“Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force.”

Jedi student Obi-Wan Kenobi is just four weeks away from his 13th birthday.... and from losing his last chance to become a Jedi Knight. His only hope is that Master Qui-Gon Jinn will take him as a Padawan apprentice. However, when a jealous student named Bruck provokes Obi-Wan into a fight, the young man is forced off the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and shipped off to the planet Bandomeer to become a farmer. Yet, strangely enough, Qui-Gon is going there too on orders of the Supreme Chancellor.

En route to Bandomeer, Obi-Wan is beaten senseless by a Hutt. He learns later about Offworld Mining’s war with Arcona Harvest over the planet. When Arcona’s mining machines are sabotaged, Obi-Wan sets out to find the saboteur. With the aid of an Arcona named Si Treemba, he discovers that Offworld (in the form of Jemba and Grelb the Hutt) were the ones at fault. The transport they are all on is attacked by Togorian pirates, the two Jedi join forces to fight them off. The transport crash-lands on a water planet, and Jemba tries to force the Arcona to agree to serve him by stealing their life-essential dactyl. Obi-Wan wants very much to kill Jemba, but Qui-Gon forces him to realise how anger is overwhelming him. Qui-Gon takes back the dactyl, while Obi-Wan fights off an attack by dragons. Trying to kill the Jedi at the same time, Jemba and Grelb are killed. The ship is repaired, and the trip to Bandomeer completed.

When they arrive, they receive a note: “I have been looking forward to this day.” A note written by a Dark Jedi named Xanatos - Qui-Gon’s first apprentice....

Изменено: Jedi Leo, 30-11-2002 в 15:57

“Jedi Apprentice: The Dark Rival.”

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan learn the letter from the Supreme Chancellor bringing Qui-Gon to Bandomeer was faked - probably by Xanatos. Qui-Gon bundles Obi-Wan off to the farms, forbidding him to interfere in any way in his mission. Not long after, he learns that Xanatos himself is Offworld’s representative in a business meeting. A mine explosion alarms the people, but it turns out to be a natural disaster. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan discovers a secret Offworld base at the farms, as well as the logo of a broken circle - Xanatos’s facial scar. Qui-Gon, refusing to place his trust in the boy, shuts him out. Xanatos tries to sway the resentful Obi-Wan to his side, revealing his version of how Qui-Gon betrayed him.

The mine explosion reveals an unexpected bonus - ionite, a valuable mineral that can save Bandomeer from corporate takeover. Qui-Gon, on a hunch, infiltrates Offworld headquarters and learns that Xanatos is the owner of Offworld. He informs Yoda, who urges caution - and also urges Qui-Gon to use Obi-Wan’s aid. However, Obi-Wan has been captured by Xanatos and bundled off to work in an Offworld deep-sea mine. After a fight with the dark ex-pupil, Qui-Gon goes after Obi-Wan. Freeing him from the mine, he finally reveals the truth about Xanatos to Obi-Wan. They chase Xanatos into the ground mines, where they have to fight him in the dark. Xanatos rigs the mine to blow (as he did last time) and leaves the Jedi to die. Working together, they find the ion bomb Xanatos was going to use and defuse it. Qui-Gon finally yields to the inevitable, and accepts Obi-Wan as his Padawan Learner.

“Jedi Apprentice: The Hidden Past.”
Obi-Wan’s birthday has finally arrived. He has supposed to receive a meaningful gift from Qui-Gon as well as spend the day in quiet meditation. He cannot quite manage the latter, but does get the former in the form of a.... rock. But there is little time to meditate, as the two Jedi are sent on their first official mission - to oversee the democratic election of a new ruler on the planet Gala. They are surprised when their transport mysteriously diverts to the planet Phindar instead. They find themselves on a world where everything is scarce, and the populace is terrorised by assassin droids. The transport pilot reveals himself to be Paxxi Derida, thief, and brother of Guerra Derida - a friend of Obi-Wan’s who helped him on his adventure on Bandomeer. They reveal that they want to overthrow the evil Syndicat that has turned their world into a dictatorship. In addition to the above tactics, the Syndicat has “renewed” – memory-wiped - certain members of the populace and left them to die on strange worlds. The people are too scared and beaten-down to revolt - but that will change, Guerra explains, once the Jedi help them break into where the Syndicat is hording the planet’s resources. Now is the perfect time, since the evil Prince Beju of Gala was coming to Phindia for a visit. The Syndicat is helping him to rig the election and do to his world what was done to Phindia.

The Jedi come along in the break-in, but are discovered - and Obi-Wan is captured, sent to be mind-wiped by Terra, the ‘renewed’ sister of Guerra and top officer of the Syndicat. Baftu, leader of the Syndicat, is planning to double-cross Beju and take over the system one planet at a time. With the Force as his ally, Obi-Wan resists the mind-wipe, but acts wiped as a ruse. He is sent to Gala, where he becomes part of Beju’s visiting entourage. In no time, he is back on Phindar, with Beju as a hostage. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon, Paxxi, and Guerra prepare to reveal the warehouse to the people as the Prince arrives. Obi-Wan appears posing as the Prince to Baftu, stalling for time so that the others could loot Baftu’s treasury. When the theft is discovered, Baftu mistakenly thinks Terra betrayed him and has her shot. She regains her memory just in time to die in Guerra’s arms. The Jedi join forces and helps incite a revolt, destroying the assassin droids. A panicked Baftu tries to flee; only to be arrested by his own people when it is shown where his loyalty lies. Prince Baju does manage to escape. Within a week, Phindar is on its way to recovery. Guerra and Paxxi find themselves contemplating political careers. In addition, the Jedi are back on their way to Gala and a rematch with Beju…

“Jedi Apprentice: Mark of the Crown.”

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan finally reaches Gala, which is bubbling over with political rallies as the planet’s first-ever democratic election nears. They find that Queen Veda is dying, and she desperately wants the Jedi to monitor the elections to ensure fairness. She does not want her son, Prince Beju, to win (if he does, he will retain the monarchy – and civil war could result). She fears the other candidates, Deca Brun and Wila Prammi, may not be up to leading the planet either. She thinks the best ruler may be a tribal leader of a hill people named Elan – who is in fact the love child of the late King Cana. She wants to meet with her, to reveal her royal heritage – then Prince Beju bursts in and orders the Jedi to leave at once.

Veda compromises – she does not want the Jedi to leave, but Beja is terrified of them. She appoints a guide / spy, a young boy named Jono Dunn, to accompany the Jedi while on Gala. Qui-Gon senses there is more to all this than meets the eye, but is determined to find Elan anyway. He will go out into the hill country to search for her while Obi-Wan covers for him at the royal palace. Jono befriends Obi-Wan, while off-the-cuff remarks by the Queen makes the young Jedi wonder if Veda is being poisoned. He investigates, and (with the help of substance analyser Mali Errat) learns there is a strange substance in the Queen’s tea.

Up in the mountains, swoops and speeders attack Qui-Gon. He fights them as best he can, even when wounded, and is rewarded by meeting Elan. She brings him to her tribe, where he reveals her parentage to her. She will not believe him and will not come with him to the palace. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan compare notes via comlink, then Obi-Wan confronts the Queen about the poisoning. When Beju accuses Qui-Gon of being the poisoner, the Queen reveals the Jedi’s secret mission to her son. Beju will not believe it, and the royal adviser Giba (who knows full well of Elan’s parentage) accuses the Queen of lying as well. Beju calls the guards, and Obi-Wan races out of the palace with Jono, who leads him to Deca Brun. At that candidate’s headquarters, Obi-Wan discovers that Offworld – Xanatos’s company – has been funding Deca’s campaign. He is suddenly rounded up by guards and thrown into a meat locker.

Elan’s tribe is attacked by the Galacian royal guard. Qui-Gon protects her people as best he can as they flee. Elan proves herself to be an even better leader than imagined, as she leads the attacking tanks into a drift. Qui-Gon learns from the captured royal guard that Giba had sent them to attack. He also finds evidence that Elan’s mother did indeed know the Queen. With this new info, he is finally able to convince Elan to come back with him. Jono gets Obi-Wan out of the meat locker, and tells him that Beju has jailed the Queen, who is starving herself to death in response. The rest of the ruling Council has unified against Beju and Giba. Obi-Wan gets proof of the poisoning and an antidote from Mali. Then it hits him like a thunderbolt – the only person who could prepare the herbal poison and give it to the Queen… is Jono. He rushes away from him, into the Palace, toward the Council. He runs into Beju, who challenges him to a good old-fashioned (metal) sword fight. The protracted fight is stopped by Council member Viso, who proves conclusively that Beju is not the royal heir - The Mark of the Crown, a special sigil, is not on his skin. Obi-Wan talks the shattered prince into opposing Giba, as Qui-Gon arrives with Elan and the hill people. Giba is arrested, and he is shown to be in league with Deca (and thus Xanatos). With him gone, it is all over but the voting. Wila Prammi is elected Governor of Gala. Elan (who does have the Mark) returns to her people, but will never be out of touch again. Jono is sent back to his family to learn to farm. And Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan set off on another mission, having left a stable new world as their legacy…

“Jedi Apprentice: Defenders of the Dead.”

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fly to the planet Melida / Daan, a planet wreaked by war between its two native peoples so long that no one even remembers the cause – they now live only to avenge generations of dead. Now the Melida have captured Dahl, a Jedi mediator who was once a student of Yoda’s. The two Jedi fight their way to their contact, a Melida named Wehutti. He takes them to their headquarters, where he tries to capture them as well – but these Jedi are not so easily tricked. They are given an escape route through the sewers by a group of young people led by a boy named Nield and a girl named Cerasi. It seems the young of this world, both Melida and Daan, are rebelling against the old people (the only kind left – all adults are dead) who want to continue the war. In return for helping to free Tahl, the Young want the Jedi’s help in their battle to bring peace to Melida / Daan.

This cuts to the very heart of Jedi philosophy – they can mediate and defend, but taking sides in a war is something the Jedi cannot do. Obi-Wan is all for helping. Qui-Gon will not. The Young decide to create an illusory fight to set off a battle between the old Melida and Daal, giving the Jedi the chance to grab the severely wounded Tahl. Obi-Wan, against the Jedi rules and without Qui-Gon knowing, agrees to join the Young in setting off the fight. Cerasi insists on joining the Jedi in their rescue attempt. They find Tahl in a Melida prison cell, blinded and barely alive. Cerasi, who turns out to be Wehutti’s daughter, is instrumental in their successfully getting away with Tahl. Qui-Gon is growing uneasy at how close Obi-Wan and Cerasi are getting…

The Young attack the weapons warehouses on both sides, effectively disarming the warring peoples. Qui-Gon brings Yoda up to speed via Holonet, then confronts Obi-Wan. As their furious argument reaches a peak, Cerasi suddenly announces the Young have declared war on both sides. They ask Obi-Wan to fly them in the starfighter the Jedi used to arrive to knock out the deflector shield towers on both sides. He agrees and flies them the next morning. Unbeknownst to them, Qui-Gon secretly meets with the leaders of the Melida and Daan and tries to negotiate a peace settlement between them, even as news of the Young’s attack reaches them. They finally agree, but Nield will not meet with them – he does not trust them. He is stunned when he learns of Obi-Wan’s betrayal. Obi-Wan is unrepentant, in addition– he has found something among the young people he never had with the Jedi. Before either can think of something more to say, Nield’s prediction comes true – the Elders attack the Young. Obi-Wan rushes to the starfighter to counterattack – only Qui-Gon is about to use it to take Tahl to Coruscant. Qui-Gon issues an ultimatum – come with him to Coruscant now, or….” you will no longer be a Jedi.”

And in answer, Obi-Wan gives him his lightsaber and walks away.

“Jedi Apprentice: The Uncertain Path.”

Two weeks have passed since Obi-Wan Kenobi abandoned the Jedi Order. He and the Young of Melida / Daan are now hiding in the underground catacombs, under constant bombardment from the Elders. Obi-Wan plans to attack the Elders while they are repairing and refuelling their aging starfighter fleet. The stealth operation almost immediately goes wrong, and Obi-Wan saves Young saboteur Roenni from death at the hands of the Elder guards. They manage to escape, having crippled the starfighters and gaining the support of the Middle Generation (what is left of them). The war, it seems, has been won. Obi-Wan, Cerasi and Nield are now de facto leaders of Melida / Daan. Nield declares that the top priority is to tear down the Halls of Evidence, starting with the one of his own ancestors. In fact, he personally destroys the markers of his own parents. He declares the ruins will be recycled into new housing for the people.

At the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Qui-Gon practice-duels with Bruck Chun. Qui-Gon wins, but just barely. Afterwards, he unburdens himself to Yoda in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. To his surprise, Yoda rebukes him for making Obi-Wan choose between Jedi training and the deaths of innocents – then he stuns him with the news of the war’s end. Qui-Gon is later summoned to the Jedi Council. He expects more rebukes on his conduct; he is instead told of a series of mysterious thefts in the Temple. He is put in charge of the investigation, along with the blinded Tahl. Tahl now has a seeing-eye droid, 2JTJ.

Obi-Wan and Cerasi go to disarm some Melida holdouts. One of them turns out to be Cerasi’s father, Wehutti. Cerasi despairs afterwards, wishing she had a family again. Obi-Wan reassures her, saying, “We’ll be each other’s family.” The people’s thoughts are turning to survival and rebuilding – but Nield is more interested in tearing down Halls than organising reconstruction efforts. The people are starting to have second thoughts about all this – by tearing down the Halls, Melida / Daan is effectively erasing its history. Wehutti and the Elders force a showdown with Nield over the destruction of the Halls. Obi-Wan and Cerasi advise Nield to let the Elders win this one – and he finally, angrily agrees. Cerasi hopes she and Wehutti can reconcile – and she suggests Obi-Wan can return to the Jedi, whom he is missing. He would like to, except there is one who would never welcome him back – Qui-Gon.

The thefts at the Temple grow more ominous – now lightsabers are being taken, Obi-Wan’s among them. And a message mocking Yoda’s style of speaking. The Temple goes on alert, and Qui-Gon and Tahl begin interrogating students. They cannot imagine one of them doing this, though. Tahl senses there is something more to all this – some unseen enemy is trying to fracture and distract the Jedi, she fears. The Temple soon is thrown into panic when an intruder is spotted. Now healing crystals are being taken. Who is doing this – and why? When Tahl smells that someone has been in Qui-Gon’s room besides him, he suddenly realises a way to catch the thief. Tahl and Qui-Gon learn that what she is smelling is lake water – the thief is hiding the stolen items in the lake in the Garden. Bant dives in to check, and finds a crate filled with all the stolen items – except the crystals. Now a trap can be set…

In a council meeting, Cerasi calls for a stop to the Hall demolitions. The vote ends in a tie, and Obi-Wan’s vote is the tiebreaker. He votes to stop it. Nield suddenly calls for another vote – to remove Obi-Wan from the Council!! Cerasi stops that idea cold, but the unity of the Young is clearly disintegrating. War, it seems, is about to break out again – and what can Obi-Wan do now? Fighting breaks out between Elders and Young again, as Nield moves to destroy the Hall without the Council’s permission. Cerasi puts herself between Wehutti and Nield – and is hit by blaster fire. She dies in a tear stricken Obi-Wan’s arms. No one sees who fired the fatal shots. And no one needs to. Her death is the excuse everyone needed to go to war again. Shattered, Obi-Wan faces off against Nield. The young man rages at Obi-Wan, blames him for Cerasi’s death, vows to kill every single living Elder, and orders Obi-Wan to get the hell off the planet. He sounds just like the holograms in the Halls of Remembrance. Obi-Wan has nowhere left to go… or does he?

Qui-Gon and Tahl hide in wait for the thief. It turns out to be none other than Bruck. He meets with some… unseen figure. Someone who is apparently at home here. Thanks to the blabbering TooJay, Bruck, and the figure manages to escape. Qui-Gon braces himself to tell Yoda – only to have Yoda bring him before a holo-transmission of Obi-Wan, who tells the whole sad story of Cerasi’s death and Melida / Daan’s disintegration. He begs Qui-Gon to return, to help. Realising just how non-understanding he had been of the boy, Qui-Gon agrees to help. When he arrives, Obi-Wan realises that he wants to be a Jedi again. Qui-Gon promises he and Obi-Wan will sort out their personal problems later. He forces a meeting with Wehutti, who is in total shock over the murder of his daughter. He cannot, will not help. They then meet with Nield, who walks past them without even talking. Qui-Gon realises that Obi-Wan, Nield and Wehutti each think they killed Cerasi – and the identity of the killer may decide the outcome of this crisis. He assures Obi-Wan it was not his fault, and then asks him to replay those tragic events in his mind, using the Force to sharpen his memory. It reveals that Cerasi’s killer was a sniper on a roof. Qui-Gon also asks – how were the Elders rearmed? They start by examining the arms warehouse. They learn from there that Mawat, one of the Young, armed the Elders in hopes of overthrowing Nield. They split to find Nield – Qui-Gon returning Obi-Wan’s lightsaber to him before they do.

Obi-Wan finds him at Cerasi’s grave. He tells the grieving Nield what he learned, and convinces him of the truth. Suddenly, they spot Mawat outside rigging explosives to the Hall. Friends again, the two vow to stop Mawat any way they can. Along with some other Young, they attack. While searching for Nield himself, Qui-Gon finds a holodisk by Cerasi’s things. He races to the battle outside the Hall and plays it. She recorded it the morning of her death, as she had feared she would that day. Cerasi begs all to stop fighting and to work together as one people. Moved by her words, the people of Melida / Daan – even Mawat – lowers their weapons. The war is – finally – over. A peace agreement is quickly reached, Mawat moves to the country, and Obi-Wan joins Qui-Gon on the return trip to Coruscant, where he hopes to be reinstated into the Jedi. He likely will, but being Qui-Gon’s Padawan again… that is a good question. Suddenly, an emergency call from the Temple comes in – an assassination attempt has been made on Yoda!!!

“Jedi Apprentice: The Captive Temple.”
*
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan return to a Temple now ominously quiet, where they are shown immediately to the Jedi Council. Not only was Yoda nearly blown up, not only is there an unseen intruder in the Temple working with Bruck Chun, but acts of sabotage are beginning to afflict the Temple. The Council asks Obi-Wan for what he knows about Bruck. What he knows is not helpful, and they decide he should stay completely out of this mess. The Council no longer trusts him, and they are not willing to forgive any more than Qui-Gon was. Obi-Wan tries to catch up on things with Bant, only to be drawn into an emergency – a turbolift filled with preschool-age children is sabotaged and rigged to crash. As Bant runs for help, Obi-Wan risks life and limb to save the children – only to be sharply rebuked for his impulsiveness by Mace Windu.

Qui-Gon begins to piece together the clues to the mystery saboteur’s identity. He is not helped by unwelcome news from Yoda – a secret consignment of valuable vertex (a form of money) is being stored in the Temple for the Senate. Yoda also urges him to keep Obi-Wan nearby – “Directly involved the boy should not be. But shut him out, I would not.” The boy is already trying to help, questioning a fellow student of Bruck’s named Siri. She openly calls Obi-Wan a traitor, almost as bad as Bruck - thanks to his rash actions, every Padawan is being looked at with a jaundiced eye. As the sabotage increases, herding the population of the Temple into the main building, Qui-Gon realises there is only one person who could do all this – Xanatos. He openly asks for Obi-Wan’s help, and gets it. They learn, based on Siri’s testimony, that Xanatos apparently lured Bruck into the Dark Side with tales of his father – and of riches and glory on their mutual homeworld of Telos. Bant realises that since all the attacks to date happen near water, Xanatos and Bruck could be hiding in the water tunnels. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan accompany her into the tunnels, where Xanatos is indeed waiting for them. A duel begins, but the Dark Jedi manages to escape. They find his escape route, so he is trapped in the Temple with them. Qui-Gon praises Bant on her skills and brains, but offers only faint, damning praise for Obi-Wan – even when he suggests the possibility of a spy in the Temple. He reminds the boy, once again, of his own betrayal.

Qui-Gon realises that Xanatos could have a double motive for his attack – not only for revenge against him and the Jedi, but also to steal the vertex that will save Outworld from bankruptcy caused by Xanatos’s own bad judgment. He notices the strange behaviour of Tahl’s droid TooJay, and discovers it is the spy for Xanatos. He arranges with Tahl to have the droid shut down without possibly tipping Xanatos off, and finds a transmitter on him – Xanatos has been aware of every move they have made. Moreover, that is something they can use to their advantage. Meanwhile, an increasingly frustrated and jealous Obi-Wan lashes out at the ever-helpful Bant – he thinks the Calamari student is sucking up to Qui-Gon, trying to be next in line to be his Padawan after they throw Obi-Wan out! His harsh words come back to haunt him very quickly – Bant goes after Xanatos herself, only to end up his hostage. The Dark Jedi contacts Qui-Gon and makes a deal – his freedom for Bant’s life. The death of Cerasi still very much on his mind, news of this disaster shatters Obi-Wan. Is he responsible for another death? Qui-Gon tells him no – Bant should have known better. He urges Obi-Wan to let the fear pass through him – “The very worst time is the time you must follow the Code. Cast away your doubt. Let the Force flow through you.”

The two follows through with a plan Qui-Gon devised prior to the kidnapping – after swapping identities with a couple of other Jedi, arrange for 2J to hear a message saying the two will face Xanatos at the north wing of the Temple as Jedi mechanic Miro Daroon shuts down the power for repairs. Then, as the two decoys travel there, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan will confront Xanatos and Bruck at the site of their real target – the vertex in the security chamber. The ambush backfires, as Xanatos draws Qui-Gon off for a duel and Bruck rushes off to seal Bant’s doom. Obi-Wan chases him to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, where he finds Bant chained underwater and slowly drowning. Bruck fights him back savagely, determined to make him watch Bant die because of him – “just like Cerasi.” His taunts work – Obi-Wan flies into a blind rage, driving him to beat Bruck all the way back to the edge of a waterfall. Nevertheless, the rage works in Bruck’s favour, and Obi-Wan is brought to the brink of defeat… until he remembers Qui-Gon’s words. Calming down and letting the Force flow through him, he regains the offensive and pushes Bruck to the edge – where a blast of water sends the Dark Jedi - wannabe plummeting off the cliff to his death. Obi-Wan just barely frees Bant in time. She gasps that there is no need for him to apologise to her – go help Qui-Gon!

Xanatos again manages to escape, this time from both Qui-Gon and the Temple. But he leaves a parting shot – he is sabotaged things to the point that when Miro reactivates the power, the whole Temple will implode!! Racing against time, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan prevents him from re-activation until the trap in question is found and removed. Things quickly return to normal for everyone but Obi-Wan, still reeling from recent events. He opens his heart to Bant, allowing himself to grieve for Cerasi. She urges him to trust Qui-Gon and the Jedi again – and in another room, Tahl is urging Qui-Gon to do the same with Obi-Wan. Tahl uses an example of a broken Aurean glass cup that is rebuilt – stronger than ever, because it was broken. The Council assigns probation for Obi-Wan, but refuses to support Qui-Gon if he goes after Xanatos. The Jedi Master vows to go after him anyway. As an act of trust, Obi-Wan also decides to go with Qui-Gon on his hunt…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Day of Reckoning.” *

Going undercover as tourists, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arrive on Telos. They intend to investigate UniFy, a company Tahl suspects of being a front company for Offworld. No sooner do they arrive then they are chased off the starliner and into the streets by planetary security forces. The chase leads them to a huge arena where an extremely popular betting game / lottery called “Katharsis” is being held. No matter what the two Jedi do, the security police stay right behind them. They are saved from arrest at the last minute by a guy named Denetrus (Den for short). They learn that Katharsis offers the poor people of Telos a sudden fortune, and the proceeds go to helping clean and beautify the land. And the mastermind behind Katharsis is none other than Xanatos, whom the people revere as a hero. Den leads them to UniFy, but Qui-Gon learns to his dismay that wanted signs are up all over the place – for him and Obi-Wan both. Den then takes them to his home – but mere seconds later, the police raid the building. Den takes the Jedi underground into a hidden lair where he and a woman named Andra hide (and mostly bicker with each other). Turns out he is a thief and slicer, and she is part of an ecological group (the POWER party) trying to prove wrongdoing in UniFy’s holding public land in the name of “beautifying” it. Katharsis is being used to distract the public’s attention from UniFy’s doings.

When Qui-Gon suggests the UniFy - Offworld connection to her, Andra is horrified – the planet’s most beautiful land, being exploited by miners! Den concocts a plan to prove this connection – sneak into UniFy headquarters with stolen ID badges and uniforms, and then slice the computers. He and the Jedi do exactly the next day. As they look through UniFy’s large number of files (mostly trivial files), the computers suddenly go down. Den panics and races out the door, and the two Jedi find themselves overwhelmed by security police. They are thrown into jail, denied any chance to contact anybody. Qui-Gon ponders the situation – he noticed Den was not looking up public land files; he was looking up Katharsis information. Qui-Gon also opens up to Obi-Wan about recent events; sombrely apologising for the unfair way he has treated his apprentice. Xanatos arrives and faces the prisoners from outside their cell. He gloats that they have already stood trial and been convicted (in absentia) for a whole number of severe (and false) crimes. Well, almost all false – he notes that Bruck Chun’s father (and the treasurer of Telos), Vox, had tearfully testified as to Obi-Wan murdering his boy. By the time the Jedi Temple wonders what is going on, they will be both be dead – they are scheduled for immediate execution.

Just as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face beheading by vibroaxe, Den and Andra tear into the prison on skiffs and spirits them to safety. Qui-Gon confronts Den about his actions, and the thief admits he was looking for ways to rig Katharsis – only to find it has already been rigged by UniFy! This company has the entire government – the planet itself – in its back pocket, with the “winnings” being returned under the table to UniFy. The population is being simultaneously distracted and impoverished while UniFy destroys the planet’s environment and rapes its mineral wealth. Qui-Gon comes up with a two-prong plan – Den will use his skills to make himself the winner of the next Katharsis, while Andra travels to the Sacred Pools to prove evidence of the mining – and UniFy’s connection to Offworld. Andra reveals it will not be that easy – she has no supporters. She IS the POWER party. Obi-Wan volunteers to join her on her mission.

They find all the evidence they need of the mining, but are discovered before they can prove the other. Their transport is taken, so there is no way to return to the capital of Thani in time for the next Katharsis. Obi-Wan decides to tackle two birds with one stone – return to the mines, find Offworld evidence, then steal a transport there to return to Thani. It works perfectly, and Obi-Wan and Andra make it safely back to Qui-Gon and Den. The last round of Katharsis begins, and Den wins – and just as Xanatos delivers his congratulations, the video screens show what Obi-Wan and Andra taped. Xanatos declares it all lies concocted by the Jedi, and urges the people to find and kill them. Just as it appears they will do exactly that, Den loudly outlines the entire sordid scheme of Xanatos to the crowd, producing solid evidence of Katharsis being rigged. The people turn against Xanatos, who is forced to escape. The Jedi pursue, vowing not to let him escape justice this time.

The chase ends at the Sacred Pools – turned to acid pools thanks to the mining. Xanatos tries to drive a verbal wedge between the Jedi, stirring Obi-Wan’s guilt over Bruck’s death – and Qui-Gon’s hypocrisy in wanting ‘justice’ when what he really wants is Xanatos dead. However, Obi-Wan has learned from Bruck’s example and will not listen. Andra and Den join the fight in an attempt to arrest Xanatos. The Dark Jedi is cornered. He vows he will not surrender, and spits his final words at Qui-Gon: “I am your biggest failure. Live with that. And live with this.”

And Xanatos turns and plunges into the acid pool, eaten away to nothing before the group’s horrified eyes.

The government throws UniFy / Offworld off the planet, expels the corrupt officials (including Vox) and throwing them in jail. Katharsis is stopped cold. Andra and Den appear to be heading toward a future in politics – and a romantic future with each other. As they head back home to the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan wonders if Xanatos’s death will indeed haunt Qui-Gon, as the ex-Jedi hoped. No, Qui-Gon responds – but it will take some time for him to come to terms with it. He is planning to stay at the Temple for a while, to meditate and reflect. He accepts Obi-Wan fully as his Padawan Learner again, and awaits their journey together when Obi-Wan’s probation ends…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Fight for Truth.”

At the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan is put in a training exercise with 11-year-old Siri, Padawan Learner of Adi Gallia. However, they both flunk the test, as neither is willing to work together as a team. Yoda appears and informs the two Jedi and the two apprentices that they are all being sent on a mission to the planet Kegan, a tiny world that has been mostly isolated from the Republic – until now. There are reports of a Force-sensitive baby there, and Yoda wants the Jedi to check it out. He warns Obi-Wan and Siri “Cooperate you must to complete the mission.”

The Jedi are greeted at Kegan by two “Hospitality Guides” named O-Rina and V-Haad. They are shown to the parents of the baby in question, V-Nen and O-Melie. The Force is strong in little baby O-Lana, all right. However, the parents seem too terrified to even talk to the Jedi – O-Rina and V-Haad do all the talking for them, and they are trying to get the Jedi off-planet as quickly (and politely) as possible. Qui-Gon tells Obi-Wan and Siri to slip out of the Guides’ sight, and learn what they can about the planet. The plan backfires, though, as the two children are stunned, and dragged out of town by a local…

Even worse, O-Lana suddenly disappears – taken away by the government for a “med check.” Qui-Gon and Adi are alarmed now, but they can only do so much – Yoda warned them not to cause any disruptions on the planet. They decide it is time to speak directly with the apparent leaders of the government – the “Benevolent Guides” V-Tan and O-Vieve. The two Guides point-blank refuse to see them. Frustrated, they return to the parents – who bring them into a room blocked from the constant spy airhoppers flying overhead. Apparently, everything everyone says or does on this planet is monitored by V-Tan and O-Vieve. They have converted this former democracy into a communist government. They explain that the people trust V-Tan and O-Vieve because they experience prophetic visions. And they have had a horrible vision that a terrible evil will arise and destroy the Jedi and everyone and everything close to them. If Kegan is allowed to join the galaxy, one day “Masked Soldiers” will come and destroy everything. The only way to avoid this was to completely cut the planet off. The parents reveal themselves to be part of an opposing faction, and they beg for the Jedi’s help. Qui-Gon decides he is going to have to disrupt things after all, even over Adi’s objections…

Obi-Wan and Siri are delivered by a sadistic Truant officer named V-Tarz into a schizophrenic “Learning Circle” where every child on the planet has been corralled and taught nothing but lies about the outer galaxy. No one even believes that the two are Jedi, let alone from another world. They do manage to convince and befriend a young orphan boy named V-Davi, who promises to help them escape. They try that night, but are unable to get away. Obi-Wan finds ominous evidence of a “Re-Learning Circle.” V-Davi whispers that children sent to that place never come back. Nevertheless, Obi-Wan may soon find out for himself, since Siri cannot seem to keep her mouth shut and is getting both of them in ever-deeper trouble with the teachers. Davi tries to help them escape again – and this time they are caught. V-Davi soon disappears, sent to the Re-Learning Circle…

Qui-Gon and Adi sabotages the spy airhoppers and checks into the spy computers. They find detailed files on everyone on Kegan – everyone, that is, except O-Lana. Her file has been erased. They check back with V-Nen and O-Melie, and receive from the housekeeper a clue as to where the Learning Circle might be. But even as they learn this, the place is stormed by Enforcement Guides who declare the Jedi guilty of “mind control.” The penalty is immediate deportation. V-Tan and O-Vieve finally appear, and begs the two Jedi to go peacefully, without a fuss – they will find the Padawans and send them along later. They tell Qui-Gon and Adi in detail about the vision they are trying so hard to prevent – “We see the Jedi surrounded in darkness. The darkness comes from within them and then spreads to engulf them.” If the Jedi insist on staying on Kegan, the government, sadly, will have no choice but to execute them…

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan and Siri searches for the Re-Learning Circle – it cannot be far – and discovers it is an underground compound below the school itself. The only way to get there is to disrupt class, and the two Padawans gleefully go about that. But they learn too late that it is a concentration camp where “students” are strapped into sensory deprivation suits and subjected to outright brainwashing…

With armed starfighters “escorting” them, the two Jedi take off from Kegan in an old, unarmed ship. Adi pilots the ship, and she puts her Jedi skills to great use in outflying and outrunning the starfighters. Qui-Gon compliments her on her flying skills – that must be why Yoda sent her. No it is not, Adi replies – Yoda wanted her and Siri to see how a good Master-Apprentice team operates, with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as an example. He also wanted Siri to learn about cooperation. The ship flies to the Learning Circle, but Qui-Gon cannot sense the apprentices…

Obi-Wan is finally taken out of the suit, physically and mentally drained. He senses Qui-Gon and immediately gives a mental shout for help. Siri, who does indeed seem to have learned her lesson, cuts him out of his cell. They find Davi, and a surprise – little O-Lana as well. Qui-Gon and Adi tear into the complex, fighting their way to the apprentices even as they fight their way to the masters. All are reunited, and the people of Kegan are finally exposed to the truth about the Learning and Re-Learning Circles. V-Tan and O-Vieve are overthrown, a new ruling council put in place, and talks opened with the Republic. All the children of Kegan are sent home to be with their parents. V-Nen and O-Melie agree to give O-Lana to the Jedi for training, and agree to adopt V-Davi.

Obi-Wan is stunned that an entire planet could turn into a dictatorship based on a vision that clearly is not true. One central evil controlling the galaxy and destroying the Jedi, indeed! “That could never happen.” But even as Obi-Wan says this, Qui-Gon receives a gut-wrenching vision – Obi-Wan as an old man on a desolate planet, haunted by some future catastrophe…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Shattered Peace.”

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are sent to Rutan, who was once embroiled in a war with its moon Senali, until a clever plan was instituted – the eldest children of the two planet’s rulers would be raised on the other’s world. Now Prince Leed of Rutan does not want to return to Senali, and King Frane is threatening war as a result. As the Jedi’s ship arrives, they run out of fuel and make an emergency landing in a field, only to be nearly run over by a stampede of Kudana. It is a Rutanian hunt the Jedi have interrupted, led by Frane himself. Frane takes them to the capital of Testa and a feast at the royal palace. The hot-tempered Frane thinks King Meenon of Senali is keeping Leed there against his will. He has just signed an order to imprison Meenon’s daughter, Yaana, in his dungeon. The Jedi urge him to hold off on that until they get a chance to talk to Leed personally. Frane agrees, but insists Leed’s younger brother Taroon go with them. The Jedi and Taroon travel to Senali, where Meenon greets them with disturbing news – Leed has run away. They head to the clan of Meenon’s sister Ganeed, where Leed was staying. The entire family is rather unhelpful, but Qui-Gon senses Leed’s female friend Drenna may lead them to him. They trail her across the docks and shore, only to be led into a trap – tide comes in, and the trio is forced to climb a cliff for safety against the extreme waves.

Leed is waiting for them as they reach the top. He insists that nothing can make him return to Rutan – especially to face his belligerent father. He does bring them to his island home for dinner, however. Taroon argues mightily with his brother, convinced he was brainwashed. The brothers find themselves unable to reconcile their differences. However, over the next day, as Leed and Drenna teaches Taroon about their fishing lifestyle, he starts to warm to his brother’s beliefs. Leed agrees at last to return to Rutan to face his father with his convictions. Taroon agrees to stay in his place until he returns. But just when it seems the mission is accomplished, a group of Senali tie and gag Leed and rush off with him under the sleeping Jedi’s noses. Taroon goes ballistic, blaming Drenna for the kidnapping. The Jedi have no choice but to tell Frane via holochannel, and he immediately orders Taroon home – in twelve hours, his army will invade Senali.

The Jedi rush to warn Meenon, but he is already aware and ready – he is planning a pre-emptive invasion of his own. He suggests “The Ghost Ones,” a tribe of troublemakers, is behind Leed’s kidnapping. Drenna could track them – but she has already slipped off. The Jedi chase after her, and find she is trying to save Leed herself. The hunt leads to a secret outpost, where the trio meets the Ghost Ones in battle. Leed is rescued, and the group hurries back to the main city where they catch a transport to Rutan. Frane is delighted to see Leed safe, but insists he will not let Leed leave again, certainly not for good. He must stay and become ruler, he demands. Leed will not listen, so Frane turns to treachery, – he still has Yaana in prison, and will keep her there until Leed agrees to begin royal training.

The Jedi and Drenna decide to arrange a public disturbance (cooking outdoors) and be arrested. Once inside the prison, they break Yaana out with them and rejoin Leed. Nevertheless, Frane is waiting for them at the hangar. Leed finally surrenders to the inevitable, and agrees to stay and become ruler. Drenna agrees to stay in Yaana’s place. Obi-Wan is saddened that the mission had to end this way, but Qui-Gon thinks the two worlds are closer to war than ever. Using his memory training, he realises that the kidnappers on Senali were disguised Rutanians. Only one Rutanian could have arranged it – Taroon. Confronting him at the Royal School of Leadership, they learn the young prince covets the throne, and were willing to frame Leed as leader of a terrorist attack on Rutan, thus forcing his brother out of favour and opening his path to kingship. He has already set the attack up – a seeker droid assault on the royal nek kennels. However, Drenna is there! Taroon intended a symbolic attack only – he does not want anyone dead. He rushes to the kennels with the Jedi, where they cut down the droids before they can kill Drenna. The Jedi force Taroon to confess all to his father. To their shock, King Frane is actually delighted at his younger son’s audacity and cunning, and agrees to make him the next king! He agrees to peace with Senali, and makes Leed the ambassador to that world. Mission accomplished, and the Jedi have come away with a deeper understanding of their own natures, and the knowledge that life will always surprise them…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Deadly Hunter.”

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan hitch a ride back to Coruscant. When they arrive, Qui-Gon takes his apprentice to meet an old friend of his – Didi Oddo, a cafй owner who moonlights as a Jedi informant. Didi is certainly glad to see them – he is in danger, and needs help. A bounty hunter has mistaken him for someone else, and he begs Qui-Gon to convince her he is not her target. Qui-Gon agrees to visit her at the hotel she is staying at. Obi-Wan wonders why he is going to so much trouble for such an obviously shady character. “Because he is my friend.”

The female bounty hunter in the plastoid armour, however, does not answer any of Qui-Gon’s words – at least, not with words. Her actions speak plenty – she attacks the Jedi with a deadly laser whip and very nearly kills both, and then escapes right out of their grasp. Her ability to squeeze through small holes identifies her as a Sorrusian. A call to Tahl at the Temple reveals she usually works for rich individuals – and that is all they know about her. Therefore, who sent her after a low-level informer like Didi – and why?? As they mull over this, Didi’s daughter Astri comes in with great news – Dr. Jenna Zan Arbor, the famous scientist, has reserved the cafй for a party! Qui-Gon decides to call on another informer, Fligh, for information. Meeting him at the Senate building, they find he does not know anything. They then head to Belascan Senator Uta S’orn, who Didi learned is resigning from her post. Nothing there either. Then to the Splendor Tavern to meet Helb the Neimoidian, head of the Tech Raiders, a black market gang Didi has some info on. Nope, nothing there – if Helb wanted to put a death mark on anyone, it would be Fligh! Suddenly, the Jedi spot the hunter again. She again pulls a disappearing act. Coincidence – or is she trailing them?

They rush back to Didi’s Cafй, just as Jenna arrives. They learn from a crying Didi that Fligh has been murdered. The Jedi head to where Fligh’s body was found garrotted… and drained of blood. They rush to the inn, to find the bounty hunter’s checked out. Fearing the worst, they rush back to the cafй. The place is a wreck, and the hunter is waiting for them. Yet again, she outfights them and escapes – but thankfully, before she could kill Didi and Astri. This hunter’s clearly after an object, and Qui-Gon tells Didi to close the cafй and get somewhere safe with Astri. Didi decides to go to the Cascardi Mountains on Duneeden, where he has a house. Exhausted, the Jedi return to the Temple for food and sleep. Qui-Gon talks over the situation with Tahl. She and Yoda finally draw a connection between the disparate events – Senator S’orn’s Force-sensitive son, Ren, left the Jedi unable to understand the Force, and he was mysteriously killed the same way Fligh was – drained of blood. Another meeting with the now - resigned S’orn reveals another connection – she is friends with Jenna Zan Arbor. The Jedi question the doctor, and learn that on the datapad was a plan of S’orn’s to put together a coalition of planets to battle none other than the Tech Raiders. Feeling this mystery nearly solved, the Jedi leave Arbor’s hotel – only to have Obi-Wan hit by a speeder and nearly sent flying off the building. Qui-Gon saves him, but the “clerk” driving the speeder escapes – that damn bounty hunter again.

After a long night, Helb is found to have vanished. The Jedi high tail it to the Tech Raider base on Vandor-3, a neighbouring satellite of Coruscant. Cornered, Helb reveals all – yes, they hired Fligh to steal S’orn’s datapad. However, he grabbed the wrong one – they wanted the official pad, not the personal one! Nevertheless, as it turned out, the personal one gave them what they wanted anyway – Sorn’s plans to resign. So Helb asks, what reason would they have to kill the messenger?? It does not make sense. They also learn that Fligh stole two datapads, and he probably gave Didi the other one. Helb sold Didi that house at Duneeden, a house he got from someone at the Splendor Hotel – the Jedi take off before he finishes speaking.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan race to the mountain house, fearing they are already too late. Thankfully, Didi and Astri are there and all right. Qui-Gon asks where the other datapad is. It turns out he gave it to Astri, as well as info about S’orn’s resignation and Arbor’s dinner plans. It turns out the datapad has coded info on it – probably Arbor’s science formulas. Qui-Gon moves to rush the group out, but the doors suddenly lock and durasteel coverings slam down on the windows – the trap has been sprung. The hunter smashes into the group, fighting them outside the house and down the mountainside. The group is herded to her transport, where she guns down Didi and Qui-Gon and takes the elder Jedi Master with her aboard her ship. With a wounded Obi-Wan unable to catch up, all he can do is scream in anguish as the hunter gets away with his master…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Evil Experiment.”

Qui-Gon Jinn wakes up suspended upside-down in a tank filled with vapour. He hears a female voice gloating – the voice of Doctor Jenna Zan Arbor. Arbor explains that she is trying to study the Force – specifically, how to access and use it. Qui-Gon works a deal with her to leave the tank for an hour to heal.

Didi Oddo is in critical condition in the Jedi Temple’s medical wing. The blaster bolt he was hit with was laced with an infection-causing solution. The only cure for it is in Arbor’s labs on the planet Ventrux…that have mysteriously shut down. Astri loses hope upon receiving this news. Obi-Wan follows up a lead Qui-Gon had left – a sheet of paper with the guests from the dinner party at Didi’s. Checking with the guests on that list, Obi-Wan learns that one of them – Reesa On – was unknown to any of them and disappeared soon after. Convinced it was the bounty hunter in disguise, Obi-Wan heads to her hotel room only to nearly get shot by Astri (who mistook him for the bounty hunter). Frustrated, Obi-Wan allows Astri to work alongside him. Didi’s daughter realises that “reesa on” is Sorrusian for “catch me.” Tahl provides the duo with the coordinates for Sorrus, and they take off. Arbor releases a weakened Qui-Gon from his tank. She tells him she has implanted sensors in him, and orders him to use the Force. She is unsatisfied by the weak trick he manages, and throws him back in the tank. On Sorrus, Obi-Wan and Astri make their way into the desert to find the bounty hunter’s tribe, only to be ambushed by them. Obi-Wan holds them back and gets them talking. He learns the tribe are being held back from fertile lands by other tribes, and the government will not help. A boy comes up to Obi-Wan and promises information on the hunter… in return for Obi-Wan’s lightsaber, that is.

Being prodded by Arbor’s sadistic assistant Nil, Qui-Gon is again dragged out of the tank. He learns Arbor is fed up with the Senate’s bureaucratic ways keeping her from her research, hence this secret project. She is clearly consumed with ego and ambition. She has been creating and releasing viruses into the galaxy, only to receive the acclaim (and cash) when she ‘cures’ them. Now she wants the ultimate power – the power of the Force -- for herself. Uta S’orn’s son was Force-sensitive – hence, he was the first victim of Arbor’s experiments. Qui-Gon abruptly senses that another Force-sensitive – very weak – is here as well. Satisfied with that, Arbor returns Qui-Gon to his tank.

Astri offers the boy a deal – she will teach him how to feed his tribe, in return for forgetting the lightsaber and giving the information. Astri is true to her word, and the boy’s family gives up the hunter’s name – Ona Nobis, whose betrayal caused their tribe’s misfortune. The boy, Bhu, leads them to a hideout she maintains. Obi-Wan hacks Ona’s files and learns she is now after the governor of Cinnatar. Obi-Wan’s about to call the Council, but unexpectedly gets a call from them instead – Jenna’s coded datapad has been decoded. They are now aware of Arbor’s plans, and tell Obi-Wan they are sending a Jedi team to join him immediately. Send Astri back to Coruscant and head for Cinnatar at once. Obi-Wan senses something’s wrong… this was too easy… he senses Cinnatar is not where the answers are. He decides instead to go to Simpla-12, where S’orn’s body was found.

A jealous Nil drags Qui-Gon out of the tank, intending to kill him. However, Qui-Gon has slowly regained his strength and gets the drop on Nil. Qui-Gon suddenly drops, paralysed – it was all a trick by Arbor to force him to use his powers. On the ramshackle village of Sim-First on Simpla-12, Obi-Wan and Astri look for Tino, Ren’s room-mate. They find him – and Ona about to kill him. Using her own strategies against her, Obi-Wan drives her off – and without her energy whip. He learns from Tino that Coruscant security had been told all he knew – especially that Ren had left behind a clue -- but they refused to follow up on the information. Back to Coruscant they go...

Fed up with Qui-Gon’s stubbornness, Arbor decides to kill him as she killed Ren – drain him of his blood. Obi-Wan bullies his way into the office of Coruscant security chief – and Bothan – Yur T’aug. But he is surprised to learn from him that Ren’s mother – Senator Uta S’orn – had ordered him to drop the investigation. Obi-Wan confronts her with the truth about Arbor, which she does not believe – Arbor’s her friend, she never even knew Uta’s son. Confronted with Obi-Wan’s story, a shocked Uta turns over the only thing her son had left – a metal bin. He and Astri head to Didi’s cafй to open the bin, but they find nothing special inside. Ren’s friends from Simpla-12 suddenly show up, wanting to help. They find a special code they had made on the items in the bin. An address on Simpla-12.

Disguising Astri as Ona, Obi-Wan rushes back to Simpla-12. Pretending to be Ona’s prisoner, Obi-Wan is led into Arbor’s lab. He finds Qui-Gon on the verge of death, and frees him from the tank. He helps Obi-Wan find the antitoxin to save Didi’s life. Suddenly, the real Ona arrives… then, paid off for what Arbor swears is the last time, Ona leaves. Just as the whole group is about to leave, Arbor stops them with chilling words over the speakers – she has another Jedi Master held hostage. The others can go, but if Qui-Gon does not stay… that hostage dies. Against Obi-Wan’s loud objections, Qui-Gon tells him and Astri to go. Obi-Wan leaves his lightsaber with his master, vowing he will return for both of them…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Dangerous Rescue.”

A despondent Obi-Wan calls Tahl and tells her about the terrible situation Qui-Gon is in. She tells him to hang tight – Adi Gallia and her apprentice Siri are on the way. Astri can take Adi’s ship back to Coruscant with the medicine to save her father’s life. Sure enough, Adi and Siri are there within minutes, and Astri is sent on her way. Adi reveals that Jenna’s other captive is Noor R’aya, an elderly Jedi Master who has been missing for weeks. She also has a plan about how to get into Jenna’s hideout – she has bought several assassin droids for protection, and her dealers (Cholly, Weez, and Tup) will sneak the Jedi in with the droids via a hidden compartment in the gravsled. Qui-Gon, meanwhile, has snuck into a ventilation shaft to keep an eye on Jenna as she experiments on Noor. Just before she can drain the Jedi of all his blood, however, the droid shipments arrive. The clumsy Tup manages to spill the Jedi out of the compartment, and a battle breaks out between them and the droids. Qui-Gon tears in and joins the fight. Jenna takes the opportunity to slip out of the lab with Noor in tow. She triumphantly escapes in her ship, leaving the frustrated Jedi behind.

A short time later, the Jedi medic Winna Di Uni arrives and treats Qui-Gon for his injuries. They are relieved to learn that Didi is well on his way back to health. Tahl calls and tells them that the Council wants the two Jedi teams to join forces to hunt down Jenna and free Noor. However, there is a problem – now that her father’s recovering, Astri has left the Temple and is out to hunt Ona Nobis down. Just after she signs off, they receive another call from a hospital on Sorrus – where Astri lies in intensive care. Obi-Wan and Siri are sent off to get her and return her to the Temple. When they get to the med center, Obi-Wan is ambushed – it was a trap set by Nobis! The young man is outmatched, and he manages – barely – to escape. Obi-Wan collects Siri (who can not believe he ran away) and calls Qui-Gon with the news. He orders the two to return to the Temple immediately – Astri is on her own. But when he hears that Astri is on the planet and heading into the desert (with Cholly, Weez, and Tup in tow), Obi-Wan ignores Qui-Gon’s order and decides to go after her. The transport they hire to get them to the desert (and then to Coruscant) has a hyperdrive breakdown when it reaches the deep desert, and he leaves the two there. They spot a crashed air taxi, with a pilot inside, strangled to death…

The two continue on to Nobis’ hideout. Sure enough, Astri and her three friends are there, tied up. Just as Astri can scream, “Trap!” a cave-in traps everyone in the hideout. Siri chops through some of the hideout’s metal supports and creates an opening, pushing the metal rod through to catch a glint of sunlight. Ona’s former tribe sees the light and digs the heroes out. They reveal that they saw Ona talking with someone on comlink, and agreed to go to Belasco – the homeworld of Senator S’orn. Obi-Wan tells Qui-Gon on comlink, and are told (besides how disappointed the masters are in them) to meet them there.

En route to Belasco, Adi chides Qui-Gon for hiding his weakness and for being so hard on the apprentices. The group is reunited on Belasco, with Adi and Qui-Gon sensing a disturbance in the Force. They quickly learn why – the water supply has been contaminated, and a lethal plague is spreading like wildfire. Alarmed and certain this is Jenna’s work, the Jedi rush to Uta’s palace. Uta stonewalls them, saying she is too busy treating the sick. She does not even believe Jenna is here – and they will need to prove it to get her help. They are surprised by the appearance of Fligh – who it seems was not the corpse back on Coruscant. (He had borrowed that body from the morgue to fake his death.) In addition, he still has Senator S’orn’s datapad, which he gives to the Jedi. The datapad has recordings of Senate speeches on it. Fligh leaves, and the heroes return to the landing platform. They search the spaceport and find a clue – a piece of Noor’s uniform. They also compare the datapad recordings to the actual Senate sessions, and discover a discrepancy – it seems S’orn altered Senate records to allow the passing of some regulations on a world that Jenna later tried out her water-based plague on. Confronted with this, S’orn finally breaks down and admits her help in Jenna Zan Arbor’s schemes. She had done so to save her kidnapped son – who then turned up dead. The Leader of Belasco, Min K’atel, appears and throws the Jedi out of the palace. However, Adi senses S’orn was lying about something – and she senses Noor is nearby. They decide to break into and check out the water purification center. Swimming into the center, the Jedi take some water samples and fight their way back out. Qui-Gon is exhausted, but the effort was not wasted – Tahl looks over the samples and confirms the plague is bioengineered. It also seems a cure was announced a few hours ago – by Zan Arbor Industries. Jenna stands to make a fortune on her own disease. The Jedi rush back to the royal palace, where they find people gathered to get food that Uta is helping serve. They wait and watch her – and sure enough, she delivers the food to Ona Nobis.

The Leader is throwing a party for the people of Belasco, and the Jedi reveal everything they have learned to him. Finally convinced, he orders S’orn’s quarters searched and the guard droids to detain Uta. Instead, the droids turn on the Jedi! They have been reprogrammed by Jenna! The party becomes a battlefield, as the Jedi duel with the droids and make their way into the palace and up to S’orn’s quarters. Jenna is waiting for them with a datapad – a missing piece to the cure, she reveals. If she dies, the people of Belasco will die with her. In addition, she will not accept capture – it is freedom or death. Regaining his strength, Qui-Gon Force - pulls the datapad from Jenna and wraps her up with a palace tapestry. Suddenly senses Siri in danger nearby, Obi-Wan goes to investigate – and finds her being beaten by Ona on the palace roof. It is two on one now, but Ona is better – and as she starts to escape, she whips out a hidden blaster and aims it at Siri. Miraculously, Adi appears and chops the bounty hunter’s whip in half, sending Ona flying off the roof and falling to her death.

On Coruscant, the heroes gather at the opening of Didi’s new cafй. Fligh and the three thieves are now working for Didi and Astri. Jenna Zan Arbor and Uta S’orn have been given life imprisonment on a distant prison world. Siri has learned a lesson – even she is not invincible. She will never again be afraid to recognise she is weak – a lesson, Obi-Wan adds dryly, that Qui-Gon should also learn…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Ties that Bind.”

A moody Qui-Gon takes Obi-Wan to the mountains of Ragoon-6 for survival training. After a run-in with vicious malias (and vicious natives), it’s time to head back – but Qui-Gon is stopped cold by a vision… one that sends him and his apprentice back to Coruscant in record time. Qui-Gon rushes up to the Council Chamber, where he finds them briefing Tahl on her newest mission, a return trip to Apsolon. Six years before, she and Qui-Gon had overseen the establishment of a democracy there. Now they must take the teenage daughters of Apsolon’s murdered leader, Ewane, back to Coruscant for safety. Qui-Gon insists on going with Tahl on this mission, something Tahl refuses outright – she has had it with Qui-Gon hovering around her. “In the name of friendship, dear Qui-Gon, leave me be.”

The two apprentices, Obi-Wan and Bant, are left in the cold in all of this. Bant cannot stand it – again her master is abandoning her! Two weeks pass with no word from Tahl, while Qui-Gon punishes himself in training. At night, he is haunted by nightmares of Tahl dying in front of him. Finally, he barges back into the Council Chamber to demand he go to New Apsolon to find Tahl. The Council advises him to wait, but Qui-Gon is past listening and verbally blasts the Council. Mace Windu coldly informs him that if he goes, it will be without the Council’s permission. Qui-Gon heads out of the Temple immediately, Obi-Wan accompanying him despite his wishes.

In disguise, the two Jedi land in the capital city of New Apsolon. They sense unrest bubbling beneath the surface in this town, and they learn it is becoming dangerous for tourists on this unstable world. Ewane’s successor, Roan, is suspected of his predecessor’s murder. They also learn the two daughters, Alani and Eritha, are living in Roan’s home. Travelling there, Qui-Gon’s concern deepens when the twins tell him they did not call Tahl to help them – they had no idea she would come to this world at all. Qui-Gon then suspects a plot by the former secret police of Apsolon, the Absolutes, and he checks out a museum devoted to them. He and Obi-Wan learn about how the Absolutes used torture to try to keep order. As they leave, Qui-Gon senses a probe droid behind them. He destroys it, but the two are forced to duck by blaster fire from above. The sniper escapes, but leaves behind a clue – an emblem seen on the tour guide at the Absolutes Museum.

That night, the two Jedi trail the tour guide, Irini, from the museum. She ducks into an abandoned building scheduled for demolition. They find her speaking to a group of people, declaring the Jedi to be agents of Roan, Ewane’s murderer! The people are all survivors of the Absolute’s tortures, and they are convinced the dreaded secret police are back, controlled by Roan and a mysterious new group. Suddenly, the building is attacked by the Absolutes, and the Jedi are overwhelmed and captured. They are blindfolded and taken to the Absolutes headquarters. Qui-Gon is taken into a room to be interrogated, and is relieved to hear Tahl’s voice among the people around him. Somehow, she has infiltrated the Absolutes. Tahl, who has manoeuvred herself into a position of power, argues to let the Jedi go – the Absolutes will need popular support to retake the government. She leads him and Obi-Wan out of the headquarters (a disguised warehouse) and tells them the twins had indeed sent her – in fact, had helped with the infiltration. They too are starting to think Roan a traitor, murderer and would-be dictator. The new Absolutes are small in number, but rich and amassing weapons. Somebody powerful is backing them – but whom? Qui-Gon hesitates at this – the Jedi should not be getting involved in internal politics like this. Tahl insists on helping the twins, telling Qui-Gon he does not care enough – any more than he did six years ago. She offers a compromise – help her for one week to find out what is going on. If they cannot find anything out, they all leave with the twins for Coruscant. If they can find anything, they can bring peace back to Apsolon. Qui-Gon accepts, though still worried.

The next morning, he and Obi-Wan investigate Manex, Roan’s wealthy and affluent brother. They find him corrupt, unpleasant – but not quite capable of everything they have seen. They then travel to Governor Roan’s mansion – just in time to spot a group of intruders kidnapping the twins!! The Jedi attack, but the intruders throw an army of probe droids at them and escape. The Jedi return to Tahl and tell her what happened. She does not think the intruders were Absolutes, that it could be Irini and her group. Roan summons the Jedi to meet with him, begging them to find the twins. He seems haunted by events, terrified of what could happen. They receive a ransom demand from the kidnappers – the twins will be released if Roan resigns from Supreme Governorship and calls for new elections. Roan has no other choice, and he agrees. As Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan leave Roan’s palace, they receive a distress call from Tahl – somehow the Absolutes are on to her, and she is on the run from probe droids. They rush to her position in the streets, and find her near a demonstration. Fighting off the probe droids, they rush back to Roan’s, only to find he has already gone to meet with the kidnappers. Several hours later, his corpse is delivered gift wrapped to the mansion.

As the people of Absolon erupt in rage, the twins are indeed returned. The security chief, Balog, tells them a peace summit has been frantically called for between the Absolutes, the Workers (Irini’s group), and the Civilised (Roan’s government). The talks are agreed to, on one condition – a Jedi representative must be there as arbiter. Tahl insists on going – alone. She orders Qui-Gon to take the twins to Coruscant. White as a sheet, Qui-Gon asks to speak to Tahl alone. He tells her that he will not take the twins until she returns from the summit. If he does leave, he is convinced he will never see her again. He finally forces out what he has wanted to say all along – he loves her. Tahl is taken aback by this… but tells him she loves him too. With that pledge, she leaves for the summit. The next morning, Irini barges into the mansion and rushes to the Jedi. She tells him the Workers have been blamed by the Civilised for the kidnapping and murder – which she insists they did not do. She claims someone in Roan’s inner circle is responsible for both. They have a spy in the mansion, one of the security guards, who confirms this. She is confused when asked about the peace summit – what summit?? Suddenly, it hits Qui-Gon – Balog is the one behind all of this!!!

In blind panic, Qui-Gon runs to the place Balog said the meeting would be. He finds Tahl’s lightsaber in a bin with several blasters, and no one inside. He is almost overwhelmed with grief and anguish. His vision of the death of Tahl – the woman he loves – is coming true before his very eyes despite all of his efforts to prevent it…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Death of Hope.”

Cursing himself for letting Tahl go to that meeting alone, Qui-Gon ignores Obi-Wan’s advice to alert the Council. Nevertheless, he does listen to his apprentice recount events, and figures out a means to find Tahl – Probe droids were used by the Absolutes to keep the Workers in line, and Balog was a Worker. Alani tells them to find Lenz, leader of the Workers and black market operator, to find a probe droid. She does not know where to find him, but Irini does.

The Jedi immediately meet with Irini at the Absolute museum, and she takes them to Lenz. Irini also answers how Balog could have taken Tahl – a paralysing drug that proves lethal when taken in large, sustained doses. The Jedi sense they are hiding something about the kidnapping from them, and Lenz admits that there is a list of secret informers to the Absolutes out there somewhere – and Balog may think Tahl knows where that list is. However, he will only keep her alive until he learns otherwise. With that chilling information, Lenz takes them to a hidden black market warehouse, where they take a speeder, a swoop and the probe droid. The probe leads the two Jedi out of the city and into open country.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan use their tracking skills as well as the droid, but Balog manages to stay one step ahead of them. Three days of useless hunting pass. Then Balog tries to trap them with probe droids of his own, damaging the swoop and forcing the Jedi to pause long enough to repair it. By the next day, the chase has led to rocky terrain. And now someone is tailing the Jedi… and that night, it proves to be Eritha, who has discovered Balog’s backer and the one behind all this. Her sister Alani. She overheard her sister speaking to Balog, who has Tahl drugged and in a torture device. She arranged Roan’s death and Tahl’s kidnapping because she plans to take over New Apsolon and turn it back into a dictatorship. Eritha insists on joining the Jedi on their desperate hunt.

Suddenly, the trio is attacked by a group of grey-suited people who use a beamdrill to destroy the probe droid. In a futile attempt to save it, Obi-Wan injures his leg. Realising these are miners (Workers), Eritha rushes at them and makes them stop their attack. They react in horror when they learn who they were attacking – they thought it was the Absolutes! They take the three to their valley camp, where Obi-Wan is treated for his leg wound by a medic named Yanci. The Workers’ leaders, Bini and Kevta, tell Qui-Gon the Absolutes have been raiding them for their weapons. Qui-Gon remembers the black marketeers saying they had been getting cleaned out on weapons lately – what are the Absolutes planning? He spends a sleepless night at Obi-Wan’s side.

The next morning, the trio are ready to start out again. But as they pick up Balog’s trail again, Yanci rushes to them in a swoop – the Absolutes are attacking the Workers’ camp, en masse, killing everyone!!! Qui-Gon tells Obi-Wan to go back with Yanci and help – he is too close to Tahl to give up the hunt now! Obi-Wan is stunned – the Workers need help more than Tahl does, he argues. The elder Jedi insists he will not abandon Tahl to her fate. “You’re wrong,” Obi-Wan fires back as he leaves with Yanci and Eritha. Qui-Gon thinks on Obi-Wan’s words, however, and turns around and rejoins them. “My duty lies here, no matter what it may cost.”

When they reach the camp, the scene is one of total *******. Every man, woman and child has been butchered, the camp ransacked and cleaned out. The Absolutes are long gone. Qui-Gon finds a clue – tracked-in soil from a nearby quarry. Eritha recognises it and tells them she knows where the Absolute hideout is. Leaving Yanci behind to bury the dead, the trio rushes west to the quarries. There is no sign of any hideout…until a structure rises out of a lake and opens to let some vehicles out. They sneak into an adjacent cave, where they find a massive underground base. The Jedi have to leave Eritha behind as they use cable-launchers to fly over retinal sensors. They make their way into a storage bin filled to the brim with weapons crates and enough explosives to level New Apsolon City. By the time they return, Eritha has been taken prisoner by the Absolutes. Now they have two to rescue.

Unable to follow Eritha and the guards without being detected, the Jedi return to the storage bin and grab some explosives, enough to destroy the Absolute vehicles and cause a diversion, then return and place them throughout the base. The explosions send Balog scurrying out of hiding and toward where he is keeping Tahl. The Jedi chase him, only to reach him as he is ready to inject a lethal dose of paralysing drug into Tahl. Laughing coldly at them, he tells them he’s rigged all the other explosives to blow now – the Workers will find nothing left of this base – and has a remote control ready to finish Tahl unless they let him go. In a blur of speed, Qui-Gon lightsaber-slices the remote – and a finger – out of Balog’s hand. The wounded terrorist flees as the cave base begins to collapse. Qui-Gon frantically slices away at the sensory deprivation device Tahl is in as the caves begin to flood. Finally he cuts her out and swims out of the caves with Obi-Wan and Eritha. Tahl awakens…and says the words Qui-Gon never wanted to hear. “It is too late for me, dear friend…”

In pure panic, Qui-Gon bundles Tahl into the landspeeder and hightails it to New Apsolon, giving her to the Governor’s medics. Nevertheless, it is too late – the damage to her organs is simply too severe. “Wherever I am headed,” she whispers, “I will wait for you, Qui-Gon. I’ve always been a solitary traveller.” Broken, Qui-Gon screams in anguish and sobs on her chest as Tahl breathes her last. Only then does Obi-Wan realise just what it was Qui-Gon felt for her. “Let me help you, Master,” he begs.

“There is no help for me now. There is only revenge.”

“Jedi Apprentice: The Call to Vengeance.”

In the home of Manex on New Apsolon, a broken Qui-Gon Jinn sits forlorn beside the body of the late Jedi Master Tahl. He leaves her side only once, to send more probe droids after Balog. Obi-Wan is starting to fear the worst – that his master has gone to the Dark Side, or is about to fall, and will go to any lengths to take revenge on Tahl’s killer. Finally, some other Jedi arrive – Mace Windu and a distant Bant. Mace receives an update on the situation from Obi-Wan, then pulls Qui-Gon aside for a private talk. Bant lashes into Obi-Wan – how could he not call for help sooner?!? How would he feel if his master had been kidnapped and murdered without his knowledge?!?

Mace, meanwhile, offers to let Qui-Gon go back to Coruscant with Tahl’s body. Qui-Gon refuses. Manex arrives with disturbing news – word has leaked to the Apsolon Senate that Tahl was helping the Absolutes! It seems Balog is trying to discredit the Jedi as a prelude to seizing power. Manex also reveals he has been named Acting Supreme Governor until the elections are held, and asks the Jedi to oversee the elections themselves in three days. Mace accepts – it will be the perfect place to gather information. Mace and Bant leave for their quarters, and Yanci arrives with a tip – Balog is chasing Oleg, the Worker who is suspected to have the list that Tahl was killed over. She also reveals that Oleg has a type of hibernation sickness, one that will force him to visit a clinic sooner or later. She hands them a list of local clinics. Qui-Gon takes it and vanishes before Obi-Wan can even finish thanking Yanci.

At the last of the four listed clinics, Qui-Gon finds Oleg. Oleg tells him he’ll hand over the list only in return for a lot of money and passage offworld. And Qui-Gon better decide fast, ‘cuz he’s holding the list up for auction. Impatient, Qui-Gon refuses and leaves, but remains nearby and follows Oleg after he leaves. As he follows him down the streets, he becomes aware he’s not the only one tailing Oleg – Balog is following him as well. Oleg ducks into a warehouse, and Balog beats Qui-Gon there. The Jedi finds himself ambushed by seven probe droids. He beats them off, but the droids delay him just enough – he rushes into the warehouse and finds nothing but Oleg’s corpse. A short time later, on the search for Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Bant find their way to the warehouse, now covered by security. They learn of Oleg’s death, and learn that all the circumstantial evidence at the sight points to Qui-Gon as his killer. Qui-Gon, on the other hand, heads to Lenz’s and finds Irini. He found a broken necklace of hers by Oleg’s body. She tells him she posed as a would-be-buyer, but didn’t get the list before Balog killed him. He asks for her help, but she won’t. Frustrated, he heads back to the United Legislature.

At the Legislature building, meanwhile, Bant finally breaks down in tears over Tahl. She’s unable to accept it, this cruel and senseless demise. Obi-Wan tells her how Qui-Gon loved Tahl, and how he fears for his master now. Mace meets them with interesting news – Legislator Pleni has suddenly announced her candidacy for Supreme Governor. Could she have the list? Mace leads the two Jedi students to investigate her place. They find Pleni dead and signs of probe droid attack all over the place. Security is called in, and they conclusively identify the owner of the probe droid that killed Pleni – Qui-Gon. An exhausted and seething Qui-Gon hears of this in a cafй the next morning. Disguising himself as a businessman, he heads into the Legislature building and meets Eritha. She tells him rumors are going around that Manex has the list. She urges him to wait in a room, and he does… until he senses an imminent ambush and cuts his way out a window. He narrowly avoids arrest as a result.

The Jedi, thanks to Qui-Gon’s fugitive status, finds seeking information nearly impossible. Manex decides maybe he should run for election. He decides he’ll pretend he has the list, working as a decoy to lure Balog and the Absolutes into the open. In fact, he’s already spread the rumor around. The Jedi agree to serve as bodyguards for the inevitable attack, which comes that night… in the form of Qui-Gon. Security guards are right behind him, so he quickly slips out again. He heads to Mota, to find out who reprogrammed his probe droids into killers. He senses someone trailing him, and catches Eritha. She tells him she knows where Balog is, and can take him there.

Back at Manex’s, Obi-Wan mentally reviews everything that has happened on the New Apsolon mission. Several tiny things suddenly add up to a sickening conclusion. He talks to Manex, and he admits he suspects the same as Obi-Wan: Eritha is allied with Balog and Alani. Obi-Wan rushes out of Manex’s house in search of Eritha… but runs into Alani instead. She reveals her true colors, her lust for power. She also reveals Eritha has planted a tracking device on Qui-Gon, one that will lead security straight to him. Not that that’ll be necessary – he’s so blinded by grief for Tahl that he’ll follow her into security headquarters itself! Obi-Wan runs away at that, followed by Alani’s parting words: “You’re too late, Obi-Wan! Just like you were too late for Tahl!”

He catches up with Qui-Gon and Eritha in front of security headquarters, just as the planned ambush is sprung. Master and apprentice stand together again, battling the security droids and escaping the trap together. Qui-Gon is told of the tracking device, finds it, and flings it off. They head to the Worker sector to hide. They realize that for the sisters to be this bold and reckless, they must likely have the list. They continue on to Mota’s and force out of his computers who reprogrammed the droids… Irini and Lenz. In a blind fury, Qui-Gon tears out of Mota’s to Lenz’s, Obi-Wan just barely keeping up behind him. He finds Irini wounded from blaster fire. She admits that she stole the list from Pleni and killed Oleg and Pleni to protect someone on that list – Lenz. But Balog has the list now – he’s won. Lenz relates new spy info, revealing Balog to be hiding in the Absolute museum, using a tunnel to get to and from the governor’s residence.

The two Jedi speed to the governor’s residence at once, with Obi-Wan hastily calling Mace to join them. They head toward a secret tunnel between the Museum and the governor’s residence… to find Eritha blocking the entrance, blasters in her hands. She cruelly tells Qui-Gon that he killed Tahl. Before Qui-Gon can cut her down, Obi-Wan tackles her down and knocks the blasters out of her hands. Qui-Gon runs through the tunnel to the museum. Obi-Wan follows and joins him as he fights through security droids and Absolute soldiers. Finally, he comes upon Balog. He raises his lightsaber for the killing blow –

“No, Qui-Gon.”

Those simple words stop Qui-Gon in his tracks. All the anger drains out of him, replaced by horror at how close he’s come to the dark side. Shaking, he lowers and deactivates his lightsaber.

Alani, Eritha and Balog are arrested, as are Irini and Lenz. Manex moves the elections to next week, to give the devastated citizens of New Apsolon time to recover from these shocking events. The list of Absolute informers is given to the Committee to Reinstate Justice. Qui-Gon quietly thanks Obi-Wan for saving him, calling him back from the edge of the dark side. Obi-Wan is confused – he didn’t say a word when Qui-Gon faced Balog! It hits the older Jedi like a punch to the chest – Tahl. It had been her voice. She was still with him, even now… but still so far away. He walks into the ship that will carry Tahl’s body to the Jedi Temple, vowing never to set foot on New Apsolon again and resigned to living the rest of his life alone…

“Jedi Apprentice: The Only Witness.”

After several months mourning the death of Tahl, the Jedi Council has decided Qui-Gon is ready to go on another mission – whether he feels ready for one or not. They tell him and Obi-Wan that Senator Crote of the planet Frego has asked the Jedi to escort Lena Cobral, the recent widow of one Rutin Cobral – a member of the crime family that rules the planet – to Coruscant to testify in the Senate against them. At the Jedi Library, Jocasta Nu continues the briefing by explaining that Rutin was trying to end his family’s reign of terror, and was going to testify himself just before his murder. A distant and distracted Qui-Gon and a worrying Obi-Wan travel to Frego and meet with Lena and her protective cousin Mica at the capital city of Rian. Lena is ready to testify… but she has no direct evidence to bring. It is her word against the Cobral family. Qui-Gon coldly replies that if she cannot testify, then he and his apprentice have come for nothing – and will go straight back to Coruscant without her.

A shocked Obi-Wan pulls his master aside and berates him – they cannot leave her to be murdered as her husband was! Finally, Qui-Gon relents some – he will give Lena two days to gather the evidence she needs, and then leave with or without her. Lena immediately takes them to her apartment… and finds the place ransacked and a message on her computer. “You cannot stop us. You can only die trying.” Everything else she could have used against the Cobrals is gone. A desperate Lena decides to go into the mouth of the lion – the Cobral estate – and seek the aid of the one family member who could help her. With Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in tow, she sneaks into the estate and meets with her mother-in-law, Zanita. When they get there, they find the place celebrating the birthday of Bard (one of Rutin’s brothers). They also spot Solan, the eldest brother – who is now head of the Cobral family and the prime suspect in Rutin’s murder. Lena finally gets Zanita alone and pleads for her help. Realising how dangerous her son has become, Zanita agrees to help.

The trio sneaks out of the estate – and just barely avoids being crushed to death when a metal statue falls on their landspeeder. Shaken, they return to Lena’s hideout. Mica greets them and hands Lena a gift that arrived – addressed to her, in her late husband’s handwriting. Qui-Gon senses it is not a trap, and indeed what’s inside does not seem dangerous; a pair of boots, a vial of dirt, a small light and a beam drill. Growing suspicious of Mica, Qui-Gon asks Lena about her, and learns she has no love for the Cobrals – they murdered her mother in front of her when she was only seven. When Mica leaves, Obi-Wan follows her. When confronted, she confesses that she is indeed sabotaging Lena’s efforts – because she fears Lena will not survive if she testifies. However, she was not the one who ransacked Lena’s home, that was two Cobral thugs. Obi-Wan drags Mica back to Qui-Gon to confess. The elder Jedi senses Mica’s telling the truth, but he also senses deceit in the air, that all is not as it seems here. Mica confesses to Lena as well, and the widow takes the package and disappears.

The Jedi and Mica run after her, and follow her to Tubal Park. Qui-Gon and Mica search in one direction through the park while a conflicted Obi-Wan searches in another. The search turns up nothing. They return to the warehouse, to find Lena crying over the package from Rutin. He knew he was going to die, and thus sent the package beforehand. Why didn’t he tell her? In addition, what message is he trying to send now through this? Her grief reawakens Qui-Gon’s own, and he tries to gently comfort her. She suddenly remembers – she checked by her apartment and found a message from Zanita, asking to meet. The meeting occurs that night at a transport loading station. Nevertheless, Zanita is not alone… because her sons, Solan and Bard, are behind her and holding her arms back! Henchdroids suddenly appear and surround the trio. Then another surprise appearance – from Mica! She claims that she was the real witness all along, and Lena was covering for her. Lena protests that Mica is lying, it is the other way around. She tells Solan that she has changed her mind, that she wants to rejoin the family. Solan throws Zanita into the group and orders his droids to move in and kill them all. After a fierce battle, Lena holds a blaster on Solan. Bard, still holding his mother, fires at her – and Mica dives and takes the fatal blaster bolt instead.

With that horrible act, Solan and Bard escape with their captive mother. Lena clutches her dead cousin’s body, completely shattered. After Mica is wrapped in a tarp, Lena leads them back to the park – she now understands what Rutin was trying to tell her. They come to Lena and Rutin’s “special place” in the park, where she muses that she would have much rather died in his place. Qui-Gon admits he has wished the same for himself and Tahl – “But now I know that it is often harder to be the one left behind. I would not have wanted her to feel such loneliness, to go through the pain I have gone through.” Those words comfort her… and, to Qui-Gon’s surprise, comfort him too. He also realises Tahl would have wanted him to carry on, to not let his grief consume him as it has. Lena searches the area and peels back some fake turf… to find a small tunnel leading down. She uses the boots and flashlight to search inside, and discovers another package…

Returning to the warehouse with the Jedi, Lena opens the package and finds a datapad inside. On it is all the evidence needed to bury the Cobral family. Qui-Gon contacts Senator Crote with the news, and informs her they will be leaving in the morning. Crote tells him where to find the ship he will need. Finally, some sleep… until a thug sneaks in and attacks Lena. Qui-Gon knocks him down and searches him… and what he finds makes him decide they have to leave Frego now. They rush straight to a small ship and hires a pilot to take them to Coruscant. Once they are finally in the air, Qui-Gon reveals what was on the thug – signed orders from Crote to kill Lena. It seems there is no end to the Cobral’s reach or influence. Halfway there they are contacted by Yoda, who tells them the ship Crote wanted them to take was attacked and destroyed.

Mace meets the group upon their landing at Coruscant and leads them into the Jedi Temple. He tells them that Chancellor Valorum has called for a special session to let Lena testify. At the session, Lena spills out and presents the datapad evidence. When Crote’s role in this is revealed, his political career comes to a screeching halt and he is arrested. The Senate issues arrest warrants for the Cobral family. At the Fregan consulate, a party is held in Lena’s honor. Mace and Qui-Gon head back to the Temple, but Obi-Wan hangs around… and he stumbles upon Zanita holding Lena at gunpoint. She’s been the real head of the crime family all along! He attacks and disarms her, but not before Lena is felled. Before he can even check on her, Zanita pulls out a vibroblade… and buries it in her own chest.

Lena, it turns out, was only knocked out and quickly recovers. At their quarters, Qui-Gon thanks Obi-Wan for being so patient with him in his time of grief. “Thanks to you I have found myself again – I have found a way to go on. Your words… you are a comfort to me.”

“Jedi Apprentice: The Threat Within.”

Two months have passed since the incident with the Cobral family, and Obi-Wan is interrupted in his training exercises by the summons of the Jedi Council. This time, they are sending him and Qui-Gon to the planet Vorzyd-4, a planet whose people are obsessed with productivity and hard work to the exclusion of all else. A string of sabotages are interrupting all that work, and the Vorzydiaks suspect their sister world, Vorzyd-5, responsible. Upon their arrival at Vorzyd-4, the two Jedi are taken to Chairman Port at the Multycorp complex. They are perplexed at what they see – so focused are the Vorzydiaks on their work that they never take time off, never recreate, and won’t even consider the possibility that someone other than the people of Vorzyd-5 could be responsible for their troubles. They are so focused, in fact, that they become physically ill when their work is interrupted, and the elderly die soon after retirement!

The Jedi learn that night at Chairman Port’s home that the offwork situation is little better – the family usually eats a tasteless meal, and then goes straight to bed. Port’s wife Bryn is polite to them, but his son Grath isn’t home for some reason. Port assigns them quarters in the little-used retirement home. Obi-Wan senses something more is not right on this world other than the obvious, and sneaks out that night to do some exploring. He finds one young girl speaking secretly with her elderly grandmother. He then spots Grath, and tails him and the girl to a secret meeting of several of the planet’s young people. The children, who call themselves “Freelies,” reveal in their conversation that they are the pranksters causing the trouble, and Grath is their leader! Obi-Wan sneaks back to the retirement complex and reveals all to Qui-Gon. The elder Jedi (who has been mulling lately how his apprentice is growing up and nearing Knighthood) decides to reveal all to Port. Obi-Wan protests strongly – this society is clearly unhealthy, and the kids’ pranks are a cry for help. They need to prepare both sides, adult and child, for an eventual meeting and mediation. Qui-Gon reluctantly agrees, and gives his student three days to gather information and convince the Freelies to face the adults before he goes to Port.

Surprised and delighted that his master’s giving him so much responsibility, Obi-Wan disguises himself as a hooded Vorzydiak and infiltrates the Freelie meetings. He’s sickened to view them placing explosives on passenger shuttles, even when Grath makes it clear the shuttles will blow up in their storage bays, empty, that night. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon returns to Multycorp and finds the entire computer system has gone down! The moans of the workers fill the halls as Qui-Gon frantically tries to restore the music-playing computer before the chain reaction of short circuits spread through the city and a children’s hospital loses power. He manages – just barely – to avert the disaster. But he’s too late to stop Chairman Port from calling the leader of Vorzyd-5, Felana and chewing her out for the attacks. A furious Felana threatens war if this slander keeps up. Qui-Gon is increasingly concerned, especially after a visit with a retired elderly Vorzydian, but he allows Obi-Wan to continue his plan.

The next morning, the shuttles do indeed blow up – in the air. Full of people. As the city reels from this catastrophe, Qui-Gon orders Obi-Wan to reveal himself to the Freelies and convince them to turn themselves in to the adults – before he does it for them. Obi-Wan goes to an emergency Freelie meeting, where a shaken Grath reveals the disaster to the others. To his horror, two Freelies – a boy named Flip and a girl named Tray – openly admit that they rewired the shuttles to blow when loaded!! And even worse, they feel the Freelies aren’t going far enough to wake their parents up – it’s time for lethal force! The group quickly becomes divided between Flip and Grath, and the meeting ends in chaos. As Obi-Wan leaves, he notices the adult Vorzydiaks are actually starting to enjoy their enforced leisure. Elsewhere, Qui-Gon fights a losing battle to stop Port from persecuting Vorzyd 5 any further. Even worse, Felana comes to Vorzyd 4 in person to repeat her threat.

That night, at another Freelie meeting, the group is discovered by the adults. Flip leads them to a new hiding place, and then declares Obi-Wan as a Jedi – and Grath as a traitor!! Tray backs him up, saying she saw Obi-Wan with the retired woman – her grandmother. Obi-Wan is expelled from the meeting, his pleas for peace falling on deaf ears. Revealing all to Qui-Gon, a shamed Obi-Wan is led outside for a lightsaber sparring session. The two Jedi battle long and hard, and ends in a draw between master and apprentice. A change has occurred in their relationship – Obi-Wan is a step closer to being a Jedi Knight, and Qui-Gon is a step closer to letting him go. Speaking now as equals, they decide to convince Grath to arrange a meeting between the Freelies and the adults. Meeting with Grath and his friend Nania at Port’s house, Obi-Wan learns that Grath knew he was a Jedi all along, but had kept quiet in hopes of the apprentice resolving the looming crisis. Nania reveals Flip was the one who tipped off the adults – an excuse to seize control of the group. Now Flip is planning an even more explosive and violent “prank,” and they don’t know how to stop him. Grath agrees to the idea of a meeting – but getting the other Freelies to go will be another matter.

As Qui-Gon goes to Multycorp to prepare the workers for the meeting, Obi-Wan and Grath face the Freelies once more. Flip isn’t there, and Tray seems preoccupied. When Qui-Gon contacts Obi-Wan and tells him that several retirees (including Tray’s grandmother) will be at the meeting, she suddenly panics and reveals Tray’s next target – the Multycorp building!! And communications are jammed, so there’s no way to warn them. Obi-Wan and the Freelies race there as fast as they can, with the Jedi apprentice screaming to his master through the Force to evacuate the building. Tray sobs that she talked Flip into the violent pranks. Just as they come within sight of Multycorp – the building explodes. Qui-Gon, Chairman Port, and the laborers are all shaken up and injured – but alive, thanks to Obi-Wan’s warning. But one person didn’t escape the explosion… Flip. They find his broken body buried under debris. Unable to speak, the dying boy silently pleads for Grath’s forgiveness. He gets it. A giant shouting match erupts between the two mourning groups, but the two Jedi intervene and convince them that it’s time to work together, to heal each other’s wounds, to find more in life than work. Within days, Vorzyd 4 is well on its way to a more stable society. And Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are on their way back to Coruscant, their own work as yet unfinished…

“Jedi Apprentice Special Edition: Deceptions.”

Obi-Wan and Bant enjoy a nice dip in the Jedi Temple pool, where Bant bemoans the fact that Master Tahl has refused to take her as a Padawan Learner. Suddenly Qui-Gon shows up with orders for Obi-Wan to see the Council at once. There, Obi-Wan is given horrifying news – Vox Chun, father of the late Bruck Chun, has been pardoned of his crimes on Telos. Even worse, he is coming to the Temple to demand an explanation for Bruck’s death, and he wants to hear it from Obi-Wan’s own lips. The young man is greatly shaken by this – he still has not gotten over having to kill Bruck. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon asks Yoda about Tahl’s refusal, and is told she is participating in the Jedi starfighter project on Centax 2. Specifically, investigating some strange malfunctions (one of which nearly killed a Senator) that have the Senate grumbling about the Jedi.

Two days later, Vox arrives with his younger son, Kad, in tow. Also with him is a “family friend,” Sano Sauro. Vox drags Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to the pool (the site of Bruck’s death), then demands the story out of Obi-Wan. The apprentice recounts the battle as best he can, but falters when he is cross-examined by Sauro. Vox and his party storm out of the Temple, leaving Qui-Gon disturbed at the lingering and growing feeling of guilt Obi-Wan has over Bruck’s death. To try to take his mind off it, Qui-Gon takes his student with him to Centax 2 to help Tahl with her investigation. They meet fellow Jedi student Garen Muln on the airfield, followed by Rhara herself. While Clee and Garen show Obi-Wan around, Qui-Gon faces a vulnerable and bitter Tahl, who refuses to discuss Bant or taking an apprentice. They then discuss the investigation, which indicates someone in the Senate is trying to sabotage the starfighter program. Suddenly, Yoda calls Qui-Gon with awful news – Vox has pulled strings with the Senate to have Obi-Wan face an inquiry into Bruck’s murder!!

The very next day, Obi-Wan stands before the Senate panel. Qui-Gon testifies first, then Bant. Both times, the belligerent Sauro twists their words to make Obi-Wan look bad. Disturbed and disgruntled, Qui-Gon returns to Centax 2 and conducts with Tahl the questioning of two mechanics. The questioning comes to nothing, but Tahl’s heightened sense of smell reveals that mechanic Tarrence Chenati was working on the part that malfunctioned on one starfighter. They search through records on Chenati…. only to learn he died twenty years ago?

With Qui-Gon concentrating on Tahl’s investigation, no one is left at the Temple to comfort an increasingly anxious and panic-stricken Obi-Wan. Wandering to the pool, he finds Bant at the bottom, and rushes her back to the surface. It seems she wanted to test her limits, to prove Sauro’s harsh words wrong. Obi-Wan thanks her for trying to help, but realises he must face this test himself. Qui-Gon and Tahl move to arrest “Chenati,” but he is ready for them and opens fire, then tries to run Tahl over in a starfighter. Qui-Gon moves to rescue her, giving Chenati the chance to take off. Tahl is furious – she does not want protection, how many times does she have to say it? Now thanks to Qui-Gon’s over protectiveness, the saboteur has gotten away!! 2J shows up, worrying about Tahl as usual – and something the droid says sets off a bell in Qui-Gon’s mind…

Back at the inquiry, things cannot possibly get any worse. Sauro is tearing Obi-Wan apart on the witness stand, casting serious doubt on the boy’s motives. Suddenly Qui-Gon shows up, takes Bruck’s lightsaber, and reveals a hidden surprise inside – a listening device! With it, he is able to play Bruck’s final words back before Vox, Kad, and the Senate panel. The panel immediately rules Obi-Wan innocent of any wrongdoing and dismisses the case. Vox blasts the Senate panel for their decision, declaring the Senate in the Jedi’s pocket. Everyone leaves but Obi-Wan, who only wants to be alone, – he still feels the guilt. Suddenly a fist slams into his face – Kad Chun wants revenge for his brother at any cost. Kad picks up a heavy staff and moves to bash in Obi-Wan’s skull, but the apprentice makes no move to defend himself. At the last split-second, Kad moves the blow aside. However, he vows he will never forgive him – “In my eyes, you will always be a killer.” He stalks off, leaving a shattered Obi-Wan thinking that he is, indeed, a killer…

“Jedi Apprentice Special Edition #2 – The Followers.”

On the ancient Sith world of Korriban, Jedi Master Kit Fisto and his apprentice Bant Eerin discover disturbing signs that someone is searching for a Sith Holocron. Several small Sith Sects have already been hard at work gathering up all the ancient Sith lore and weapons they can – a Holocron would possibly reignite the ancient order, with catastrophic effects. On Coruscant, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi are contacted via holo by Kit and Bant and told all this. Checking with Jocasta Nu, they find increased activity of one of these sects right there on Coruscant, centering around a Quermian professor named Murk Lundi. (Several of his texts were found at the site on Korriban, along with a drawing of the pyramid-like Holocron and a message: “Location known. Follow the leader.”)

The two attend one of Lundi’s packed lectures about ancient Sith lore. After the spellbinding speech, he announces he’s going to take a small sabbatical. Alarmed, they follow him to a midsize charter ship heading offworld. One of his most dedicated students, Norval, tries and fails to join him on his voyage to the planet Lisal – a planet Jocasta indicates may indeed have a Sith Holocron. The Jedi disguise themselves as mechanics and retire for the night. That night, Obi-Wan has an ominous vision that they are being followed – someone’s on to them. The next morning, he sneaks to the bridge and finds a furious Lundi arguing with the ship’s captain – he wants to go to Nolar, not Lisal! He finally bribes the captain to simply drop him off there.

On Nolar, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan trail Lundi through town, only to find themselves pursued. They split up to throw them off the track, but the gang of Sith-worshipping thugs corners Obi-Wan. He fights them off, but not before taking a blaster bolt to the shoulder. Reuniting with Qui-Gon, they eventually find Lundi trying to buy some specialized mining equipment – underwater mining equipment. When none proves available, Lundi resolves to be patient – “It is simply a matter of timing. Yes. I just have to time it right.”

Dealing as best they can with the feelings of darkness and evil surrounding their every step, the Jedi are further disturbed by a message from Yoda – another storehouse of Sith lore and artefacts, along with plenty of Lundi’s writings, was found on Umgul. Right on the heels of this is an ambush by another group of thugs. They outrun them, only to find Lundi has stolen a ship (one he had hired earlier, but decided to save his money) and gone offplanet. The knocked-out pilot, when he recovers, reveals Lundi was going to Kodai. Asking around, the Jedi find no pilot willing to go there… save for a woman named Elda. And even she insists it will be a one-way trip.

Checking again with Jocasta via comlink, they learn that Kodai is a planet whose single island city, Rena, is surrounded by sea… sea that, every ten years or so, experiences very low tides thanks to a lunar conjunction. The next such conjunction is only two days away… when Lundi apparently intends to seize the Holocron from the currently-underwater ruins of Kodai’s ancient civilization. As they head into space on Elda’s ship, they find a bomb onboard and disable it. Obi-Wan is now shaking with dread – he wishes he were on another mission, he isn’t sure he can hold together when they find the Holocron. Qui-Gon advises him that it’s all right to be afraid – “Allow yourself to feel the fear – really feel it – and then let the emotion go. If it comes back, feel it again and let it go again. There should be no shame in one’s emotions. We cannot control how we feel – only how we choose to handle our feelings.”

Landing at Rena, the Jedi book themselves at the same hotel as Lundi. They find Lundi has locked himself away in his quarters, and the terrified natives unwilling to speak to them. All, that is, save for a young boy who tells them to talk to a human named Reis in a cantina. Reis tells them that someone has offered a monstrous reward for the Holocron. Obi-Wan thinks he spots Omal, another of Lundi’s students, in the cantina… but the boy flees before Obi-Wan can see him clearly. The Jedi take turns watching the hotel room, as the conjunction takes place and the tide begins to lower. Then Qui-Gon is called away by Jocasta – giving Lundi the chance to bolt out of the hotel. They race out onto the beach, where the natives are frantically collecting items from the sands – except for one area with a crevasse. They rapel down the crevasse on their cable launchers, but someone on the surface breaks Obi-Wan’s cable and sends him plummeting…

Anchoring himself to the rock wall with the Force, Obi-Wan makes his way safely down. Joined by Qui-Gon at the bottom, Obi-Wan searches the chasm as storm clouds gather and the pit begins to fill with ocean water again. They finally spot Lundi… curled up on the rock floor, missing one of his eyes, and babbling hysterically. With no time to investigate further, they take the now-insane professor and rush back to the surface with Elda’s help (she owed them for saving her ship) as the tide comes back in. Lundi raves that the Jedi have started a war – “You can’t handle it! You don’t know what to do with it! You don’t deserve it!!” Or is he talking to someone else altogether – the one who apparently snatched the Sith Holocron from his hand? Either way, the Holocron is now out of the Jedi’s reach…

“Jedi Apprentice Special Edition: Deceptions (continued).”

Obi-Wan Kenobi is finding training Anakin Skywalker much harder than he imagined possible. The formerly kind and outgoing boy has become a surly, repressed twelve-year-old. One who keeps himself apart from the other Jedi students, puts together droids with mismatching parts and sending them all over the Temple, and is chomping at the bit to start participating in Jedi missions. That is finally what he is getting, for Yoda has an assignment for Obi-Wan and Anakin. A spaceship made up of expatriates from ruined and fighting worlds have banded together on a travelling city called the BioCruiser. These people have turned their entire fortunes over to the ship’s treasury. The families of these people, fearing they have been brainwashed into a cult, has prevailed upon the Senate to investigate. Obi-Wan and Anakin travel in Garen Muln’s ship to Hilo, where they are picked up by the BioCruiser. They are shown to their quarters, and told they will meet with the group’s leader, Uni, “shortly.”

Two days later…

Obi-Wan finally loses patience and demands to meet Uni now. He is then given the shock of his life – for “Uni” turns out to be none other than Kad Chun, who fled Telos after it went into a steep and irreversible decline. He noticed Telos was not unique – worlds the galaxy over are being corrupted and ruined. Therefore, Kad has gathered the best and brightest of those worlds to await a time when the corruption burns itself out. He arranges a tour of the ship for the two Jedi. Anakin is confused – it is obvious Obi-Wan and this man have a history, but of what sort?? The elder Jedi will not talk about it.

Another familiar face from Telos, Andra, guides the tour for the two. Between her and Obi-Wan, Anakin gets the story of Xanatos. He is stunned – an apprentice turn to the dark side and betray the Jedi?!? How is that possible?!? That evening at dinner, the two are introduced to Andra’s husband – Den, another one from Telos. He only joined this group to stay close to Andra, he reveals. He cannot put his finger on it, but he senses something is wrong with this organisation – Vox Chun is with Kad, and he definitely cannot be trusted. Just as suspicious is Kern, a mechanic acquainted with Vox. The next morning, Den surprises the Jedi with the hacked datafiles of the ship. It reveals Kern has a very high security ranking. An unusually high one. The Jedi check out Kern’s tech center, then talk to various people on the ship. Suddenly armed guards herd them back to an angry Kad, who accuses them of hacking the ship’s computers. He orders them to get in their transport and get out now. Reluctantly, Obi-Wan calls Garen and asks him to bring his ship back. Waiting in their quarters for the ship, Obi-Wan and Anakin review. Kad is afraid of something, which backs up Den’s suspicions. But he does not seem afraid of the Senate. Anakin suddenly asks Obi-Wan point blank, “Why do not you trust me?” Understanding the meaning behind the question, Obi-Wan opens up and tells him all about Bruck, brother of Kad and the dark side apprentice he would had to kill. Den shows up and slips them a comlink, which Obi-Wan uses to run a records check at the Jedi Temple. It turns out “Kern” died eight years ago. That rings a bell for Obi-Wan – a “no-name” Senate agent. Together, the trio breaks into Vox’s quarters, where they find a ton of hidden crystalline vertex – a fortune’s worth. In addition, a holoprojector with the ship’s itinerary, and an empty file marked “Broken Circle.”

They are forced to hide as Vox rushes in and scoops up the vertex. At the same time, Garen’s ship arrives. The trio rushes to the hangar and fills Garen in. Obi-Wan suddenly has an epiphany – “Broken Circle” = Offworld!! This whole BioCruiser bit has just been a cover for Vox’s criminal activities. Garen spots Kern, and recognises him – Tarrence Chenati, the saboteur Qui-Gon captured all those years ago. Now it all comes together – Vox and Kern are about to stage the destruction of the ship to make off with all their ill-gotten gains. Realising he is facing an almost impossible task, Obi-Wan confronts Kad and Vox with his findings. Right on cue, the “rescue” ships arrive – and Kad finally realises his father’s true nature. The “rescue” ships – really Offworld ships – open fire. Chenati sabotages the giant ship. He then rushes into an escape pod with the wealth, then shoots Vox down in front of his son and escapes. With his dying breath, Vox begs his son to forgive him. Kad does. Anakin rushes into an attack ship while Garen evacuates the passengers and crew on his vessel and Obi-Wan fights off an attack droid team – it seems Chenati double-crossed Offworld as well. Outside the ship, Anakin blasts the Offworld vessels into powder. The gravely damaged BioCruiser limps to Tentrix, and Obi-Wan keeps the droids off Kad long enough for him to make docking manoeuvres.

Chenati has made a clean getaway, and Kad votes to help his people colonise a new world. He has finally forgiven Obi-Wan for the past, and that knowledge lifts that ancient guilt from the Jedi Knight’s mind. Anakin still cannot get over Kad forgiving Vox, however. His father had been an evil monster – how could his son have forgiven him…?

Вроде все. Жаль что на Английском. Я постепенно могу переводить. Если кто поможет, буду рад.

Jedi Leo я буду очень рад...

Рад помочь? Или рад переводу?

Ребят, а я видел где-то в Сетях полный перевод книги... вам оно надоть?