There was a chance that someone on the Games Council knew the events were rigged. This might be an easy way to find out. He quickly accessed the information on Bog's system and flipped through random files. There didn't seem to be anything amiss. One file was labeled WAYS TO ADVANCE. Obi-Wan accessed it and read through a list of instructions Bog had written to himself.

BE FRIENDLY TO ALL!! THOSE WHO CANNOT HELP YOU TODAY CAN HELP YOU.

TOMORROW!!.

DO MENIAL TASKS FOR IMPORTANT BEINGS!! IT MAKES YOU INDISPENSABLE!!.

NEVER CONTRADICT A SUPERIOR!!.

FOLLOW THE POWER!!!!!!!.

"You see what I have to put up with?" Didi sighed. "My poor Astri."

Obi-Wan accessed another file marked GAMES COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITIES. He scanned the notes carefully. It appeared that Bog's only job on the Games Council was arranging VIP seating. He had made lists matching Senators with exclusive gallery skyboxes for various events. So much for his importance.

Obi-Wan shut down the datapad. He tucked it inside his tunic.

"I was going to sell that!" Didi protested.

"It's not yours to sell. Didi, I know you won't take my advice. But things just might be more complicated than you realize. I'd advise you to stay away from betting."

"I a.s.sure you I will," Didi said, his brown eyes sincere.

Obi-Wan's comlink signaled. Jocasta Nu's voice came through crisply. He spoke so that Didi could not hear. "I found out who Quentor is. Were you playing a joke on me, Obi-Wan?" Jocasta Nu asked.

"No, of course not."

"There was no record of him anywhere, so I did the usual criminal search. Then a deep background trace. Nothing appeared."

"So he is an underground figure."

Jocasta Nu chuckled. "Not exactly. He's a yellow-tailed summerbird."

"He's a bird?"

"An unofficial pet of the Senate. He lives in the eaves of the building and the Senators leave him fruit and crumbs to feed on. If he's one of your suspects, I must warn you, he hasn't left Coruscant. He's most likely nibbling on muja fruit right about now."

Obi-Wan groaned, then thanked Jocasta Nu and cut the communication.

Fligh had lied to him. That wasn't surprising. It was a lie worthy of Fligh, one calculated to delay him and amuse him.

But he wasn't amused.

He turned to Didi. "Do you know where Fligh is staying?" Didi shook his head. "A guest house, I suppose. A hovel, I'm sure. Fligh is very cheap."

"Find out."

"Ah. Yes, Obi-Wan. I can see in your eyes that you need this information and I will not fail you." Didi bowed and rushed away.

Obi-Wan knocked on the door to Yso's shop, duplicating Didi's rhythmic knock. Someone hurried out, his face turned away. No one wanted to be recognized in this kind of place. Obi-Wan pretended to examine a beat-up swoop with a dented handlebar while he listened to the other occupant of the shop approach Uso Yso.

"I'd like to buy a swoop."

"At what price?"

The bettor named a figure, then said, "I'll take it to the blaster skill event where I hope to see Wesau T'orrin of Rezi-9 win."

"That is a good plan." Uso Yso slipped the credits into a wide belt he wore around his waist and entered some information into a datapad. He handed the bettor a small durasheet. "Here is your receipt."

Obi-Wan waited until the bettor had left the shop, then approached.

"I'm here for a swoop," he said, looking up at the tall being. He waved a hand. "I would like to see your datapad."

Uso Yso snorted. "You don't need to see my data-pad to buy a swoop.

Which do you want?"

Obi-Wan waved his hand again. Uso Yso was unusually resistant to Jedi mind suggestion. "I'd like to see your datapad first."

"If you don't want to buy a swoop, you can leave," Uso Yso said, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Obi-Wan suppressed his slight disappointment. No matter how adept a Jedi was or how strong the connection to the Force, sometimes mind suggestion just didn't work.

Obi-Wan followed the lead of the bettor, naming a figure, then saying, "I plan to take the swoop to the Podrace and hope that Deland Tyerell will be the winner."

Uso Yso shook his head. "There's been a last-minute change. A new driver. Do you still want the swoop?"

"Who is the driver?" Obi-Wan asked curiously.

Yso consulted his datapad. "Anakin Skywalker."

Obi-Wan felt the shock shimmer inside him, but he did not register surprise on his face.

"Well?" Yso demanded impatiently.

Before Obi-Wan could answer, a small, slight being with four eyes, two of them set on the sides of his head, slipped inside the shop.

"Security patrol outside."

Uso Yso pushed a lever and a wall slid back, revealing more swoops in various stages of repair. "Besum!" He tossed a tool kit to his a.s.sistant. "Start working."

"I don't know how to fix a swoop!"

"I don't care," Yso snarled. "Just do it." He turned to Obi-Wan.

"Security makes patrols every once in a while. Nothing to worry about."

Now that Yso was in danger of losing Obi-Wan's business, he was suddenly friendly. He had also left his datapad angled toward Obi-Wan, and the notations were easy to read. In the time it took for Yso to check on Besum's activities, Obi-Wan had scanned the file and memorized it.

To his surprise, the letters and numbers looked familiar. It took him only a moment to realize that they were similar to the notes recording the skybox seating on Bog's datapad.

Which meant that Bog wasn't recording seats for Senators. He was recording bets.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

Obi-Wan left the shop and found a quiet alley to peruse Bog's files. He read the names of the Senators who had the same notations as Yso's datapad. Some of the names he didn't recognize, but many he did.

They were among the most ill.u.s.trious and revered members.

He had no illusions about corruption in the Senate. But he was shocked to find that so many Senators would be involved in an illegal scheme such as this one. Among the names was Bail Organa, the Senator from Alderaan Obi-Wan had always respected for his integrity. Why would someone like Organa risk his career in order to make a few credits on a bet?

The bets had to be substantial, he supposed. Or else the Senators have no fear that they'll be caught.

He had to deal with Anakin, but he had to pursue this first. Obi-Wan found Bog in a VIP box watching a match of krovation. When Astri saw him, her smile was wide and welcoming.

"Obi-Wan! How good of you to come by. The match is almost finished."

Obi-Wan looked at the two teams vying with poles on the field. "As much as I like krovatin, I have to decline. I'm here on business. I need to speak with Bog."

Astri's smile dimmed at the look on his face. She frowned and stepped aside. "Please join us."

Obi-Wan walked into the box. Bog fastened the jeweled clasp to his dark red septsilk robe as the Jedi approached.

"How can I help you, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan hesitated, his hand on the datapad in his inner pocket. "If you prefer to speak alone..." Bog smiled. "I hide nothing from Astri."

His smile showed not a trace of worry, but Astri walked to his side. Her eyes were grave now. Astri was perceptive, and she knew Obi-Wan well. "What is it, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan withdrew the datapad. "I have something of yours."

Bog hurried forward. "You found it? Where? Thank you!"

Obi-Wan sidestepped the question of where he had found it. He slipped the datapad back into his pocket. "I'm afraid I can't return it just yet. I must confess that I took a look at your files, Bog."

Bog looked disconcerted. "Well, I see. I suppose that is all right.

I have no secrets."

Obi-Wan was puzzled. Bog did not seem guilty or worried. "I accessed the file referring to the work you've done for the Senators."

"Yes, I arranged special seating for them," Bog said, nodding. "Is there a problem with some of the skyboxes?" He looked puzzled. "I didn't know Jedi cared about such things."

"We don't," Obi-Wan said quietly. "But you did not arrange skyboxes for the Senators. You placed bets for them on events in which the outcome is a.s.sured. This is not only illegal, but it has the potential to spark conflict among the member worlds."

"Obi-Wan, I don't know what you're talking about," Bog interrupted, shaking his head. "The Games are fixed? Senators betting? I can't believe that. All I did was place orders for special seating. You must be mistaken. "

Obi-Wan studied Bog as the crowd around them roared at a player's score. "If you are not involved, you are being used. Where did you get the instructions on how to proceed? How did you know which Senators to find seating for?"

"Liviani gave me the list of Senators," Bog said. "That is standard. The head of the Games Council always gets a list of important beings throughout the galaxy to accord special favors to. I used the Council funds to pay the Ruling Power for the skyboxes. You see, the Ruling Power makes the seating available. They have all the stadium plans. Arranging seating may seem trivial, but it's a very important task."

"So who did you contact to arrange the skyboxes?"

"As it turned out, I didn't have to contact anyone. He came to me.

An odd four-eyed creature. His name was Boosa... no, that's not it.

Beesa..."

"Besum?"

"That's it." Bog nodded as the crowd jeered a questionable play. "I transferred the credits and ordered the seating from Boosa... ah, Besum, and he handed me the receipts."

"Do you have them?"

"No. I placed them in the welcome packs for the Senators." At last the seriousness of the matter began to penetrate Bog's self-absorption.

"I only followed protocol," he said nervously.

Obi-Wan frowned. Why would the Senators want receipts to be placed in their welcome packets? Anyone could see them. He would think they would go to great lengths to hide the fact that they were betting on the Games.

Could it be that the Senators themselves don't know about this?

Could it be that the Ruling Power has arranged this in order to disgrace them?

But why?

Bog grew restless at Obi-Wan's silence. "I didn't place any bets!

I'm sure this is a misunderstanding."

"I'm sure it isn't," Astri said to her husband. "Obi-Wan knows what he's talking about." She turned to Obi-Wan. "Is Bog in trouble?"

Bog swallowed. "If I am, I will face it."

"We will face it," Astri said, putting her hand on Bog's arm.

"Together."

Obi-Wan saw the look that Bog gave Astri, a look of tenderness and devotion. He saw that Bog did love Astri, and his instincts told him that Bog had been used as a p.a.w.n in the scheme. No doubt whoever was behind it did not care if Bog took the fall.

Looking at the love on Astri's face for her husband, Obi-Wan decided that he would do anything in his power to make sure that did not happen. He remembered a time long ago when Astri had cut off her pretty curls, shaved her head, and learned how to shoot a blaster in order to help him track down Qui-Gon. She had not thought of herself as a brave person, but she had faced down blaster bolts and a laser whip, and had never left his side. No, he would not let anything happen to Astri.