Star Wars Jedi Apprentice #2: The Dark Rival

Chapter 15

As soon as they were out of reach of blaster fire. Qui-Gon set a course for Bandor. Obi-Wan sat at his side, looking ahead.  He did not know what to ask first.

"You said you hoped I would come," Qui-Gon remarked quietly. "Not knew, but hoped."

Obi-Wan didn't speak for a moment. "I need to know about Xanatos," he said finally. "He told me you betrayed him. That he was your apprentice, and he trusted you."

"Did you believe him?" Qui-Gon asked.

Obi-Wan paused. The wind blew his hair back from his face. "I don't think you would betray a Padawan," he said at last. "But I don't understand why he hates you so. Does he have cause, Qui-Gon? Did Xanatos arrange to have me imprisoned on the mining platform just to get back at you?"

The Jedi Master nodded grimly. "Yes I believe so. It's time I told you about him. I should have told you before."

Mist had begun to rise on the sea. Obi-Wan could taste the droplets on his lips. Gray surrounded him in a whirling circle, silver-gray mist above, dull gray sea below. Qui-Gon's words seemed to come at Obi-Wan from a past as misty as the surroundings, as far away.

"Each Jedi apprentice brings something unique to the Temple," Qui-Gon began. "Even at a young age, Xanatos stood out. His intelligence was fierce and quick and agile. He was a leader. I thought he was the most promising boy to come to the Temple in may years. So did Yoda." Qui-Gon paused. He made a small correction to the steering of the boat. "Yet Yoda had questions. As Xanatos grew and I took him as my apprentice, I resented Yoda's hesitations. I thought Yoda was questioning my judgement. Of course, he was questioning the boy. He saw something that I did not. When Yoda suggested one last mission, I was glad. At last, I thought, I can prove to Yoda that I was right. Xanatos will prove himself, prove what I'd seen all along." Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan. "You see my failing here." It wasn't a question.

Obi-wan nodded. "I think so. What you could prove. What you wanted."

"So it was a test for me, too," Qui-Gon said. "I didn't know that at the time. I let my ego and pride take over. My need to be right. It's important that you know this, Obi-Wan. Even a Jedi Knight is still a living being, with the same failings."

"We are not saints, but seekers," Obi-Wan said, repeating a Jedi saying.

"Yoda sent us to Telos, the home planet of Xanatos. Xanatos had not seen his father Crion in many years. In that time, Crion had grown in power. Telos is noted for its scientific research. Telosian scientists are brilliant innovators. Crion used their discoveries to create great wealth for the planet. And for himself. He built on his power and ruled the planet as governor. Yet he did not rely on advisors or his Senate. He ruled alone. Xanatos saw how powerful his father was. How luxurious a life he led. All of the riches of the galaxies were at Crion's fingertips. Xanatos saw this, and a hunger began to grow in him. An anger. He saw that in taking him away, we had deprived him of a different kind of power. I had deprived him. He hated the Jedi for that."

Qui-Gon stared at the mist, "We give up many things when we choose this life, Obi-Wan. We are destined to have no home, no measurable power. Xanatos had these things in his grasp. Crion saw his son weaken. He had come to regret his decision to let Xanatos go. He was an old man and had driven away every friend, every ally. So Crion urged Xanatos to join him in his great plans. I saw that Yoda sensed this would happen, that this was the last, great test."

Qui-Gon sighed. "I did not doubt Yoda's wisdom. I did what I knew I should. I stepped back. I did not attempt to guide Xanatos. He was ready to make his own choice."

"He made the wrong one," Obi-Wan said softly.

"Crion had grown greedy, as the powerful often do. He had secret plans to wage war against a neighboring planet. It was not enough to have the research. If Telos had access to the resources – the mineral, the factories – it could grow even more powerful. The treaty between the two worlds was automatically extended every ten years. This year, Crion called for a renegotiation. I found out later that it was a ruse, a way to delay until he could raise an army. I was to monitor the negotiation.

Xanatos deliberately sabotaged the first meeting, according to his father's direction. They wanted to enrage the population of Telos, you see. But I knew, and I revealed what I knew to the people of Telos. They rose up against Crion. But Crion did not retreat. Xanatos urged him to fight instead. They hired an army to put down the rebellion and stay in power. Civil war broke out. Suddenly, people were dying. The situation was out of my control. And all because I did not see clearly what Xanatos was capable of." Qui-Gon gripped the controls of the boat.

"Xanatos led the army. The last battle was fought at the governor's quarters. Crion was killed."

Qui-Gon paused, his expression grim. "I killed him," he said solemnly. "In front of his son I dealt the killing blow. My lightsaber sliced through the ring on Crion's finger. As he lay dying, Xanatos picked it up from the fire where it had fallen. He pressed the hot metal to his cheek. I can still hear the sound of the burn. You can still see the scar."

"A broken circle," Obi-Wan said.

Qui-Gon turned to face Obi-Wan. His face was bleak, harsh with memories. "He said the scar would serve to remind him always of what I had taken from him. How I had betrayed him. The fact that thousands had died because of his father's greed meant nothing to him. The weight of those deaths meant everything to me."

"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked.

"He drew his lightsaber against me," Qui-Gon said, his gaze shifting once again to take in the past. "We battled to the point of exhaustion. At last I knocked the lightsaber from his hand and stood over him. But I couldn't deliver the fatal blow. Xanatos laughed at me. He ran out. I searched Telos for him, but he had stolen a transport and the treasury and
had escaped into deep space. He disappeared without a trace . . . until now."