each strike against the bolts. He could hear Omega breathing heavily. Obi-
Wan was sending bolts back to him at a steady pace, but Omega was managing
to evade fire as he deployed the E-Web repeating blaster.
The orange streaks were fading now. Obi-Wan could clearly see the
outlines of the last tombs. Omega was silhouetted against the blaster bolts
that sent faint, electric illumination through the air. He was gripping the
blaster on the tripod, intent now in the full fury of his lust to take Obi-
Wan down.
Something Anakin had once said floated through his mind. Anakin knew
more about machines than Obi-Wan ever wanted to know.
Funny. No matter how advanced, a weapon always has a flaw. It can
always turn against itself.
The flaw. What was the flaw?
The E-Web needed two operators because it was liable to overload if
one operator didn't keep track of power flow. If overloaded, it wouldn't
simply shut down - it would backblast.
Obi-Wan put on another burst of speed. He went after each blaster bolt
with skilled parries. But instead of advancing he moved laterally. He only
appeared to advance.
Out of rockets now, Omega tore off the wrist launchers. They were
heavy, and he was getting tired. Sweat was pouring down his face. The E-Web
was smoking now, and he didn't notice.
Obi-Wan's arms began to shake from the effort of deflecting the
blaster bolts. He was tired. His vision was still faulty. With sudden
clarity, he realized that he could lose this battle. He was calculating on
the failure of a machine he wasn't terribly familiar with. He was counting
on a bit of luck.
It took all of his concentration. One stumble could send him straight
into a blaster bolt that would rip through him like pudding.
Through the smoke, across the haze, Omega's blue gaze was hot and
burning. Hate blazed at Obi-Wan. Omega was screaming incoherently now, his
voice barely heard over the sound of gunfire. The E-Web pounded and smoked.
Obi-Wan stumbled and hit his knees. Omega smiled. He leaned forward to
aim.
The weapon gave in. It shuddered and stopped for one small instant.
Omega shook it.
The blast was tremendous. A concentration of energy blew Omega back,
his body dangling in the air, a shocked expression on his face. He slammed
into the tomb wall. Broken. The shock on his face faded as his life drained
from him.
"You..." It was all he managed to get out. Obi-Wan heard pounding feet
behind him. Anakin ran up and stopped. "Master - "
"It's all right. He's gone." Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber. "It's
over."
"I was caught in an energy trap."
"You got out by yourself. That's good. Come, Padawan." Obi-Wan turned.
"Let's see to the others. We
A gathering roar came from behind him. Omega threw himself forward, a
blaster firing in his hand, his teeth bared. "You killed my father! You...
will... not... win!"
Obi-Wan activated his lightsaber as he turned. The moment he had not
wanted to come had arrived. No matter how much he had wished to stop Omega,
he had never wished to kill him. He remembered how Xanatos's death had
haunted Qui-Gon. He did not want the same fate.
But fate had taken away his choices.
His lightsaber rose, as if in slow motion. Yet it moved faster than an
eyeblink. It came down and cleaved into Omega.
He fell to his knees.
Instead of retreating, Obi-Wan walked forward. He did not want to see
Omega die, but no one should have to die alone.
Omega looked up into his face. His lips were drawn back over his teeth
in a gruesome smile. A spasm of something crossed his features. What was
it? Satisfaction, Obi-Wan realized. What did it mean?
"Do you think you won? You didn't," Omega said. Every word was an
effort. "I know... who he is." He toppled over, curling up like a child.
"You will wish... you did."
Still smiling, still holding his hatred and rage, Omega let go of his
life at last and collapsed into the dust.
Something rushed out, as if a great power had removed its protection
from Omega.
The visions of the Sith Lords faded. The dark side of the Force
retreated. The Sith would not be found. Obi-Wan knew he had withdrawn both
his presence and his protection.
Obi-Wan tucked his lightsaber back into his belt. "Let's see to Darra,
" he said.
Soara cradled her in her arms. Tru had wrapped his cloak around her.
Ferus sat on the ground, his head in his hands, and did not look up. Siri
and Ry-Gaul stood on either side of the group, as if guarding them from
harm. But harm had come and done its work.
Darra was dead.
Obi-Wan knelt in front of her. Her eyes were closed, her face composed
and impossibly calm. Anakin watched as Soara very gently unraveled Darra's
Padawan braid. She plucked the bright ribbon from the coils of soft hair
and held it in her fist. Tears streaked down her face. Anakin could never
have imagined seeing Soara Antana, fabled warrior, in tears.
Anakin heard Darra's voice rise like a cry inside him. Stay with me
until I fall asleep. It's lonely here.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The Great Hall seemed more vast, the journey to the Council room
longer than Obi-Wan ever remembered. His legs had never felt so heavy. He
walked without seeing. He felt strangely numb. He had never felt so tired.
He knew about the rumors at the Temple. He knew that Tru's lightsaber
had been faulty, that Ferus had fixed it secretly, that neither of them had
told their Masters. He knew that Tru had been censured. Ferus was in
seclusion but would be facing the Council directly after Obi-Wan.
He knew these things, and he knew that in the eyes of the Council, the
mission had succeeded, in part. They had caught Granta Omega. Zan Arbor had
escaped, but the Council felt she was easier to track.
Without Omega's wealth, she would not find it easy to hide.
They had missed uncovering the identity of the Sith, but the Council
did not fault them. They had been close to him. They had uncovered one of
the planets that sheltered him. They had taken a small step forward.
He should feel some sense of satisfaction, but he did not. Obi-Wan
found himself wondering about things he had not thought about since Qui-
Gon's death.
Was the loss of Darra's life worth what they had obtained?
Was there something he should have done that he did not do?
Had the first vision of Qui-Gon in the tomb come from the Sith, or
deep within him?
Had he failed?
Darra's death would once have been an aberration. Why did he feel it
was a portent? With every second that passed, he felt more death approach.
Time and again he had to shake off the memory of Granta Omega curling up
like a child as he let go of life. What could he have been, if he had not
been in the grip of his obsession? The Sith found weakness and exploited
it. They took a flaw and twisted it into a weapon. Whoever the Sith was, he
had goaded Omega, used him, and abandoned him
. How could the
Jedi fight someone who had no mercy for anyone or anything?
Over the last few days, Anakin had retreated to the Map Room where he
liked to meditate. Obi-Wan couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt that
somehow Anakin was involved in what had happened to Darra. Not directly,
but somehow...
He hated himself for having this feeling. Of course, if that were true
his Padawan would have told him.
Obi-Wan found himself outside the Council Room doors. He tried to
clear his mind before he entered. Some days it was difficult meeting so
many Jedi gifted in Force-sensitivity at once.
The doors slid open. The full Council had assembled. The members all
acknowledged Obi-Wan as he took his place in the middle of the room, where
he had stood so many times.
"A sad conclusion to the mission, it was," Yoda said. "Grieving are
all of us."
"Darra Thel-Tanis has joined the Force," Mace said. "We will celebrate
her life."
"Uneasy we are with the conduct of the two Padawans, Ferus Olin and
Tru Veld," Yoda said.
Adi Gallia nodded. "We have reconsidered our decision to speed up the
trials for chosen Padawans. We fear we put too much pressure on them."
"We need additional Jedi, it's true," Oppo Rancisis said. "But we see
now that we cannot rush readiness." "Our mistake, it was," Yoda said.
"Mistakes we cannot afford during these times," Mace added, and then
said, "We will commend your Padawan for his bravery. To face a Sith is the
hardest task for a Jedi. Anakin showed ingenuity and bravery throughout the
mission."
Yoda peered at Obi-Wan. "Something to share with us, you have?"
Obi-Wan hesitated. He had doubts. He had fears. He had sorrows. But
this was not the place.
"No, Master Yoda," he said.
"Disappointed your Padawan will be, to hear that we have cancelled our
plans to accelerate Knighthood," Yoda said.
"Yes, Anakin will be disappointed," Obi-Wan said. "He is not good at
waiting."
"Then wait, he should," Yoda said, nodding.
"Thank you, Master Kenobi," Mace said. "You may send in Ferus Olin."
Obi-Wan bowed and retreated. When he walked into the outer chamber,
Ferus stood.
"They are ready for you," Obi-Wan told him.
Ferus turned a face to him full of such misery and heartbreak that
Obi-Wan was moved.
"You are not here to be punished, least of all by yourself," Obi-Wan
told him.
"I must go on living," Ferus responded. "That is my punishment."
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Anakin waited until he saw Obi-Wan leave the outer chamber. He wasn't
ready to talk to his Master yet. He waited until Obi-Wan was gone, then
slipped inside.
He didn't want to see Ferus face-to-face, but he had to find out what
was going on. What would the Council do? Now, of all times, Anakin felt a
strange attachment to his fellow Padawan.
The shock of Darra's death hadn't worn off. He still couldn't grasp
it. He still couldn't believe it wasn't possible to see her again, to hear
her voice. If the Force was so powerful, why couldn't it stop death? Why
couldn't he break through that wall and see his friend again?
He felt a rustle behind him, and saw Tru backing out of the chamber.
"Tru!" Anakin called. Reluctantly, Tru edged in a few steps. "Do you
know anything?"
Tru shook his head. He didn't quite meet Anakin's eyes.
"I haven't seen much of you since we've been back," Anakin said.
"I know."
"I'm sorry about the censure."
"I deserved it."
The question burned on Anakin's tongue. "Why did you go to Ferus
instead of me to fix your lightsaber? I would have done a better job."
"I didn't go to Ferus," Tru said. "He came to me. He had noticed that
it was on half-power at the end of the battle in the monastery. But I
wouldn't have gone to you because I wouldn't have wanted to get you in
trouble. You would have kept my secret. Just like Ferus did. I was wrong
not to tell my Master. I was wrong to let Ferus stay silent. I was just
about as wrong as I could be."
"You were thinking of the mission," Anakin said. "We were all wrong,"
Tru continued, as if he hadn't even registered what Anakin had said
"We did our best," Anakin said. "And Omega is dead."
"So is Darra."
Tru turned and walked out.
Anakin started after him. Something was wrong. Something had changed
between him and his friend, and he didn't know why.
He stopped when the Council doors opened. Ferus walked out. He almost
walked by Anakin without seeing him, as though he was blinded by his
feelings.
"Ferus?"
Ferus turned. "Anakin. Well. I think you should be the first to know.
I have resigned from the Jedi Order."
"What?!" Anakin felt shock ripple through him. "But why?"
"Because I was responsible for Darra's death."
"That's not true! You couldn't have known - "
"But I did. I knew that Tru's lightsaber had malfunctioned. I offered
to fix it secretly. I did not tell his Master or urge him to do so. His
lightsaber failed in battle, and Darra was killed trying to protect me."
"But you thought you'd fixed it!"
Ferus stopped. He gazed at Anakin for a long moment.
"You knew?" he asked. "You knew Tru's lightsaber had broken? You must
have seen me fixing it." "I didn't say that."
"No. You didn't. But there are only the two of us here, Anakin. You
don't have to lie."
Anakin said nothing. As usual, Ferus was trying to trap him, trying to
show Anakin how much nobler he was.
"When we got back, I took it to the Jedi Master Tolan Hing," Ferus
said, naming the Jedi who was known for his expertise in the workings of a
lightsaber. "He told me that that the fusing between the flux aperture and
the power cell needed a slight adjustment. Nothing major - Tru might never
have noticed it. Except that in battle, the power drained faster than
normal."
"I don't know why you're telling me this...."
Tru's voice came from behind him. "Because you fixed the flux
aperture. And you would have known that it needed to be rechecked after the
power cell boost."
Anakin turned. "You didn't come to me!"
Tru shook his head. "That's funny. Shouldn't you have said, But I
didn't know it was broken?"
"You're trying to trap me," Anakin said. "Both of you," he added, with
an angry look at Ferus. "Tru, I would never do anything deliberately to put
you in a position.."
Tru's face hardened. His silver eyes held a sheen Anakin had never
seen before. They were icy, as though Anakin could slip off his gaze.
"I wondered," Tru said. "When we got back here, I wondered if you
knew. I saw how you froze in the tomb.
'But not my friend,' I said to myself. 'My friend would not do that.'
But then I thought about how you feel about Ferus, how angry you had been.
You would want him to get in trouble, even if it meant exposing me."
"That's not fair!"
"And suddenly I realized - yes,
Anakin could have done that."
"You're looking at this all wrong," Anakin said. But how could he
explain? He couldn't admit that he knew that Tru's lightsaber was broken
because he couldn't explain why he'd forgotten to tell him to readjust it.
He still didn't know how he'd forgotten something so crucial. Tru would
think he'd deliberately forgotten it.
There was nothing he could say to convince him otherwise, because he
himself didn't know.
"I don't think so," Tru said. "I think I'm truly seeing you for the
first time."
Anakin swallowed. He didn't know what to say. This was an unfamiliar
Tru, not the friend of his childhood.
"I'll see you outside," Tru said to Ferus, and walked out.
"Do you see what you've done?" Anakin said, turning savagely to Ferus.
"Yes, I see what I've done," Ferus said. "Do you?" He shook his head.
"I'm afraid for you. You think admitting you were wrong opens you up to