Star Wars_ Darth Bane 03_ Dynasty of Evil - Drew Karpyshyn [39]
“Quano, I presume?”
“Who you?” he asked, his barely passable Basic made even harder to understand by the panic in his voice. Then he noticed the empty shelf behind the bar, and his face scrunched up in sullen anger. “You steal all Quano’s booze.”
“I didn’t steal anything. I just came here to ask you some questions,” she assured him.
The Rodian’s shoulders slumped. Sighing, he sat down cross-legged on the ground, his head hanging despondently.
“More questions. You Jedi, too? Like other one?” He spoke with a tone of utter hopelessness, as if he realized he was doomed and had given up any hope of escaping his fate.
“A Jedi? You mean Medd Tandar? The Cerean?”
“No. The other one. Human. Long, white hair.”
“I’m looking for him,” Zannah admitted. “But what makes you think he was a Jedi?”
“Him got lightsaber. Use it to give Quano this.”
The Rodian turned his head and pointed to his cheek. Moving slowly so as not to startle the obviously distraught fellow, Zannah approached until she was able to make out his scar. In the dim light of the glow stick she couldn’t be sure, but the burn did appear to be consistent with that made by a lightsaber’s blade.
She knew how to read people. The Rodian was like an abused pup, cowering as he waited for the next blow. Show him a little compassion, however, and he would react as if she had saved his life.
“He tortured you. You poor thing,” she cooed, feigning sympathy even as her mind churned on the identity of the mysterious white-haired man.
A Jedi would never harm someone without just cause. Whoever had done this wasn’t one of the Order, but he did have a lightsaber. And he was skilled enough to wound Quano without accidentally slicing off half his head. She had heard tales of Dark Jedi—Jedi Knights who had fallen away from the teachings of their Masters to embrace the power of the dark side. Was it possible the man she sought was one of these?
More important, did Bane already know this? Her Master often kept secrets from her, and she had learned to always assume he knew more than he said. But if he knew there was a Dark Jedi on Doan, why had he sent Zannah to investigate? Was it some type of final test? Was she supposed to prove herself by finding and killing this potential rival? Or was Bane testing the white-haired man? If he proved strong enough to defeat Zannah, would he become her Master’s new apprentice?
“Him wanted information,” Quano whimpered.
“I’m sorry, Quano,” she said, speaking softly as she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, “but I need information, too. I need to know what you told him.”
As she did so, she reached out with a gentle push of the Force, nudging the bartender’s will ever so slightly so he would be more inclined to tell her what she wanted.
“Him you friend?”
“No,” Zannah assured him, using words to reinforce her subtle mind manipulation. “He’s not my friend.”
Maybe Bane was trying to force her hand, she thought; pushing her to act. Was he providing her with a suitable apprentice in the hope it would compel her to challenge him for leadership of the Sith?
“You want kill him?” Quano asked, his voice rising excitedly.
“That is a possibility,” she answered, giving him a warm smile. That, or make him my apprentice … assuming he doesn’t kill me. “But I’ve got to find him first.”
“Him no here no more. Him go two days ago. Leave Doan.”
“He came here looking for something, didn’t he?”
Quano nodded. “Stuff miner dig up. Him take it. Kill miners. That when Quano escape.”
“And you’ve been hiding ever since,” Zannah guessed. “So why did you come back to the cantina?”
The Rodian hesitated, his bug eyes darting nervously between Zannah’s face and the small wrist-mounted blaster peeking out from beneath the sleeve of her cloak.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Quano,” she promised. “I’m not like him.” He enjoys hurting people. I only hurt people if I see some way to profit from their suffering. “I don’t think he’s coming back.” Not if he’s got the talismans. “But I need to know something else, Quano. When that man left