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Did they know of some great event looming on the horizon? Qui-Gon wondered. And would he fail to recognize that event, even were he to trip over it? He supposed he should at least remain open to the possibility that the High Council Masters knew something he didn’t.

The one thing he accepted as beyond dispute was that the Force was even more mysterious than any of the Jedi perceived it to be.

He hadn’t gone half a kilometer when Adi Gallia fell into step beside him, catching him by surprise.

“In search of something purposeful, Qui-Gon, or just hoping you’ll bump into something worthy of your attention?”

He smiled at her. “I have—you.”

She laughed, then scolded him with a look.

Adi’s fingernails were polished, and the same blue cosmetic that rimmed her dark blue eyes traced the ligaments on the backs of her hands. She had been a permanent member of the High Council for over a decade, and a Jedi Master for much longer than that. Her parents were Corellian diplomats, but, like Qui-Gon, she had been raised in the Temple. Adi had always been enthralled by Coruscant, and knew the planet about as well as anyone. Over the years, she had forged a close friendship with Supreme Chancellor Valorum, along with several Core World delegates.

“Where is your young apprentice?” she asked as they sauntered.

“Sharpening his wits.”

“So you actually give him an occasional respite from your resolute tutelage,” she teased.

“It’s a mutual thing,” Qui-Gon said.

She laughed again, then grew serious. “I have news that’s bound to interest you. It seems that you might have been right about Cohl’s surviving the explosion of that Trade Federation freighter.”

Qui-Gon came to a dead stop in the center of the sky bridge they were crossing. Droids and pedestrians ambled past him to both sides.

“Has Cohl been seen?”

Adi leaned on the bridge railing and gazed back toward the Temple. “Dorvalla Space Corps pursued a shuttle that matched the description and drive signature you and Obi-Wan furnished. The shuttle crashed and exploded onworld, apparently not far from where Cohl had established a temporary base.”

Qui-Gon nodded. “I know the area.”

“There wasn’t much left to investigate at the crash site, but the remains of three humans found in the wreckage were identified as associates of Cohl. But here’s the interesting part: The shuttle was clearly attempting to rendezvous with Cohl’s personal ship.”

“The Hawk-Bat.”

“It set down close to the crash site, then proceeded to blast its way off Dorvalla, taking out a number of Dorvalla’s picket ships on the way.”

“Cohl made it to the ship,” Qui-Gon said.

“You’re that certain?”

“I am.”

Adi nodded. “One of the picket ship pilots reported that two or three of Cohl’s band might have made it alive to the Hawk-Bat.”

“Has there been any sign of the ship since?”

“It jumped to hyperspace as soon as it left Dorvalla behind. But surveillance has been doubled at all of Cohl’s known retreats. Assuming he did survive, he’ll be spotted and, with luck, captured.”

“Adi, is there a chance that Obi-Wan and I could—”

“Cohl is no longer our concern,” she cut him off. “Supreme Chancellor Valorum is attempting to encourage the systems along the Rimma Trade Route to assume responsibility for curtailing acts of terrorism in their separate sectors. Intervention on our part would likely be viewed as indirect support of the Trade Federation.”

Qui-Gon frowned. “That’s shortsighted. Most of the worlds along the Rimma support the Nebula Front to one degree or another. Recruits, funding, intelligence … The Rimma worlds supply these and more.”

Adi regarded him for a long moment. “Qui-Gon, suppose I could arrange for you to meet with Chancellor Valorum, so you could apprise him of these matters personally?”

Qui-Gon nodded. “All right.”

“Then it’s settled. I’m on my way to meet with him now, and there’s no time like the present.”

“I couldn’t have put it better.”

In his chambers beneath the senate rotunda, Valorum reclined in his chair, exhaling