Jedi Apprentice 15: The Death Of Hope (звёздные войны)

by Джуд Уотсон

  "They could be keeping Tahl there," Obi-Wan said. "No doubt it's where they take prisoners."

  "Most likely," Qui-Gon said. He studied the tunnel entrance. "But this time we are not so lucky. The sensors are well placed. We won't be able to get in without attracting attention. When those sensors go off, we could be putting Eritha's and Tahl's lives in danger. And the Absolutes aren't stupid. They probably suspect that Eritha wasn't alone when she infiltrated the cave."

  "Any other ideas?"

  "I think there's only one thing to do," Qui-Gon said. "We need a diversion."

  They retraced their steps back to the weapons tunnel. Using the same method, they propelled themselves past the sensors and safely into the tunnel. Then they ran back to the room where the explosives were kept.

  Qui-Gon quickly read the labels on the various bins. "We must be careful," he warned. "Too much, and we risk collapsing the cave. But there has to be enough to cause confusion and chaos."

  Obi-Wan was not an expert on explosives. He let Qui-Gon choose what they needed. Qui-Gon handed him a supply of small explosives.

  "We'll have to set these up away from here," Qui-Gon said. "If we're too close, it could cause a chain reaction."

  He tucked more explosives inside his tunic along with timing devices.

  "This should do it. No one should get hurt, but there will be confusion.

  That's all we'll need. As soon as we get Tahl and Eritha, we'll head to the cave entrance."

  "What if we're spotted?" Obi-Wan asked. "No doubt everyone will be heading there."

  "We'll have to get a tech jacket for Tahl. We'll just have to count on the smoke and confusion."

  Obi-Wan remembered what Lenz and Irini had said about the drug that was used to paralyze subjects inside the deprivation device. He was prepared for the fact that Tahl might not be able to walk or move. Qui-Gon did not seem to want to deal with that possibility.

  "Hurry, Obi-Wan. We need to get to Eritha before they do something to her."

  Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gon back to the cave. They set a small amount of explosives farther down the cave, toward the entrance, then a second at the entrance to the tech-control tunnel. Then they hurried back toward the transport pen.

  "We'll set these to go off later," Qui-Gon said. "It will be a small explosion, but it should destroy most of the transports. Just in case we're followed." He grabbed another tech jacket and rolled it up, shoving it inside his own. "Now let's get back to where they took Eritha."

  Obi-Wan had seen his Master focused before. This was different. His gaze was intent, his every movement economical. Although Obi-Wan could feel Qui-Gon's anxiety, there was no trace of it in his speech or his actions.

  He appeared completely calm. Where did the desperation go? Obi-Wan admired how his Master had taken his emotion and given it discipline and purpose.

  It was a supreme example of how a Jedi should act.

  They were steps away from the first tunnel offshoot when the initial explosion went off. The cave seemed to rock for a moment, the walls and rocks shuddering. A siren wailed, and suddenly Absolutes appeared in the cave halls, running out from the various branches and tunnels.

  "It's back that way!" Qui-Gon shouted. He feinted a move in that direction and he and Obi-Wan ran a few steps. They let themselves be overtaken before turning back the way they were headed.

  Smoke began to drift back toward them. Obi-Wan saw a figure appear and disappear ahead of them amid the drifting smoke.

  "I think it's Balog," he said to Qui-Gon. "He's headed toward the explosives tunnel."

  They melted back against the cave wall and watched as Balog went through the retinal scan and hurried back toward the tunnel.

  "Should we follow?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "Let's wait here. We know Tahl isn't back there. When he returns, we'll follow him," Qui-Gon said.

  Another explosion split the air. Smoke rolled back toward them.

  "That should be the tech center," Qui-Gon said.

  Suddenly Balog appeared, darting out of the side tunnel. Obi-Wan recognized his squat, muscular body and powerful stride. Ignoring those who were rushing toward the cave entrance, he headed in the opposite direction.

  Qui-Gon nodded grimly. "When one's home is burning, one goes for the most valuable item."

  "He's heading for Tahl," Obi-Wan agreed.

  The two Jedi followed him. Obi-Wan expected Balog to turn toward the tunnel where Eritha was being held, but he kept going. Another explosion rocked the cave. This time it was followed by another, smaller boom.

  "The fuel tanks of the vehicles," Qui-Gon said.

  They passed a side tunnel with a readout sign: UW BASE ENTRANCE. Obi- Wan took note of it as he passed. It had to be the entrance to the underwater part of the secret complex.

  Balog abruptly turned into a small tunnel without security sensors.

  They plunged into the tunnel behind him. The glow rods were not operational, and the darkness was almost complete. They could only see the gleam of a durasteel door just ahead.

  Balog paused outside the door to access it. Obi-Wan hesitated, unsure of what to do. But beside him, Qui-Gon was already moving. His Master put on a burst of speed as Balog slipped through the door. With a mighty leap, Qui-Gon followed him, and the door slid shut.

  Chapter 16

  Qui-Gon landed with his lightsaber already activated. Behind him, he heard the door close.

  Balog stood in the center of the room between Qui-Gon and Tahl. The sensory deprivation device was leaning against the cave wall with Tahl inside. He could only see her eyes through a small viewscreen. He knew she was alive. Her eyelids fluttered. She could still feel his presence, as she always had. A slight tremor in the Force told him that she was trying to reach out to him.

  Obi-Wan began to cut through the durasteel with his lightsaber. Qui- Gon could smell the melting metal. He kept his gaze steady on Balog, who was smiling faintly.

  Then Balog laughed.

  "You think you can threaten me? You think that you and your young friend can frighten me? What you don't know is that I have all the power here." He held up a small transmitter. "I can take away her life."

  Obi-Wan burst through the hole in the door and stopped short, his lightsaber ready.

  "Don't move, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said steadily.

  "Do you see this?" Balog asked, holding the transmitter aloft. "I can give your friend a last, lethal dose. She is very weak. I wanted to keep her alive, but I've come to realize that there is no need."

  "What do you want?" Qui-Gon asked.

  "Nothing from you," Balog said contemptuously. "You've done enough already. You found this place. Well, your Worker allies won't find anything here when they arrive. No records. Nothing to spy on, nothing to steal."

  "You set the weapons room to detonate," Qui-Gon guessed.

  "I'll be gone before that happens. We have plenty of support in the city. We don't need these followers to accomplish what we need to."

  "You don't care what lives are lost."

  "I care about Apsolon. My Apsolon," Balog said fiercely. "Not the Apsolon the Workers want. You Jedi are in my way." He stepped back and accessed a door behind him. A tiny space contained a small transport with a bubble-shaped top. Another door was cut into the far wall. No doubt it was to allow the exit of the transport into the lake. The interior door would close, allowing the compartment to flood.

  "Now I'm leaving. You may make it out of here when the explosives room goes, but I doubt it — especially when you have to drag your friend along." Balog pointed to Tahl with his chin. "And believe me, she's in no shape to walk. I made sure of that."

  Qui-Gon tensed, then relaxed. It took an effort of will to absorb his anger and continue to wait for his opening.

  "I leave you to your fate," Balog said, stepping back toward the transport. His small, dark eyes glinted. "Don't move, either of you. You see my finger near this button? If you try to stop me and are a fraction off, if you stumble, if you give m
e only a split second, I can press it. If you move toward me, I could flinch and press it. If, in short, one of the thousand things that could go wrong does go wrong, Tahl will die."

  Qui-Gon sprang. He had never moved faster or more surely. He knew that Balog did not see him, that one moment he was standing meters away and the next he was in the air next to him. With careful precision, Qui-Gon brought his lightsaber down, neatly slicing off Balog's finger. The transmitter fell to the floor.

  "I guess you didn't flinch," Qui-Gon said. Howling with pain and rage, Balog backed up toward the transport as he fumbled for his blaster with his good hand. Obi-Wan sprang forward as Qui-Gon headed for Tahl.

  Another explosion rocked the cave, this one larger than before. The force of the blast almost knocked Obi-Wan to the ground. The sensory deprivation device began to slide. Qui-Gon threw himself toward it and caught it in his arms. He laid it down gently.

  Instead of attacking Obi-Wan, Balog aimed his fire at the sensory deprivation device. Qui-Gon ignored the ping of blaster fire around his head; he knew his Padawan would deflect it. A chain of explosions went off and dirt began to rain down from the cave ceiling. Obi-Wan sprang into the tiny holding room as Balog scrambled into the transport.

  "Leave him, Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon shouted. He put his lightsaber to work, cutting away at the deprivation device.

  Balog accessed the exit. Water poured into the tiny room, knocking Obi-Wan off his feet. His lightsaber shorted out.

  Qui-Gon had a bigger worry: Soon the room would be flooded.

  "Obi-Wan!"

  Balog's transport took off underwater, bouncing wildly as it fought against the impact of the water gushing toward the opening.

  "Let him go!" Qui-Gon bellowed. "Tahl will drown!" The deprivation device was now floating. Qui-Gon held his lightsaber aloft. If it touched the water, it would short out, too. Qui-Gon could feel Tahl's life force flickering. They had to get her out of here.

  Obi-Wan struggled to his feet. The water was now up to his knees. He felt his leg ache as he pushed toward Qui-Gon, who had opened a seam in the side of the device.

  "That sounded like the main weapons room," Qui-Gon said tersely. "The cave could collapse. Let's get Tahl out of here."

  Water was now almost to their waists. Qui-Gon deactivated his lightsaber and quickly tucked it into his belt. Desperately, he lifted Tahl out of the device. She said nothing, her head flopping against his chest as though she couldn't support it. To see her so weak sent agony ripping through him. They struggled through the water toward the opening Obi-Wan had cut in the door.

  Once they were through the opening, they were able to stand. Water was pouring through the opening, and the door was starting to strain against its bolts, but the water in the tunnel was only ankle deep. They ran, splashing through the flooding, and reached the dry area of the cave.

  The smoke was thick and acrid now, burning their lungs. The cave area was deserted.

  Qui-Gon allowed Tahl to slide down his body so that she was on her feet. Her legs immediately gave way. He picked her up again and cradled her against him. He had to control his anger against Balog for her sake. What she needed from him was calm.

  "Tahl," he said gently. "We're going to get you out of here."

  One hand curled around his neck. He felt the gesture, her cold hand against his neck, and it curdled his blood. It was the same gesture she had made in the vision, the gesture that had told him how close to death she was.

  She managed to smile up at him. "It is too late for me, dear friend,"

  she said softly.

  Chapter 17

  They knew the Jedi Masters were watching. They were only ten years old, too young yet to be chosen as Padawans. But they knew the choice was coming soon. Some Jedi students had been chosen as young as eleven.

  It was called Exhibition Day, and they had performed exercises while the Jedi Masters watched. Force exercises, balance, endurance, climbing, jumping, swimming. Sometimes they split into teams of two or four. It was play, but it was also serious.

  The last exercise was a series of training lightsaber matches. Some were done blindfolded. Some pitted one student against two attackers. Qui- Gon won all his matches. It came down to him and Clee Rhara and Tahl. Then Tahl beat Clee Rhara.

  "Guess that leaves us," she whispered as she bowed to him at the start of the final match. "Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."

  They had been matched many times before. He knew how fast she was.

  She knew how strong he was. Knowing each other's strengths made the match more interesting. Qui-Gon found fighting Tahl to be both exhausting and exhilarating. It brought out his best skills.

  They whirled around the space, using every inch of wall and floor.

  All the Jedi students admired Tahl's gymnastic abilities. She could run up a wall, twist, and come at you with a sweeping backhand twist that left you dizzy.

  Tahl fought hard. Qui-Gon admired how just when he thought she was tiring, she would find fresh strength. He could not match her agility, but he was able to surprise her with strategy. He saw her eyes flash with astonishment and her teeth grit in determination as she parried his blows and came at him with a series of twists and reversals.

  The match was not timed. It would only end when one of them scored a blow. Exhaustion began to slow their moves, but they did not stop or make mistakes. He could hear the murmur among the spectators, wondering how long the two students could continue. He sensed more Jedi Masters arriving.

  Tahl's face was a mask. She had gone deep within herself, past her exhaustion to a place of sheer will. Qui-Gon had never felt so tired. His arm muscles shook. His legs felt watery. They trembled. Still he did not stop or make a mistake.

  Then Tahl's foot slipped. Just a fraction, but it was enough. The floor was wet with their sweat. She left herself vulnerable for one split second, and he moved forward, kicking out with one foot and driving the lightsaber from her grasp. At the same time he brought his own lightsaber close to her. He did not touch her with it. He was not willing to give her even the slightest sting from the training saber.

  "Match to Qui-Gon," one of the Jedi Masters spoke.

  Qui-Gon and Tahl bowed to each other. Then they collapsed together on a bench nearby.

  "A good match," he said, panting.

  "It would have been better if I'd won." He shook his head. "Don't you ever give up?"

  She wiped the sweat off her forehead with a towel. "Never"

  Qui-Gon felt disoriented, as though he were in a dream. He was living inside his vision. His greatest fear had visited him. He thought he had known desperation in that vision, but the living reality was far worse.

  Tahl's eyes closed, and she slumped against him. He felt her muscles go slack, and she melted against him as though she no longer had bones. He had never realized Tahl could feel so soft against him. He had only known her strength. He held her against his chest.

  "You should leave me," she whispered. "I don't have long…"

  He leaned his head down to speak into her ear. "No. It is not too late. You never give up. The Force is still with you. I am with you. You cannot leave me now. Not now."

  "I… will try, for you," she breathed. "Qui-Gon, we must go," Obi- Wan said desperately.

  He nodded and let his Padawan lead the way. Tahl was no burden. She felt light in his arms.

  Fissures had opened in the ceiling, and water streamed in from above.

  The cave was slowly collapsing. Water poured out of the side tunnel where Balog had left.

  "Do you think we can reach the cave entrance?" Obi-Wan asked.

  Qui-Gon eyed the water pouring from the ceiling and the thick smoke ahead. "Doubtful. We can try to find another way out."

  "There is another… exit," Tahl said. Qui-Gon had to bend down to hear her. "To the underwater base."

  "I saw it," Obi-Wan said. "Let's try it. But what about Eritha?"

  Qui-Gon hesitated. "Let's get to the entrance to the underwater base first."
He did not want to have to decide between Tahl's life and Eritha's.

  But he knew he could not leave without looking for the young girl.

  Tahl stirred again. "Eritha is here? We can't leave her, we must…"

  Each word seemed to cost her a great effort.

  Qui-Gon stilled her with a hand on her hair. "We won't."

  The cave had been evacuated. Another explosion shook the cave and they staggered with its power. More water streamed from the ceiling.

  They reached the side tunnel that led to the underwater structure.