Джуд Уотсон: Jedi Apprentice 7: The Captive Temple

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.

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.