Mota emerged from a door concealed in the wall of the building.

"How do you like the transports?" he asked. "They're fine. We have a deal," Qui-Gon said, counting out the additional credits.

Mota placed the credits inside a pocket of his unisuit. Suddenly, the sensors on the wall began to glow. Mote watched as they beeped out a private code.

"Patrols in the vicinity," Mote said. "I suggest you leave." Without another word, he swiftly made his way back to the hidden door and disappeared.

"Don't worry, Mota, we'll be fine," Lenz muttered. "Irini, we'd better get out of here." He nodded at the Jedi. "You should take off. If the security patrol sees you with black market transports, you'll be detained, possibly even arrested."

"Thank you for your help," Obi-Wan said hastily as he mounted his swoop.

"Will you be all right?" Qui-Gon asked.

"We know this area well," Lenz assured them. "There is an exit through that fence that will bring us safely home. If I were you I'd go out the back way and stick to the alleys."

From a distance, they heard the sound of speeder engines.

"We'll be in touch," Qui-Gon told them.

The two transports lifted into the air. Qui-Gon led the way out. The narrow alley snaked out from the backyard of Mota's building, twisting and turning past the back sides of the crumbling buildings. They could hear security landspeeder engines nearby, but could not see them.

Finally, they emerged on a deserted street. Qui-Gon headed east toward the outskirts of the city. He pushed his engine to maximum and Obi- Wan followed.

With the security patrol well behind them, they reached the edge of the city and took off over open country. Obi-Wan felt his spirits rise as the wind blew in his face. He couldn't help but feel that Tahl was within their reach.