The Chosen Apprentice/Chapter 37

Like most pieces of bad news, word of Gunray’s death seemed spread through Coruscant quickly even without the aid of the HoloNet. Immediately Obi-Wan went to the scene with two other Masters, calling for Anakin to come and meet them. B’Dun talked with several security officers as Obi-Wan examined the body.

He looked up at Agen Kolar.

“Lightsaber.” Kolar said, saying exactly what Obi-Wan was thinking.

Obi-Wan turned away from the corpse, sliding his hands into his sleeves. “I don’t like this.”

“It’s just like Stokra,” added Shaak Ti. “Yet unlike him, Gunray wasn’t so fortunate.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “That’s not what I meant,” he said. “If Stokra was meant to be silenced he would have been, the attack on him gave Stokra a much louder voice. But this…” He gestured to the body as two security officers examined it. “This is meant to look like something else.”

Before either of them could answer Anakin walked into the room. He took one look at the body and then one look at Obi-Wan. “Shinai,” he said.

“My thoughts exactly,” Obi-Wan agreed.

“Care to enlighten us?” Kolar asked.

“Shinai Stel-Ardak,” Obi-Wan told him. “Anakin’s convinced that Stokra hired him to make these attacks to discredit the Jedi.”

“But that hasn’t happened here,” Shaak Ti objected.

“No, not yet,” Anakin said, he walked up to B’Dun. “Can you tell us what happened here?”

Still somewhat nervous, B’Dun related the story. “According to the two guards a Jedi gained access to Gunray’s cell. He said he wouldn’t be long, but after a while one of the guards look inside and saw the body then alerted me.”

“Excuse me?” They all turned to see the security sergeant standing near them. “Have you finished with the body? We need to take it to be analysed.”

“No, go ahead,” Obi-Wan said with a nod, he turned back to Anakin. “Do you know how he got in the building?”

“I can answer that,” Anakin said. “He came in through the door, I asked when I came in.” He looked around at the walls of the cell. “What I would like to know is how he got out. He’s not here now, of course.”

The Jedi started to walk around the room, pressing their palms against the durasteel panels that formed the walls. Yet it was Anakin who managed to find the right one. He rapped on his with the heel of his hand, it sounded no different from the others. He ignited his lightsaber and cut it away from the wall. When he removed the panel there was a hole big enough to step through.

Obi-Wan examined the panel. “It’s been welded shut with a lightsaber,” he said, pointing out the joins. “Someone’s loosened this and then scored it from the other side to make it look like all the others.”

Immediately Anakin put his head through the panel, but Obi-Wan caught his arm to stop him.

“You’re not going to find him, he’ll be long gone.”

In frustration, Anakin slammed his fist against the wall and stormed out of the cell. Shaak Ti and Kolar looked at Obi-Wan for an explanation.

“Don’t blame him, I feel like that myself sometimes,” Obi-Wan told them. “He know that Shinai did this and Stokra’s involved, but there’s still no proof after all this.”

He quickly left to find Anakin.

--

Anakin was talking to one of the security operatives when Obi-Wan found him, looking at the recordings for any trace of Shinai but the best they could do was the bottom of his chin as he has kept his face hooded.

“We’ll find him, Anakin,” Obi-Wan reassured. “He’s bound to show up somewhere, sooner or later. What did his wife say?”

Anakin stopped suddenly. “I’m an idiot!” He said, and ran off.

“Well noticed,” Obi-Wan remarked, then ran off after him. “What makes you think he’ll go back there?” he asked as they ran through the building. “He could have a hideout or another place he goes to.”

“I don’t think so,” Anakin argued, flagging an airtaxi and giving the driver directions. “She trusts him. I don’t know why, but I know that she does, and she’s not going to ask him any questions.”

“So you think all we have to do is go in there and catch him?” Obi-Wan asked sceptically. “Anakin, when are you going to learn that nothing is ever that easy?”

“Oh, it is,” Anakin replied with a smile. “Just trust me.”

Obi-Wan shook his head, not wanting to spoil Anakin’s mood.

--

Reports of Gunray’s trial were immediately overshadowed by the reports of his death, as Martreyea noticed on the HoloNet News that night. She could see pictures of the body, telling Arrin sharply to go to bed when the warning came that some may find the images distressing.

But worst of all came the conclusion as to who as thought to be behind the attack. “A Jedi or a bounty hunter posing as a Jedi,” were the words of Commander B’Dun.

Martreyea had to sit down, her heart was pounding. Shinai couldn’t be responsible, he couldn’t be!

Slowly, Skywalker’s words came back to her.