The Captive Temple

  "They are," Bant assured him. "I use them. It's against the rules, I know," she added sheepishly. "But if I'm late for a class, it's so much faster for me to swim than walk."

  "The sporting gear," Obi-Wan said suddenly. "The kit must have several breathers."

  "Good work, Bant," Tahl said approvingly.

  "Excellent deduction." Qui-Gon put his hand on Bant's slender shoulder. She smiled shyly.

  Jealousy trickled through Obi-Wan. He fought against it. Jealousy was not an appropriate emotion for a Jedi. Yet he couldn't dampen it, or make it go away. Bant had always trailed after him. She'd worshipped him. Now, in the short time he'd been gone, she'd grown up. Her mind was agile and clever, and she wasn't afraid to challenge him.

  And Qui-Gon saw how special she was.

  Obi-Wan felt a shock as he realized that if Qui-Gon didn't take him back, he most likely would want another Padawan. Was he thinking of Bant?

  "Bant, can you show us the tunnel?" Qui-Gon asked. "We'll need a guide."

  Bant nodded. "Of course."

  "If any trouble crops up, I want you to fade back," Qui-Gon warned. "Don't engage with Xanatos. He is extremely dangerous."

  Bant nodded solemnly. Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan. "We'll need breathers."

  "I brought some," Bant told him. "I thought you'd want to go right away."

  "That was quick thinking," Qui-Gon said approvingly.

  Obi-Wan trailed after Qui-Gon and Bant. Now I'm the one who is tagging behind her, he thought, entering the turbolift with them. They took the lift to the cordoned-off lake area.

  "I found the tunnel entrance when I was exploring the bottom of the lake," Bant explained as they waded into the cool water. "Water is flushed through every twenty minutes past the hour, so I always keep track of time. It's easy to get out in time, or there are plenty of places to climb to when the water flushes through."

  She dove under the surface. Obi-Wan followed the trail of her bubbles. Bant was so graceful underwater that she soon pulled ahead. When she realized this, she stopped and waited for them.

  They wound through a grotto of underwater rocks. A panel was cleverly hidden in the face of a large boulder. Bant accessed the panel and swam through. Qui-Gon followed, and then Obi-Wan.

  They surfaced in a large tunnel of blue tile with a ceiling that curved overhead. The water was clear and clean.

  "This services the fountains and reflecting pools in the wing," Bant explained, her voice echoing against the tiled surface. "There are landing platforms every thousand meters or so. Some of them are high enough to conceal someone who wants to hide. I'll stop as we go along."

  Qui-Gon nodded. Bant took a breath and dove under the water. They followed.

  Obi-Wan followed Bant's waving pink-orange legs through the crystal water. She led them down tunnel after tunnel, curving and twisting throughout the Temple . They stopped at every landing platform to examine it for traces of Xanatos or Bruck. They found nothing.

  At last Bant surfaced at a place where a wide main tunnel narrowed and fed into three smaller tunnels.

  "This feeds into the water purification tanks," she said as she bobbed. "We've seen everything. I guess I was wrong." Bant looked discouraged. "We should head back."

  "It was a good deduction, Bant," Qui-Gon told her kindly. "And we haven't disproved it yet. We didn't find anything. That doesn't mean that Xanatos wasn't here."

  Qui-Gon treaded water, surveying the area. "What's that?" he suddenly asked, pointing to a recessed area to one side.

  "It's too small to be a landing platform," Bant said. "I think it's a service area for the purification tanks."

  Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gon's powerful stroke toward the recessed area. The Jedi hoisted himself up on a narrow ledge, water streaming down his tunic. Obi-Wan followed, and Bant easily vaulted up behind them.

  Qui-Gon worked his way along the ledge. It ran alongside the side tunnel for a time. Then it ended in a sheer wall. From here they could hear the hum of machinery.

  "We're close to the purification tanks," Bant said.

  "But why would the ledge just end?" Qui-Gon wondered. He bent to examine the curving wall on one side. "Here. There's an access panel," he said. "Bant?"

  Bant eased past Obi-Wan. "I see it," she said excitedly. Her fingers ran alongside the edges. She pressed something, and the curved panel slid open.

  Qui-Gon stepped through. When Obi-Wan followed, he saw that they were on some sort of service platform that was suspended above the water in the durasteel purification tank. A narrow, tiled staircase led down to the water below.

  Qui-Gon strode to a corner. He bent down to examine a servo-tool kit and some items stacked against the wall.

  "They were here," he said.

  Obi-Wan felt something that began as a whisper, like a soft breath against the back of his neck. The disturbance in the Force was muffled, and he couldn't quite place it. But Qui-Gon looked up, his keen eyes alert. His gaze met Obi-Wan's.

  Yes, his eyes seemed to say, as they had said many times when he was his Master. I feel it, too, Padawan.

  Then the muffled disturbance escalated to a roar. Below them the water parted, and a black form rose. It was Xanatos.

  Xanatos was perfectly still, waist-high in deep water, suspended by the Force without kicking or moving his arms. His wet black hair flowed to his shoulders and his sharp blue eyes, as clear and cold as ice crystals, gleamed in the dim light. Watery shadows sent flickering patterns across his black tunic.

  Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had already activated their lightsabers. They stood waiting.

  But Xanatos didn't move to engage them. He smiled.

  "It took longer than even I imagined for you to figure out it was me,” he called mockingly to Qui-Gon. "That noble head of yours can be so thick. Foolishly, I continue to give you credit for some intelligence."

  Qui-Gon stood easily, his lightsaber activated but held loosely at his side. He did not appear to be in attack position, but Obi-Wan knew his fighting style well. If Xanatos were to spring, Qui-Gon had only to shift slightly in order to meet the attack.

  Qui-Gon didn't answer Xanatos. His face was a study in composure. He didn't appear to have heard Xanatos at all.

  Obi-Wan knew they could not attack while Xanatos remained in the water. If they jumped in after him, their lightsabers would short out if the activated lasers came into contact with water. Xanatos knew it, too. Perhaps that was why he taunted Qui-Gon, goading him to attack.

  "You don't even answer me?" he called. "Still holding a grudge? What a hard heart you have, Qui-Gon."

  "I wasn't aware we were having a conversation," Qui-Gon answered. He moved forward a step. "That was always the way with you, Xanatos - you prefer the sound of your own voice."

  Obi-Wan saw a momentary flush on Xanatos' cheeks. Then he laughed. "How tiresome you are, Qui-Gon. Your petty taunts still miss their mark. You never were very clever. And you still rely on children to do your work. You never would have figured out the water tunnels on your own."

  Suddenly, he flew through the air in a great leap, propelled by the Force. His black cape streamed water as he activated his lightsaber in the blink of an eye. Obi-Wan was ready, stepping forward even as Xanatos touched down on the platform.

  He saw Bant make a running dive off the platform. She was unarmed, and no doubt was swimming for help. She had only waited for Xanatos to move.

  Xanatos' red lightsaber crashed against the green glow of Qui-Gon's. The angry buzz echoed through the tunnel. Xanatos had landed to Qui-Gon's left, and Obi-Wan raced to cover the Jedi's flank.

  Xanatos was a skilled fighter. His strength was staggering. When Obi-Wan's lightsaber tangled with his, the shock nearly sent him flying backward. It was all he could do to keep his feet. The platform soon grew slick with their wet footprints and the water from their clothes. It was hard for Obi-Wan to keep his footing. Xanatos was as quick as he was strong, already whirling away from Obi-Wan's attacks to strike at Qui-Gon.

&nb
sp; Gradually, Obi-Wan became aware that Qui-Gon had succeeded in manipulating Xanatos, getting him close to the narrow stairs. Xanatos took a step down, then another, as Qui-Gon stepped up the fierceness of his attack. Obi-Wan saw the reason for the strategy. If Xanatos got close enough to the tank, he would have to swing back to gain momentum for his blows. Xanatos would run the risk of shorting out his lightsaber or weakening his attacks. The strategy could not be obvious, he knew. They had to distract Xanatos with countermoves so that he wouldn't realize how close he was to the water below.

  Obi-Wan joined in the attempt, trying to keep Xanatos off-balance while driving him toward the water. The steps were slippery. It was difficult to get enough grounding to lend strength to his blows. He was tiring, but Qui-Gon remained focused, moving gracefully, forcing Xanatos down another step.

  As he fought side by side with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan felt the familiar rhythm pulse between them. The Force was strong, bonding them together as one unit.

  Over the sound of the battle, the sizzle of the lightsabers, and his own heavy breathing, Obi-Wan heard a noise. It started as a rumble in the distance. Within seconds, it was a roar.

  It was the water flushing the system. A giant tidal wave of foaming water rushed toward them from a conduit in the tank.

  "Jump, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon ordered. Using the Force, they made a simultaneous leap onto the platform above.

  Immediately, Obi-Wan whirled to face Xanatos, who was no doubt behind them.

  But Xanatos had not leaped to safety. Grinning, he deactivated his lightsaber, then jumped off the step just as the torrent roared through. Within the flicker of an eyelash, he was swept away.

  "He'll drown," Obi-Wan said, astonished at Xanatos' action.

  "No, he won't," Qui-Gon said grimly, his eyes on the white water. "We shall meet him again."

  The battle had not tired Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan could see that it had only fueled his determination to catch Xanatos and defeat him.

  "Let's search the area," Qui-Gon told him. "I have a feeling that Xanatos allowed me to maneuver him down the stairs. It was almost too easy."

  "He had planned his escape," Obi-Wan suggested.

  "Yes," Qui-Gon agreed. "But with Xanatos, there is always a double motive. He was trying to lead us away from something."

  Obi-Wan walked to the opposite edge of the platform. "There's a ladder here," he called.

  A slender metal ladder was tucked against the wall. It had been hidden by the platform's edge. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan climbed down. When they were just above the surface of the water, they could hear the sound of falling water ahead.

  "It's a spillover," Qui-Gon called back to Obi-Wan. The area ahead was concealed by Qui-Gon's broad back. "And there's a duct here leading to the outside. I think--”

  Suddenly, Qui-Gon paused. Holding onto the ladder with one hand, Obi-Wan leaned out to see.

  Lashed against the wall was a small air-speeder.

  "We've found his escape route," Qui-Gon said with satisfaction.

  "Qui-Gon? Obi-Wan?" Bant's worried voice floated out to them.

  "Here!" Qui-Gon shouted, and a second later her face appeared over the platform's edge.

  "I brought Jedi security," she said. "Are you all right? Where's Xanatos?"

  "He escaped," Obi-Wan told her. "He jumped into the water when the tunnel was flushed."

  "Let's go back up," Qui-Gon told them. "Security can remove the airspeeder. At least Xanatos will be trapped inside the Temple ."

  They climbed the ladder back to the platform, and two members of Jedi security went down to take care of the speeder.

  "I was so worried," Bant told them. "I hated to leave you, but I didn't have a lightsaber, and--”

  "You did the right thing, Bant," Qui-Gon interrupted kindly. "When instincts are as good as yours, don't question them."

  More and more Obi-Wan had to wonder if Qui-Gon was interested in Bant as his next Padawan. It certainly seemed that the Jedi singled her out.

  Qui-Gon turned to him. "You fought well, Obi-Wan."

  Normally, Obi-Wan would have felt deep satisfaction from Qui-Gon's praise. But now he only wondered if Qui-Gon was merely being nice, preparing him for the day he would be left behind.

  Qui-Gon sent Bant back to brief Tahl on what had happened. Obi-Wan wandered off to the edge of the platform where Xanatos had thrown himself into the foaming torrent. He remembered the deep sense of unease he'd felt when Xanatos had risen out of the water, the black form containing a monstrous evil ... He'd been wearing a waterproof satchel on his back, Obi-Wan suddenly recalled. Why?

  What if it had been no accident that Xanatos had appeared at the platform? What if he'd come to remove the evidence that showed he'd been there? What if he'd been tipped off? He certainly had managed to stay one step ahead of the Jedi until now. That wasn't easy.

  "I think there could be a spy at the Temple ," Obi-Wan said slowly, turning back to Qui-Gon. "Xanatos has someone planted there, warning him of our next move. Why else would he have come here with a satchel on his back?"

  "Many reasons, I suppose," Qui-Gon said.

  "And remember that he said that you had to rely on children to tell you that he was using the tunnels? How did he know that Bant tipped you off?"

  Qui-Gon frowned. "I'm not sure about this, Obi-Wan. The only ones who knew we were searching the water tunnels were Bant and Tahl. They are both completely above suspicion. Bant would never do anything to compromise the security of the Temple ."

  Stung by how quickly Qui-Gon had leaped to Bant's defense, Obi-Wan blurted, "And what about Tahl? Do you trust her so well?"

  "With my life," Qui-Gon answered shortly.

  "But you haven't seen her in years," Obi-Wan pointed out. "What if Xanatos got to her somehow?"

  "No, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said curtly. "You are wrong. I am used to betrayal. I know exactly what it looks like." He gave Obi-Wan a hard look and turned away.

  Obi-Wan felt a stab of pain. He knew Qui-Gon was talking about him.

  The moment the words left Qui-Gon's mouth, he regretted them. His harshness had arisen more out of his frustration at Xanatos' escape than anything Obi-Wan had said. Yes, the boy had lost his trust. There was no need to torture him by continually reminding him of it. It was behavior unworthy of a Jedi.

  It was his own flaw, Qui-Gon realized heavily. He was the one who could not take the leap to trust again. It was not Obi-Wan's fault. It was a combination of Qui-Gon's history and his nature. Although he felt a connection to other beings, he was slow to trust them. Once his trust was given, it was solid. When it shattered, he was at a loss as to how to refashion it again.

  His problem. Not Obi-Wan's.

  He needed to tell the boy this. The bond between Master and Padawan had to be one of total trust, and he didn't know if he was capable of giving it, even if Obi-Wan was. It wouldn't be fair to Obi-Wan to take him back under those circumstances. It might be better for Obi-Wan to find a new Master.

  I will speak to him. When I am sure what it is I want to say.

  Suddenly, the lights in the tunnel dimmed to half-power. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon exchanged a concerned glance. A moment later, Qui-Gon's comlink buzzed. Tahl's crisp voice came through the unit. "We have some developments here."

  "I noticed. We'll be right there." Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan. He spoke gently to the boy to make up for his harsh words. "I don't think Tahl is in league with Xanatos," he said. "But you could be right about the spy. Let's keep it in mind."

  Obi-Wan nodded. The boy was silent as they hurriedly made their way to Tahl's quarters.

  Tahl sat at her desk, a pile of data sheets on her lap. "I just spoke to Miro," she told them. "He's been trying to fix the air circulation system in the senior students' wing. When he took the necessary steps, all the lights in the Temple went to half-power. Plus, the refrigeration unit in the dining hall failed. He's working on it."

  "The lights are powered down on every floor?" Qui-Gon asked.

  Tahl nodded. A ghost of
a smile flitted across her face. "Now we're almost even, Qui-Gon. We both have to work in the dark."

  "Not quite even," Qui-Gon said with a smile that was evident in his voice. "You're still wiser than I am."

  Tahl grinned. "Speaking of which, that's not the development I was talking about. I found out something about Offworld. Here, I printed it out for you." She handed the data sheets to Qui-Gon.

  Qui-Gon stared at the sheets. There were columns of numbers and names of companies. "You're going to have to tell me. You know I'm not good at galactic finance."

  "Offworld is not as solvent as they appear," Tahl said, tapping her finger on the desk. "A futile mining operation on an inhospitable planet has drained its resources. Xanatos refused to accept defeat and just kept pouring more and more money into the operation. There's a rumor that he's secretly plundered the treasury on his home planet of Telos."

  Qui-Gon stared down at the numbers, which meant nothing to him. The figures weren't important. Tahl's findings were. If Xanatos was close to financial ruin, maybe his motive for storming the Temple had as much to do with money as revenge.

  Always a double motive ...

  "The vertex," he said softly.

  "Of course," Tahl breathed.

  Obi-Wan looked at them, puzzled.

  Qui-Gon thought for a moment. Yoda had told him a secret. But if Obi-Wan was to help them, he had to know. He filled Obi-Wan in on the story of the Jedi agreement to guard the vertex for a short time.

  "We've been focusing too much on Xanatos' revenge motive," Qui-Gon said. "Xanatos is more complex than that. Why put himself in such danger if all he got out of it was personal satisfaction? But destroying the Temple and walking away with a fortune would be worth much more to him."

  "The treasury room is one half level below the Council room," Tahl said. "Isn't it strange how the wings have been shut down one after the other? Now everyone has been moved to the central building. This can't be accidental."

  "Xanatos is planning something," Qui-Gon brooded. "He hopes to contain us so that it will be easier to destroy us. But how?"