Jedi Apprentice 2: The Dark Rival (звёздные войны) Read online

  One of the men spoke into a comlink. "We found the thieves." He said.

  "No," Obi-Wan said. "We're just — "

  But Xanatos had drawn his lightsaber. Obi-wan watched in surprise as Xanatos charged. Only Jedi carried such weapons. The guards drew their blasters, and Obi-Wan had no choice. In the blink of an eye, he had powered up his own lightsaber and joined the battle.

  He felt the reassuring weight in his hand as he wielded the weapon, knocking a blaster from the guard's grasp. He knew Qui-Gon would not want him to kill Offworld guards. It could make a bad situation worse back in Bandor.

  So he fought defensively, while Xanatos became to aggressor, spinning through the air to deliver scorching hits. But he, too, seemed reluctant to land a killing blow.

  Xanatos's Jedi skills must have been rusty. He allowed himself to be maneuvered into a corner. The guards advanced with blasters drawn. Obi-Wan leaped on top of a pile of crates and threw himself into the group, arms and legs scissoring in the air. Two guards went down firing, and he felt searing pain in his shoulder. Still, he was able to kick the third guard's blaster from his hand.

  The guard suddenly produced an electro-jabber. He raised it against Xanatos as Obi-Wan raced to stop him.

  Obi-Wan deflected the move with his lightsaber, but the electro-jabber dealt a glancing blow against his ribs. Blinding pain shot through his body. He reached out for the Force dizzily, but someone smashed him from behind. His vision turned gray and fuzzy, and he sank to his knees.

  The last think he remembered was hitting the floor.

  Chapter 9

  Now Qui-Gon could see his mistakes. He had been blind to Xanatos' faults. He indulged the boy. He gave without seeing. He was a failure as a Master, because he trusted his apprentice too much. He let his fondness blind him to what he should have seen all along.

  After some reflection, Qui-Gon decided to ask SonTag and VeerTa if they had seen a box like the one Obi-Wan described. They had both visited the Agri-Corps Enrichment Zones many times. Perhaps there was a simple explanation for what Obi-Wan had found.

  Qui-Gon described the box, and VeerTa nodded. "I've seen a box like that."

  "So have I," SonTag agreed, thinking. "In the Western Enrichment zone. I was there just recently."

  "I think I saw one in the Northern Zone," VeerTa added. "It was with the other equipment. I'm sure it contains Agri-Corps instrument."

  It was exactly the response Qui-Gon had been hoping for. The box must not be significant. In the other zones, it had been in plain view.

  So why was he worried?

  Maybe because it had been placed with Offworld mining equipment. Obi-Wan couldn't have been wrong about that.

  Back in his quarters, he jacked into his data pad to investigate Offworld. He was curious about what position Xanatos held. His former apprentice had been uncharacteristically silent on that subject. If he was a high official, wouldn't he have boasted of his title?

  Qui-Gon searched Offworld company records. He could fin no mention of the name Xanatos. Which meant what? Either Xanatos had been lying about his involvement, or his position was a secret within his own company. But why?

  Qui-Gon clicked a few more keys. The head of the company was anonymous, but a board of directors was listed. Qui-Gon recognized most of the names, rulers of worlds that were virtually controlled by Offworld. Figureheads.

  There were no answers… yet. But he had an idea where to look for them.

  It was time to pay a visit to Offworld Headquarters.

  Offworld did not try to beautify their Bandomeer office. The building, a black, windowless block, echoed the grim mines that surrounded it.

  Qui-Gon entered the center hall with its azurite-studded walls. The mineral was its only decoration. A Hutt security guard sat behind a black cube that served as a desk. His body rolled past the confines of the desk. He turned flat, dead eyes toward Qui-Gon.

  "I have come to see Xanatos," Qui-Gon said.

  "Move, wretch," the Hutt replied, bored. "Take your petty complaints to you immediate supervisor. There's no one here anyway. Xanatos is on an exploration trip to the northern mine quadrant." The Hutt reached for a blaster. So much for corporate hospitality.

  Qui-Gon didn't move a muscle. He concentrated on the Hutt's greasy mind, pulling in energy from the Force.

  "Perhaps I should wait in his private office," he said.

  "You should wait in his private office." The Hutt repeated tonelessly. "Take the restricted tube to Horizontal Thirty."

  "Security controls should be lifted," Qui-Gon said.

  "All security controls shall be lifted."

  Qui-Gon entered the tube marked RESTRICTED. There was only one indicator light, for Horizontal Thirty. The lift tube reached the floor in seconds. He stepped off into a reception area. The chairs were made of stone. The cubelike desk was empty. He could see no door to another room, just a blank, empty wall.

  A blank wall…

  He placed a hand against the wall. When he took it away, he saw a brief flicker of transparency.

  Obi-Wan's description togged at Qui-Gon's memory. He'd read about the technological advances on Telos, the home planter of Xanatos. Recently they had been able to cover transparisteel with a special coating the rendered it opaque. When a thermoelectrical was generated, the wall returned to normal transparency.

  He pressed his whole body against the wall and it turned transparent. He could see the inner office. Still, where was the door?

  Qui-Gon drew the Force in and Felt it move within him like a cresting wave. The entire wall became transparent. The hidden door swung open. As soon as he was inside, the wall was once more opaque.

  It was a clever system, Qui-Gon thought, walking toward the enormous stone desk. Xanatos could control the transparency from the reception area. He would be able to see inside the office before he entered. If someone managed to slip past security checks, the intruder would be unable to hide in the office.

  How like Xanatos. Concealing and revealing. He'd forgotten how clever his apprentice was about secrets. He would reveal something, leading you to think he had told you everything. But what he revealed was always trifle. He kept the most important secrets under his control.

  The only piece of furniture in the office was the stone desk. Qui-Gon pressed a button, and a data pad rose from the top of it. He accessed the filing system. Just as he suspected, it was holographic.

  The files rose before him. He flipped through the directory. There was a file on the Home Planet Mine, and he accessed it. It wasn't very helpful, just a list of money and droids that had been loaned after the explosion. He closed it.

  Then he saw a file directory with no name. An icon hovered where the label should have been. Two broken golden circles that overlapped. Qui-Gon's heard beat faster. The two broken circles could be read as letters, too. O and C.

  Offworld Corporation.

  Qui-Gon accessed the directory, but a warning red light pulsed.

  "Password, please," a voice said.

  Qui-Gon hesitated. Knowing Xanatos, he had only one chance to get it right. And if he didn't, Xanatos had surely rigged the hologram to alert him that someone had tried to break in.

  It was a risk. But he had to take it.

  "Crion," he said, using Xanatos' father's name.

  The directory flipped open. He scanned the list of files. To his dismay, they were all written in code. He would never have time to break it. And if he removed a file, Xanatos would know he'd been there.

  But he'd gotten what he'd come for, anyway. Qui-Gon closed the filing system thoughtfully. Two broken circles had formed the initials of Offworld Corporation. Perhaps others would see that as a coincidence. But he knew that nothing was casual to Xanatos. Qui-Gon's instinct told him that he had found the person who controlled Offworld. Perhaps Xanatos had even founded it. But why would he keep it secret? So he could maneuver more easily, Qui-Gon guessed. Xanatos had always preferred stealth and trickery to achieve his ends. Th
e question was: what was Xanatos after?

  Chapter 10

  Qui-Gon was sure Xanatos was ready. He had spent years with the boy, watching him become a man. His mastery of the lightsaber was unsurpassed in his class. His ability to focus on the Force matched his Master's. He passed the preliminary tests with a near-perfect score. Qui-Gon was ready to welcome him as a Jedi Knight. It was a proud moment.

  But Yoda was not so sure. Yoda said there would be one last test.

  The holographic picture of Yoda rose before Qui-Gon. The transmission was clear. His heavy-lidded eyes blinked slowly, making him appear bored, but his long ears twitched. Qui-Gon had come to recognize the sign of the Master registering surprise.

  "So Xanatos could be planning a great evil, you say," Yoda said. "That you have discovered this is good, Qui-Gon. Yet time to react, it is not."

  "Bit I suspect he might be planning to take over Bandomeer," Qui-Gon protested. "This planet has no resources to fight. It must be prevented before it happens."

  "But safety id your concern, is it not? Demand that you move slowly, that does. Proof of a plan you do not have," Yoda pointed out. "Read the files, you could not."

  "I can read him. Xanatos."

  "Ah, so certain, are you? Certain you always were about him."

  Qui-Gon fell silent. In his quiet way, the Master had rebuked him. Yes, he had been certain about Xanatos. He had defended him against every gentle warning Yoda had given.

  "You have pushed aside your past for too long, Qui-Gon," Yoda said, after a pause. "Running from it, you are. Yet you can run a little longer before you turn and fight."

  "If you say, Master." Qui-Gon tried to hide his impatience. He struggled to consider Yoda's wisdom. It was never wise to dismiss his advice.

  "Use Xanatos' tactics against him, you must," Yoda offered. "He plays with you. Play along for now, you will. Give him room to make a mistake. Slip he will. The trick is to wait for it."

  "Yes," Qui-Gon said. "I see a path now." He began to sign off, but Yoda held up his hand.

  "One last thin I have," he said. "A question, it is. Why do you leave Obi-Wan in the dark, Qui-Gon? He knows not of this, I think. Yet he is on the same trail you are on, in a different place."

  "That's true," Qui-Gon admitted. "But there is no need for him to know yet. It places him at risk. I'm keeping him out of danger."

  "The apprentice accepts the danger when the Master accepts the apprentice," Yoda replied.

  "You forget," Qui-Gon said coolly. "I did not accept Obi-Wan. He is not my apprentice. We are on a planet together. There is a difference."

  Yoda nodded slowly. "Trust is the difference. Easier you think, to change the past than the future."

  Qui-Gon felt irritated. "That's illogical," he said. "You can't change the past."

  "Not logical, yes," Yoda agreed. "Then why do you think it?" Still nodding, Yoda ended the communication.

  Qui-Gon stood at the window, looking east over Bandor. As usual, Yoda had made him question himself. Why had he rebuffed Obi-Wan's efforts to help? And what if he'd placed the boy in more danger by not warning him about Xanatos?

  He had been wrong. Although it sometimes took him too long to come to that conclusion, once he did, he acted swiftly.

  He activated his comlink and sent a message to Obi-Wan. Usually, the boy answered immediately. After ten minutes had passed, Obi-Wan grew worried. He sent a message to Si Treemba. No answer. He closed his eyes, gathering the Force. He felt it then, something dark, a void. Obi-Wan was in danger.

  Someone pounded on his door. He crossed to it, already knowing it would be bad news.

  Clat'Ha stood in the hallway. Her sleek read hair was awry, and her green eyes were full of worry.

  "Si Treemba just contacted me with news," she said. "Obi-Wan has disappeared."

  Chapter 11

  With his eyes closed, he heard the sound of the sea. Or was it the pounding in his temples?

  Cautiously, Obi-Wan opened his eyes. He was in a long, narrow room with a low ceiling. Rows and rows of sleeping platforms surrounded him. Bedding was rolled up at the foot of each wide platform. He was alone. His lightsaber was gone, as was his comlink.

  His ribs and shoulder were bandaged. Something was around his neck. Obi-Wan ran his fingers around it. It was a collar. It felt smooth, with no obvious clasp to remove it. It hummed underneath his fingertips. Maybe it was some sore of healing device.

  When he raised his head, a sharp pain made him release his breath in a hiss. Obi-wan breathed slowly, calming his mind as he'd been taught. He accepted the pain. He welcomed it as a friend, advising him that his body had been injured. He thanked it for alerting him to this. And he focused his will on healing.

  After only a moment or two, the pain lessened slightly, enough for him to stand. There was a narrow window high above him. He balanced on a sleeping platform and stood tiptoe to see out of it.

  Despair filled him. A great gray sea stretched before him for kilometers. There was no sign of land. No ships. Only this huge platform, with tall towers rising from the sea.

  He knew where he was at once — the Great Sea of Bandomeer, which covered half the planet. He must be on some sort of deepsea mining platform. The deepsea mines were only whispered about. They were rough, dangerous places that many miners did not survive.

  "So you're awake."

  Obi-Wan turned, startled. A tall, mournful creature stood in the doorway. His skin was dark, but appeared to be peeling in white patches. Two white circles surrounded his eyes. He had extraordinarily long, rubbery arms that dangled past his knees.

  "How are you feeling? I was worried," he asked, but before Obi-Wan could respond, he chuckled. "I lie! Not so!"

  "Who are you?" Obi-Wan asked. He felt dizzy, and he commanded his mind to clear. He stepped down carefully from the platform.

  "The name is Guerra, not that you need to know it so. I'm a Phindian. We're a mixed lot, here. Which reminds me, Human boy, Move."

  Guerra's arm shot out suddenly. It reached across two sleeping platforms and fastened on Obi-Wan's wrist. "I don't have all day. The guards will be here with electro-jabbers for both of us if I don't get you outfitted."

  "Outfitted for what?"

  "Outfitted for what? A vacation on Syngia moon!" Guerra chortled. "Not so, I lie! Mining, of course."

  "But I'm not a miner," Obi-Wan protested as Guerra dragged him toward the doorway.

  "Oh, so sorry. In that case, you don't have to work." Guerra's odd, patchy face leered at him. "Instead, you can be thrown off the platform. You'll have such a lovely swim — "

  "Not so?" Obi-Wan guessed.

  Guerra chortled and slapped Obi-Wan on the back, sending him flying. "Good one, Human boy! Not so! Thrown off to drown. Except the fall will kill you first! Now, come along."

  Guerra pushed him through the doorway. A cold wind hit his face. Around him were piles of mining equipment. Droids were busy hauling beamdrills to a lift tube, where workers were waiting. Guards were everywhere on the platform, patrolling with electro-jabbers and blasters.

  As they climbed stairs to the second level, Obi-Wan saw that the platform was much bigger than he'd thought, about the size of a small city. Hydrocrafts sped back and forth from the deepsea platforms that ringed the main structure.

  Guerra pushed him into a storage room. He rubbed his eyes to survey the equipment, and the white patches around his eyes widened. Obi-Wan realized that Guerra's skin was actually fair. He was covered with mining dust and grime.

  Guerra caught him staring. "Showers once a month, but why bother? Soon, you'll look like me, Human boy."

  "Guerra, I'm not a miner," Obi-Wan repeated. "I've been kidnapped and sent here. I'm — "

  Guerra burst out laughing. He slapped his knees with flapping hands. "Kidnapped? How awful! Let me alert the security forces! Oh, I lie again! How do you think I got here? Do you think I volunteered? We're all slaves, don't you see? At the end of five years, they give you enough to pay transport
off-planet and start over. If you survive. Most don't."

  "Five years?" Obi-Wan asked, swallowing hard.

  "That's the contract you sign," Guerra said. "You'll need a thermosuit. And a tech-helmet. Some tools…"

  "But I didn't sign a contract!"

  Guerra laughed again as he held a thermosuit against Obi-Wan and rejected it as too small. "Stop distracting me with jokes, Human boy! Did I sign? They forge it so!"

  "My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am a Jedi pupil."

  "Jedi, Kedi, Ledi, Medi," Guerra said in a nonsense singsong. "Doesn't matter who you are. You could be the Prince of Coruscant No one will find you here." He tossed another thermosuit at Obi-Wan. "This one will have to do. So, now for a tech-helmet."