"We have our instincts," Mace said. He turned to Qui-Gon. "Is there a place we can speak alone, Qui-Gon?"

Reluctantly, Qui-Gon nodded. He turned and led the way down the hall.

As soon as they were alone, Obi-Wan turned to Bant. "I'm so sorry about Tahl," he said in a rush. "I know how you must feel — "

"I don't think so." Bent's tone was flat. She looked at him steadily with her large silver eyes. Mon Calamari had extraordinarily clear eyes, and Obi-Wan had always been able to read Bant's emotions. Now he was confused by the anger he saw there.

"Your sympathy comes too late," Bant continued. "How could you keep the fact that Tahl had been kidnapped from me, Obi-Wan? You know that you and Qui-Gon should have contacted the Temple immediately."

"I know," Obi-Wan said. "But so much happened so fast. Qui-Gon thought that more Jedi might endanger Tahl's life. We decided that if we couldn't rescue her in twenty-four hours, we would contact the Temple."

Actually, it had been Qui-Gon's decision to wait. But Obi-Wan would take responsibility for it, too. He could have argued with Qui-Gon. He had not.

"That wasn't your decision to make," Bant interrupted. Her normally gentle voice was crisp with anger. "How would you feel if another Jedi team had done that to you, Obi-Wan? What if Qui-Gon had been kidnapped?"

Obi-Wan felt shame wash over him. Qui-Gon had been kidnapped once, by the scientist Jenna Zan Arbor. If he hadn't been involved in Qui-Gon's rescue, he would have gone crazy.

"We didn't think it through," he admitted.

"I'll say," Bant said bitterly. She had never taken such a harsh tone with him. "Did you think of me at all, Obi-Wan?"

"Of course," Obi-Wan said. "I thought I would save you a day of worry. If we couldn't rescue Tahl, we would have called in a Jedi team."