for fighting later."
Obi-Wan reluctantly pulled back from Saloma, easing his hold on her. He gazed down at her with unabashed affection. "I love you," he told her and quickly stole another kiss.
Saloma smiled and licked her lips. "Yes, I know."
***
"Captain!"
Vrone looked up from the data file he was studying. "What is it, Lieutenant?"
"Sir, I've just received a dispatch from the guard I had posted south of the old cathedral. He's reporting Jedi activity there," Lieutenant Tilar quickly relayed.
Vrone sat back in his chair and fumbled to turn off the computer on his desk. Despite their quality, he was still having difficulty adjusting to his prosthetic arms.
"What do you mean? Jedi activity?" he growled. The mere mention of the word 'Jedi' made his blood pressure soar. "Explain yourself!"
"The guard sighted a small cargo shuttle near Lake Seasey earlier this evening, just before dusk," Tilar began evenly. "There were three humans on board. Two men and one woman."
Vrone was growing impatient. "Why did your man suspect they might be Jedi? Did they do anything peculiar?" he prompted.
Tilar nodded enthusiastically. "First, they appeared to be dismayed by the ruins and suspiciously mulled about the grounds; then the two men conjured up some unseen powers and began lifting the rubble." He paused to let Captain Vrone digest this bit of information.
Vrone scowled up at him. "For what purpose?"
"Unknown, Sir. What shook the guard was the similarity to the demonstration of power that Jedi Master performed in the cathedral the night we went to apprehend Saloma P'tol. Levitating the stones like he levitated the blaster rifles."
Standing abruptly, Vrone lunged towards his lieutenant, knocking over files and datapads on his desk. "Was it him?" he demanded. "Was it Kenobi?"
Tilar shook his head. "I've notified our agent. He'll be able to positively identify him, but until then, there's no way to know for sure unless we can apprehend him."
"What did he look like?" the captain pressed. "Did the guard give a description?"
The lieutenant quickly consulted his report. "The woman was believed to be of Flaro descent, same as our fugitive councilwoman, I might add. She was dressed in a black jacket, gray shirt, and black pants. One of the men was tall, possibly albino and was dressed in a black coat, black shirt, black pants, scarf. The other was young, medium height, dressed in a blue military surplus coat, white tunic, and gray pants." Tilar punched a few keys on his pad to bring up more information. He studied the data and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sir. That's all the description I have."
Vrone looked decidedly disappointed. "They don't sound like Jedi. They sound like more damned bounty hunters." He settled himself back in his chair and sighed heavily. "Why do they think they're going to find the Jedi on Aremont? Why aren't they out scouring the galaxy for them instead? I, personally, believe Kenobi and Skywalker wouldn't be stupid enough to try to come back here. They know what awaits them if they do."
Lieutenant Tilar frowned. "So, now you don't believe these people could be Jedi? What about the powers they conjured at the ruins?" He lowered his datapad and slumped forward slightly.
"Doesn't mean anything really. Plenty of these types who hunt Jedi have the same powers as they do. It gives them an edge." Vrone reached down to retrieve the files he'd spilled on the floor. He couldn't get his left hand to close all the way and some of the files slipped through it. He cursed loudly.
"Allow me, Sir," Tilar offered, quickly stooping to assist his commanding officer. He gathered up the files and stacked them neatly in a pile on the corner of Vrone's desk. "I had ordered them followed, but if you don't see the need--"
"No, carry on," the captain muttered. "Jedi or not, they still seem suspicious enough to warrant a tail and ten to one they're bound to cause trouble sooner or later." He inhaled slowly, his jaw working as he rolled a thought over and over in his head. "And if by some remote possibility it does turn out to be them, I can finally see them punished to the full extent of the law for their heinous crimes against the Ergonian people. The full extent."
Tilar smiled. "Or the heinous crimes the Ergonian people believe they committed."
Vrone nodded. "Yes. The citizens must have justice."
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