Star Wars Jedi Apprentice #2: The Dark Rival

Chapter 5

"I didn't start it." Xanatos would say whenever a fight broke out between him and another apprentice. His blue eyes would blaze with sincerity and sorrow.

Like a father, Qui-Gon would always try to believe him.

VeerTa's hand curled into fists. She let out a choked roar and threw herself at Xanatos.

Without seeming to move, Qui-Gon was suddenly between the two of them, holding VeerTa off. It would do no good to attack Xanatos. Qui-Gon knew firsthand hoe fierce and volatile a fighter he was.

VeerTa struggled against Qui-Gon's iron grip. "You did this!" she spat at Xanatos. "You'll pay for it!"

Clat'Ha moved to stand beside VeerTa. Outwardly she was calmer, but her eyes betrayed the same rage. "Of course they did it," she said contemptuously. "It's just their style. Cowards!"

Xanatos looked pale. "I assure you, Offworld had nothing to do with this. I'm confident that the facts will prove this –"

"Enough of your lies!" VeerTa shouted. She tried to spring at him again.

"Let us be calm," SonTag said urgently. "VeerTa, we must go to the mine. They'll need help."

"Yes, the miners –" VeerTa said. She rushed out.

Qui-Gon had seen the effects of explosions before. They were always terrible. Lives were lost, bodies maimed, spirits broken. Blood mixed with ashes and tears. He did not know why this tragedy seemed worse to him. Perhaps because the miners had carved the mine out of rock and earth. They had worked with no money and little hope to build a future they had struggled to even imagine.

They stacked bodies in the yard. Qui-Gon worked tirelessly to carry victims from the wreckage. Forty miners were trapped below ground. Rescuing them was a painstaking and dangerous process.

The explosion had been touched off in one of the tunnels. The main administration building was completely destroyed, as well as the dwellings surrounding the mine. It was dark before Qui-Gon and the others had finished evacuating the wounded to med centers.

At last, there was nothing more for them to do. Clat'Ha called him to one of the untouched buildings for food and rest. He joined VeerTa and Clat'Ha at the table, but they were too exhausted and sorrowful to touch the food.

"Our dream has died," VeerTa said. Her face was filthy with dirt and mud.

"No," Clat'Ha responded softly. "That's what they want. We can rebuild."

The door opened, and SonTag entered. She, too, had helped at the mine today. Her red and gold tunic was filthy and caked with blood.

"We have news of the cause," she announced quietly. "It wasn't Offworld. There was a mixture of gases in a sub-level tunnel."

VeerTa half-rose. "Impossible!" she cried. "We have sensors –"

"The sensor was inoperative," SonTag said. "Strictly a mechanical failure. The engineers are certain of it."

Clat'Ha and VeerTa stared at SonTag in disbelief. "So it's our fault?" VeerTa asked numbly.

"I'm afraid it appears that way," SonTag replied. "Could someone have sabotaged the sensor?"

VeerTa shook her head. "We have the mine under twenty-four hour guard."

SonTag spread her hands. "Mechanical failure is one of the hazards of mining."

Qui-Gon wasn't so sure. Something wasn't right here.

Just then, a knock came at the door. A miner handed a message to SonTag. She read it. Then crumpled it in her hand.

"Bad news?" Clat'Ha asked.

"No, just surprising," SonTag said slowly. "Xanatos has offered the resources of Offworld to help rebuild the mine. Money, droids, anything we want. Plus, he'll house any displaced workers in Offworld housing."

"So he was sincere," VeerTa said, surprised.

Qui-Gon felt disturbed at this news. If this was a trap, it was a costly, elaborate one. Were the stakes so high for Xanatos? Surely he wouldn't go to all this trouble just to get revenge on Qui-Gon.

The site of the meeting had been moved at the last minute. The main building had been completely destroyed. If SonTag hadn't changed her mind, they would all be dead.

Xanatos was playing a game. Qui-Gon only wished he knew what the goal of the game was.

He was sure of just one thing: when it came to Xanatos, games had no rules