Джуд Уотсон - Jedi Apprentice 2 - The Dark Rival

"But I've changed. Offworld has given me that chance."

Xanatos leaned forward, his gaze on VeerTa. "That's why I admire you, VeerTa. Offworld sent me to tell you that the company will not interfere with your project. A richer, more secure, Bandomeer is better for all of us." Xanatos touched his chest. "I admire your leadership, because I love my home planet, too. Telos is always in my heart."

He turned to SonTag. "Perhaps if Offworld donated ten percent of its profits to the Bandomeer reclamation effort, it would convince you of our sincerity?"

SonTag looked flustered. Qui-Gon knew that even ten percent of Offworld's profits was an enormous sum. Offworld had never given away any profits to a charitable cause.

The offer must be a trick. Qui-Gon didn't trust it. But he could see that Xanatos had reached SonTag and VeerTa. Only Clat'Ha still looked wary. But then, she had more reason to doubt Offworld. She had tangled with them recently.

Xanatos seemed to pick up on Clat'Ha's mistrust. He turned his penetrating blue gaze on her. "When I took my position with Offworld, it was with the understanding that certain policies would change. I do not believe in plundering planets and leaving them behind when we have gotten everything out that we want. Our actions on Bandomeer will be the first demonstration of our new policy."

SonTag nodded. "It's a wise course. And Bandomeer will be grateful for your help — "

Suddenly a huge explosion rocked the room. VeerTa was knocked to the floor. Before the others could react, Qui-Gon was on his feet, lightsaber in hand.

Qui-Gon sensed the explosion had occurred outside the palace. He hurried to the window. VeerTa struggled to her feet and followed him.

At first, a large black cloud completely enveloped the view of the city below. Then the wind picked up, clearing the view.

A plume of smoke rose from a mineyard. Qui-Gon could see the rubble of a large building. One of the mine towers was down, and the other leaned dangerously. As they watched, it slowly tipped and fell, demolishing a shabby building, probably worker housing. Qui-Gon saw figures stumbling, running away from the disaster. There would be others trapped inside, he knew.

The sirens began, high-pitched and wailing. Beside him, VeerTa swayed, then gripped the sill to keep herself upright. "It's the Home Planet Mine," she whispered.

"I didn't start it." Xanatos would say whenever a fight broke out between him and another apprentice. His blue eyes would blaze with sincerity and sorrow.

Like a father, Qui-Gon would always try to believe him.

VeerTa's hand curled into fists. She let out a choked roar and threw herself at Xanatos.

Without seeming to move, Qui-Gon was suddenly between the two of them, holding VeerTa off. It would do no good to attack Xanatos. Qui-Gon knew firsthand hoe fierce and volatile a fighter he was.

VeerTa struggled against Qui-Gon's iron grip. "You did this!" she spat at Xanatos. "You'll pay for it!"

Clat'Ha moved to stand beside VeerTa. Outwardly she was calmer, but her eyes betrayed the same rage. "Of course they did it," she said contemptuously. "It's just their style. Cowards!"

Xanatos looked pale. "I assure you, Offworld had nothing to do with this. I'm confident that the facts will prove this — "

"Enough of your lies!" VeerTa shouted. She tried to spring at him again.

"Let us be calm," SonTag said urgently. "VeerTa, we must go to the mine. They'll need help."

"Yes, the miners — " VeerTa said. She rushed out.

Qui-Gon had seen the effects of explosions before. They were always terrible. Lives were lost, bodies maimed, spirits broken. Blood mixed with ashes and tears. He did not know why this tragedy seemed worse to him. Perhaps because the miners had carved the mine out of rock and earth. They had worked with no money and little hope to build a future they had struggled to even imagine.

They stacked bodies in the yard. Qui-Gon worked tirelessly to carry victims from the wreckage. Forty miners were trapped below ground. Rescuing them was a painstaking and dangerous process.

The explosion had been touched off in one of the tunnels. The main administration building was completely destroyed, as well as the dwellings surrounding the mine. It was dark before Qui-Gon and the others had finished evacuating the wounded to med centers.

At last, there was nothing more for them to do. Clat'Ha called him to one of the untouched buildings for food and rest. He joined VeerTa and Clat'Ha at the table, but they were too exhausted and sorrowful to touch the food.

"Our dream has died," VeerTa said. Her face was filthy with dirt and mud.

"No," Clat'Ha responded softly. "That's what they want. We can rebuild."

The door opened, and SonTag entered. She, too, had helped at the mine today. Her red and gold tunic was filthy and caked with blood.

"We have news of the cause," she announced quietly. "It wasn't Offworld. There was a mixture of gases in a sub-level tunnel."

VeerTa half-rose. "Impossible!" she cried. "We have sensors — "

"The sensor was inoperative," SonTag said. "Strictly a mechanical failure. The engineers are certain of it."

Clat'Ha and VeerTa stared at SonTag in disbelief. "So it's our fault?" VeerTa asked numbly.

"I'm afraid it appears that way," SonTag replied. "Could someone have sabotaged the sensor?"

VeerTa shook her head. "We have the mine under twenty-four hour guard."

SonTag spread her hands. "Mechanical failure is one of the hazards of mining."

Qui-Gon wasn't so sure. Something wasn't right here.

Just then, a knock came at the door. A miner handed a message to SonTag. She read it. Then crumpled it in her hand.

"Bad news?" Clat'Ha asked.

"No, just surprising," SonTag said slowly. "Xanatos has offered the resources of Offworld to help rebuild the mine. Money, droids, anything we want. Plus, he'll house any displaced workers in Offworld housing."

"So he was sincere," VeerTa said, surprised.

Qui-Gon felt disturbed at this news. If this was a trap, it was a costly, elaborate one. Were the stakes so high for Xanatos? Surely he wouldn't go to all this trouble just to get revenge on Qui-Gon.

The site of the meeting had been moved at the last minute. The main building had been completely destroyed. If SonTag hadn't changed her mind, they would all be dead.

Xanatos was playing a game. Qui-Gon only wished he knew what the goal of the game was.

He was sure of just one thing: when it came to Xanatos, games had no rules.

Obi-Wan was bored. If he had to go on one more Spore Tour, he would scream.

He knew that Agri-Corps did important work. But why was he here?

In the middle of brown, parched earth, the Agri-Corps had constructed a giant dome. Surrounding the dome were scientific laboratories and worker housing. Entrances from the labs and the admin centers led into the dome itself. Everyone worked for the good of the planet. No outside interests were allowed to control research, and no profits were taken from any discoveries.

Obi-Wan would have found the operation interesting id it weren't for the fact that his tour guide, a Meerian named RonTha, was the dullest creature he'd ever met. RonTha was fascinated by such things as stem grafts and seed sprouts. He could talk about them for hours in his droning monotone. And he did.

The only bright spot was that Obi-Wan was about to be reunited with his friend Si Treemba, the Arconans he'd met on the transport.

Arconans were born in nests and raised in close communities. They didn't have a highly developed sense of individual self, and didn't often associate with outsiders. But Si Treemba had formed a deep bond of friendship with Obi-Wan. He had stood side by side with him against Hutts and Togorian pirates. Because of his decision to take Obi-Wan's side against the Hutt Offworld leaders, he had almost lost his life. Si Treemba had discovered his own individual courage along the way.