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reached Bandomeer,‖ Jemba said, ―and this woman tries to discredit me before the mining guild. Now she tries to frame me! Listen
    to how she talks to me. There is no respect in her voice!‖
    ―I may not respect you, Jemba,‖ Clat‘Ha spat back, ―But I certainly didn‘t frame you. Your lies are as pathetic as your denials.‖
    Jemba gave a roar of anger and launched himself at Clat‘Ha. He hit the door frame, which began to crack and splinter under the pressure. Si Treemba, terrified, hissed and pressed himself against the wall. Obi-Wan watched in fascination. The Hutt could bring down the entire sickbay!
    Clat‘Ha drew her blaster, but Qui-Gon stepped in front of her and raised his hand. He locked eyes with the Hutt. Obi-Wan felt the power of the Force fill the room.
    ―Enough,‖ Qui-Gon said quietly.
    Jemba stopped pushing to get inside the room. The Hutt knew he
    could not get to Clat‘Ha. Qui-Gon glanced at Clat‘Ha. Slowly, she lowered
    the blaster and returned it to the holding device on her leg. Obi-Wan had to admire Qui-Gon‘s skill. He felt a pang of regret. There was so much he wished he could learn from the Jedi.
    ―Now,‖ Qui-Gon said in a reasonable tone, ―let us review the situation. The machines were sabotaged. Yet both of you insist you did not do it. There is nowhere to take this except open warfare.‖ Qui-Gon
    looked at each of them in turn. ―And that is something that neither of
    you wish for, I‘m sure.‖
    ―Jedi,‖ Jemba said, ―you think yourself to be a fair man. But when Hutts and Humans argue, even the fairest of men join sides against my kind.‖ The Hutt‘s voice boomed in a tone of pure venom. ―If it is war that she wants, then war will come. And if you take her side, I swear, I
    will squash you like a pta fruit! Your Jedi status does not protect you!‖
    Menace hung thick in the air. It was clear that the Hutt meant everything he said. He was willing to kill anyone who stood against him. Obi-Wan had never encountered a creature of such malice.
    It would be so easy to solve the situation, Obi-Wan thought. The Hutt was vulnerable, trapped in the small hallway outside the sickbay. Qui-Gon could draw his lightsaber, lunge forward, and slice the Hutt in half.
    But Qui-Gon merely nodded his head graciously. ―Thank you for the warning,‖ he said simply.
    Of course, Obi-Wan realized. The warning is a gift.
    Jemba nodded as if satisfied, then slithered down the hall. Clat‘Ha
    let out a long breath.
    ―Well, that went well,‖ she muttered. She hurried to the door. ―I have to warn my people. If this isn‘t war, it‘s something close to it.‖ Clat‘Ha raced out.
    Qui-Gon shook his head sadly. ―There is a strong hatred between
    those two.
    Neither of them will listen.‖
    ―I don‘t understand,‖ Obi-Wan said. ―Why did you let the Hutt go? He may be innocent of the crime of which he has been accused. But I‘m sure he‘s guilty of others.‖
    ―Yes, he‘s guilty,‖ Qui-Gon agreed. ―But Clat‘Ha can defend herself. As Jedi, we are bound only to defend those who have no other means of defense.‖
    ―Still, one of Jemba‘s crew has to have sabotaged those tunnelers.
    Why doesn‘t he try to find out who did it?‖ Obi-Wan asked.
    Qui-Gon answered, ―Because if one of Jemba‘s men did do it, it will make him look bad before the miners‘ guild. He might be ordered off Bandomeer permanently. He knows that, so he won‘t point any fingers at
    his own.‖
    ―Ah,‖ Si Treemba said. ―And Clat‘Ha must feel the same. If anyone learned that one of her workers tried to frame Jemba, the miners‘ guild would be furious.‖
    ―But it shouldn‘t be to hard to find out who really sabotaged the
    tunnelers,‖ Obi-Wan pointed out excitedly.
    Qui-Gon cocked an eyebrow. ―This is not your affair,‖ he warned.
    ―If you went looking for those thermocoms, all you would find is trouble.
    You must stay out of it. And stay away from the Offworld side of the
    ship.