Star Wars Jedi Apprentice #2: The Dark Rival

Chapter 12

"We have one last mission," was all Yoda would allow Qui-Gon to say to Xanatos. "And then you will become a Jedi Knight . . ."

Si Treemba knew nothing. Clat'Ha told Qui-Gon that one minute Si Treemba had been asleep and the next, he woke up to find Offworld guards hustling Obi-Wan away. Obi-wan had been unconscious. Qui-Gon's heart twisted at this news.

Si Treemba had not seen anyone resembling Xanatos. Still, Qui-Gon knew he had to be involved. He had been away from Bandor. Surely that was no coincidence. He'd heard from SonTag that Xanatos had since returned.

Yoda had told him not to confront Xanatos directly. But that was before he knew that Obi-Wan had been kidnapped. The rules of the game had changed.

Of course, he should contact Yoda with an update and await instructions from the Council. But he wouldn't. He was tired of being played with. This wasn't just a game. Xanatos was taunting him, daring him to risk open confrontation, and now he had involved the boy.

As an apprentice, Xanatos' chief failing had been overconfidence. Qui-Gon hoped it still was.

Qui-Gon knew that Xanatos was overseeing the operation of Offworld's largest azurite mine on the outskirts of Bandor. He waited until dusk.

He watched Xanatos leave the small cramped administration building that served the mine and the adjoining smelting plant. The shifts had just changed, and the area was clear of miners. All the administrative workers had left. Just as Qui-Gon had hoped.

Slag piles rose around the yard. Offworld never bothered to keep the mining area clean of debris. The sky was dark gray fading to black. Yet the lights had not been turned on in the yard, probably to save money. Anyone arriving late for a shift would have to feel their way to the mine.

Qui-Gon waited until Xanatos had crossed the yard. Then he moved from the shadows of the slag pile into Xanatos' path.

Xanatos stopped. There was no surprise on his face. He wouldn't allow himself to show it, not even in a deserted yard at near dark when his oldest enemy appeared out of nowhere.

Qui-Gon expected no less. "If you have plans for Bandomeer, you should know I am here to stop you," he said.

Xanatos flung one side of his cloak behind him. His hand rested casually on the hilt of a lightsaber. Xanatos had broken a solemn rule by leaving the Jedi and retaining it.

Xanatos patted the lightsaber. "Yes, I still have it. After all, I trained for all those years. Why should I give it up like a thief, when I deserve to carry it?"

"Because you deserve it no longer," Qui-Gon answered. "You shame it."

A flush spread over Xanatos' face. Qui-Gon's comment had hit its mark. Then he relaxed, smiling. "I see you are still a hard man, Qui-Gon. Once that bothered me. Now it amuses me."

Xanatos began to circle around him. "We were friends at the end, more than Master and apprentice."

"Yes," Qui-Gon said, tracking him, moving with him. "We were."

"All the more reason for you to betray me. To you, friendship is nothing. You enjoyed my suffering."

"The betrayal was yours. As was the enjoyment of suffering. That is what you discovered on Telos. Yoda had already seen it and that is why he knew you would fail."

"Yoda!" Xanatos spat the word. "That knee-high troll! He thinks he has power. He hasn't dreamed of a tenth of the power I know!"

"You know?" Qui-Gon asked mildly. "How do you know such power, Xanatos? A mid-level manager of a corporation, sent to do the board's bidding?"

"I do no one's bidding but my own."

"Is that why you're here? Is Bandomeer of your abilities?"

"I don't take test," Xanatos snapped. "I make the rules. Bandomeer is mine. All I have to do is reach out my hand and take it."

He circled closer, his cloak swirling and brushing against Qui-Gon. "It's a tiny planet. Galactically insignificant. Yet it pours forth wealth into my hands. If you would only lose the tiresome rules of the Jedi, it would do the same for you. But no, Qui-Gon is too good. He is not tempted. He is never tempted."

"Bandomeer is not yours to own." Qui-Gon pulled an arm's length away from Xanatos. "You were always overconfident. You have gone too far this time."

"No." Xanatos' dark blue eyes glittered. He drew his lightsaber. "Now I have gone too far."

In a flash, Qui-Gon's lightsaber hummed to life. When Xanatos leaped to deliver his first blow, Qui-Gon was already moving to deflect it. The sabers met and sizzled. Qui-Gon felt the power of Xanatos' stroke move up his arm.

Xanatos had not lost his fighting edge. He had only grown more powerful, moving with economy and grace. His lightsaber flashed, he thrust again, always with a surprising twist or direction.

Qui-Gon moved defensively. He knew he would not be able to tire Xanatos, one method of Jedi strategy.

Xanatos had more than physical skill. Qui-Gon could feel the power of his mind. Xanatos was till in touch with the Force. He had gathered the energy of darkness, not light.

Qui-Gon leaped aside to avoid another blow. Xanatos laughed. It was time to change the rules of engagement. Enough defense.

Qui-Gon sprang at Xanatos, his lightsaber humming and flashing. He delivered one blow after another, which Xanatos deflected. Smoke and sizzle filled the air. Xanatos laughed again.

Qui-Gon used a slashing sequence of moves to position Xanatos against the wall of the building. But Xanatos leaped onto the slag heap and flipped over in midair, landing on Qui-Gon's other side.

"You destroyed everything I loved," Xanatos accused, his lightsaber barely missing Qui-Gon's shoulder, so close it singed the fabric of his tunic. You destroyed me that day, Qui-Gon. Yet I was reborn. Stronger, wiser. I have surpassed you."

Their lightsabers tangled, buzzing furiously. Qui-Gon felt the charge in his arm, but didn't waver. Xanatos kicked out with a foot, but Qui-Gon was expecting it, and moved aside. Xanatos lost his balance. He almost fell, but recovered in time.

"Your footwork has always been your weakness," Qui-Gon said dryly as he dealt a blow to Xanatos' shoulder. Xanatos twisted away, but not before Qui-Gon saw him grimace with pain. "If you've surpassed me, it's only in your mind."

Perhaps it was the taunt. Perhaps it was because Qui-Gon had finally caused him real pain. Xanatos whirled the other side of his cape behind his shoulder. A second lightsaber was suddenly in his hand.

Startled, Qui-Gon lost his focus for an instant. There was only one person to whom that lightsaber could belong.

"And where is your new apprentice?" Xanatos sneered.

So Xanatos had been responsible for Obi-Wan's disappearance. Now he knew for sure.

Xanatos faked a charge to the left, went right, then danced back to the left again. Qui-Gon remembered the move from the Temple. He easily blocked the blow.

He was fighting the past. His past. Perhaps he could defeat Xanatos, but the battle would not be won. Only the future mattered now. Obi-Wan was the future. The past would wait.

Qui-Gon paused, knowing Xanatos was ready to escalate the fight. Ready to deliver a death blow, if he could.

Suddenly, Xanatos whirled around, took three long steps toward the slag heap, and pushed himself off, flying through the air with both lightsabers slashing toward Qui-Gon, every muscle ready to drive the blow home.

He met empty air. Qui-Gon twisted away, grabbing Obi-Wan's lightsaber from Xanatos' unprepared grip.

Then, for the first time in his life, Qui-Gon ran from battle. He had to find Obi-Wan. The cold wind whistled past his ears as he crossed the mine yard at top speed.

He heard Xanatos' voice rise from the mist. "Run, coward! But you can't escape me!"

"It appears that I have!" Qui-Gon shouted.

Xanatos' laugh was chilling. "Only for now, Qui-Gon. Only for now."