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He knows the name, she thought.

“We were recently contacted by a Neimoidian named Hath Monchar, who wished to sell us a holocron containing details of a trade embargo to be imposed on the planet Naboo by the Trade Federation.”

Master Bondara said nothing in reply for a moment. Then he asked, “Is this in retaliation for the new tax recently imposed by the Republic Senate on the Trade Federation?”

“Yes,” Pavan replied. “The Federation fears the new tax will cut into their profits.”

“Naboo is highly dependent on imports to maintain its way of life,” Master Bondara said. “Such sanctions could prove devastating to its people.” He steered the skycar around another corner. Pedestrians, knowing the potential danger from the repulsor beams of a vehicle traveling this low, scattered left and right. “That doesn’t explain why the Sith is trying to kill you,” Master Bondara continued.

Darsha admired the Jedi’s equanimity; he might have been having this conversation in one of the quiet, comfortable reading chambers of the Temple instead of in a damaged skycar traveling a dangerous route at maximum velocity.

“You can see why the Neimoidians don’t want this information to get out,” I-Five said. “We’re not sure why or how the Sith are involved. But Hath Monchar was killed by the one who’s now pursuing us.”

“What happened to the holocron?” Darsha asked.

“We were in the process of selling it to a Hutt named Yanth,” Pavan replied, “when the Sith broke in. My guess is that the Hutt is dead, and the Sith either destroyed the crystal or has it with him.”

“This information must be brought to the council immediately,” Master Bondara said. “You two will be kept safe until the threat of the Sith has been dealt with.”

Darsha glanced at Lorn Pavan and saw mingled frustration and resignation in his expression.

“Jedi,” he muttered to himself. “Why did it have to be Jedi?”

She looked behind them. Their circuitous route had brought them into a somewhat less dark area of the city now, and she could plainly make out the shape of a speeder bike behind them. Even without the Force to confirm it, she would have been sure that it was the Sith pursuing them.

“Here he comes,” she said. “He’s gaining fast.” She saw that Pavan’s face had gone pale, but that he didn’t seem to be panicking. Good; the last thing they needed to deal with was another Oolth the Fondorian.

She looked at Master Bondara and saw his jaw muscles clench in determination.

“Take the controls,” he told her.

His order surprised her, but his tone of voice brooked no questioning. She slid over as Master Bondara pushed himself up and back, then swung his feet over the back of the padded crossbar separating the front and rear seats. She looked at the rear vidscreen and saw that the Sith was not more than five meters behind her. He drew his lightsaber, activating the twin crimson beams.

“Get them back to the Temple!” Master Bondara shouted at her. Then, before Darsha could even realize what he intended, much less protest or try to stop him, the Jedi stood up on the rear seat between Pavan and I-Five. He activated his lightsaber, took two steps up onto the rear engine compartment—and leapt from the speeding skycar.

The Twi’lek Jedi’s leap, guided by the Force, landed him squarely behind Maul on the rear engine housing of the T-shaped bike. The action took Maul by surprise; he had not expected such a courageous, if foolhardy, deed.

Unexpected as the move was, however, Maul was still able to block the slash of the other’s lightsaber with his own energy blade. He quickly activated the speeder’s autopilot, then twisted around in the saddle, thrusting his weapon at the Jedi’s chest. The Jedi blocked the blow and countered with another.

Maul knew the battle could not continue this way. The speeder bike’s autopilot was not sophisticated enough to chart a safe course at high speed through the torturous windings of the surface streets. He grabbed the handlebar and jerked the speeder toward a docking platform on a nearby building,