The rest of the day was spent with Qui-Gon leading and Obi-Wan following, detouring through the residential areas and eventually heading into the countryside. Obi-Wan stayed quiet throughout the whole course of the meandering, but by the time mid-afternoon came and went, he could stay silent no more. "Master," he asked quietly, loathe to break the comfortable silence, "do we have any idea where we're going?"

"Following the Force to someone we can trust," answered Qui-Gon absently. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to make another comment but stopped when Qui-Gon froze in his tracks. "Behind that bush. Now!" Qui-Gon pushed him out of the way and the two ducked into the brush around the road they had been walking down.

"Hiding with the Force emanating from you is kind of silly, you know," stated an amused voice. Qui-Gon's head popped out of the brush, astonishment evident on his face. "I'm still in tune to track you down and find where you are, so there's no point in hiding."

Qui-Gon found himself face to face with a small woman in her early twenties with a wry smile on her weather-worn features. She wasn't unattractive but she wasn't what one would consider a consummate beauty either. Her black hair was pulled back in a ponytail and the braid dangling from the right side of her head designated that she had once been a student of the Jedi. Qui-Gon eyed her speculatively, wondering if this was coincidence or the way the Force had intended to deal with the situation.

She merely continued her smile, widening it when Obi-Wan finally emerged from the brush. "Welcome to our humble environment. Glad you could make it, I've been expecting you."

"Who told you we were coming?" asked Obi-Wan curiously, moving aside for Qui-Gon to move ahead of him a little ways.

The woman looked surprised, as if the answer were obvious. "The Force, of course." She sniffed disdainfully, as if she couldn't believe the answer had to be given. "Shall we go? I have transport a little ways away and we have much discuss. Guards will be here shortly. They've been scouring the city looking for you."

Qui-Gon still said nothing, just kept looking at her, a faint faraway look in his eyes. They followed the strange woman a short distance where she had a small transport pod waiting, it's engine still humming quietly.

"You are dying to ask me, Jedi, so why not ask?" The woman allowed them to climb into the transport first.

"You were a Padawan?" asked Qui-Gon.

The woman shook her head negatively. "No, I was never taken as an apprentice. When I turned thirteen, I left the Temple for a mission to Onlon and here I stayed. The Force told me I was needed here and it was right, as usual."

"Does the Council know you stayed?" asked Obi-Wan, staring at the scenery dragging by them at a high rate of speed.

"Master Yoda himself gave me permission and his blessings to remain." The woman looked at Qui-Gon. "I probably look familiar to you because Yoda once wanted you to take me your Padawan, but you took another instead."

Qui-Gon stiffened at the mention of his previous fallen apprentice, Xanatos. Greed and ambition had been the apprentice's downfall and now he twisted his ability to use the Force for his own personal gain. The pain of the betrayal used to be deep within Qui-Gon's soul, but with his new Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the healing had begun. Now he felt only sadness and determination to stop Xanatos should the need to arise.

"Still you do not talk?" The woman's constant amusement grated on Qui-Gon's nerves. "Perhaps you recall my name?"

"Misa Econo from the planet Injia. I remember you. I was sorry that your potential as a Jedi knight was not realized." Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow as the woman began to laugh.

"Don't feel sorry, Master Qui-Gon, it all worked out for the best, but things are starting to turn for the worst. There is much you must know that must be told to the Council. Things are not what they seem." His own words to Obi-Wan were echoed in her words and Qui-Gon wondered if the pieces of the puzzle were finally going to fall into place.