[Jedi Quest] - 02(24)

Obi-Wan could see their attacker now. It was another bountyhunter. He was tall and lean and dressed in plastoid armor.Two harnesses were slung crosswise around his body, filledwith a variety of weapons. Attached to his belt were morethermal detonators.

He flipped one toward the Jedi. Obi-Wan and Anakin couldnot deflect it with their lightsabers. They would not beable to get close enough. They had exactly six seconds tomove out of the way.

Obi-wan reached for the cable line on his belt. He lassoedthe detonator and jerked the line, sending it in theopposite direction, back toward the attacker. He saw theattacker bare his teeth in an admiring smile at the Jedi’sskill even as he reached up to catch it in his bare hand.Then he flung it backward, where it detonated harmlessly.

The attacker did not have to move. His weapons could belaunched from a distance. But Obi-Wan and Anakin had tomaneuver through thick snow to get to him. Anakin had hiscable line out and was ready to lasso the next detonator.Obi-Wan ran through the snow. The wind had formed deepdrifts, and he had to use the Force to guide him. He usedhis lightsaber to melt the snow when it piled up againsthim.

The detonators flew toward them furiously. Occasionallythey could hit one with a rock or lasso one. But mostly thetwo Jedi had to outrun them.

Obi-Wan’s legs were beginning to tire from strugglingagainst the snow. He could hear the rasp of Anakin’sbreath. How long could they keep this up? Obi-Wanwondered.

Beside the attacker, Obi-Wan saw steam rising from the snow.He caught a glint of water and realized it was a thermalspring.

“Anakin, head right,” he called to his Padawan.

They moved silently to the attacker’s right. Every timethey moved, they brought him closer to the spring.

Ten detonators left on his belt. Obi-Wan took a chance andleaped, ducking to avoid a detonator headed his way. Itexploded and he felt shock ways against his skin. He landedon the snow awkwardly and slid down the slope toward hisattacker.

Anakin leaped in order to land in front of him, blocking hisdescent. Two detonators headed their way, and Obi-Wanlassoed one and sent it crashing into the other. The twosmoking orbs fell into the deep snow.

“The thermal pool,” he said to Anakin. “Drive him towardit.”

Anakin nodded. He looked tired. Obi-Wan was, too. Yet heknew that beyond their fatigue lay their stamina.

When they were close enough, Obi-Wan risked a leap straightat their attacker. He knew he would cause him to back up,and the attacker did. He slid on the ice and fell back,crashing into the spring.

The attacker slipped beneath the surface of the water, thenemerged, treading water. He shook the hair out of his eyesand gazes at Obi-Wan with a hostile look.

Obi-Wan stood at the edge. He held out a hand. “You haveabout ten seconds.”

“Yes.”

The attacker knew the extreme heat would cause a fusionreaction. The thermal detonators would blow.

His eyes were a vivid color between silver and lilac. Therewas a scar on his upper lip. His hair was long and tiedback with a silver cord.

“Come on,” Obi-Wan said, keeping his hand steady. We won’thurt you.”

“Not you, but another,” the bounty hunter said. “If Ireturn to him without you, he will kill me anyway. I willhave an easier death this way. You don’t know his power.It comes from the pyramid itself.”

“You don’t have to return to him,” Obi-Wan said.

“Ah. But he will find me.” The bounty hunter closed hiseyes.

Obi-Wan reached out over the water. “You must give up!”

“I cannot,” the bounty hunter replied, his eyes stillclosed. “And I must tell you this - neither will he.”

Obi-Wan leaped into the pool. But it was too late. Thethermal detonators exploded. Water rose and hit Obi-Wan inthe face. He choked and slipped beneath the water, thensurfaced, struggling against the waves created by theexplosion. Smoke rolled toward him.

The smoke cleared. Deep below the clear surface of thewater, he saw the bounty hunter’s body spiral down, down, toa bottomless pool beneath.





Chapter Fifteen


Anakin hurried over to the thermal pool. His Master hadhauled himself out and stood at the edge. The steamingwater pooled at his feet, melting the snow.

Through the smoke and the steam, he could see the sadness onhis Master’s face. The Force was strong here. His Masterwas reaching out to it and gathering it around, as thoughwarming himself. Obi-Wan’s gaze was far away.

“Master? Are you all right?”

“I am saying goodbye to a being I did not know,” Obi-Wansaid softly.

The reverence in his tone surprised Anakin. “He could havekilled you.”

“Yet he did not. There is always a need for grief when abeing dies, Padawan. Qui-Gon taught me that.” Obi-Wanlooked down into the steaming pool. “I saw someone take hisown life in a pool like this one. It was Xanatos, Qui-Gon’sgreatest enemy. A being who hated Qui-Gon and who wouldstop at nothing to destroy him. Still, when he took his ownlife, Qui-Gon stopped to mourn his life’s passing. I willnever forget it.”