The Day of Reckoning(23)

“You there! Can you give us a hand?”

Two workers were busily loading supplies onto a gravsled. One of them waved a hand at Obi-Wan and Andra.

“Time to head for those skyhoppers,” Obi-Wan murmured.

Obi-Wan waved back, as if he couldn’t hear over the noise of the maintenance hauler’s departure. Then he and Andra headed off in the other direction.

“Don’t hurry,” he told Andra, whose pace kept quickening, showing her anxiety.

They strolled to the skyhoppers. They had just reached them when the alarm sounded.

“Intruders,” a voice intoned. “Intruders.”

“Okay, now hurry,” Obi-Wan said.

He leaped inside and Andra followed. He settled himself behind the controls as the roof began to close overhead. Obi-Wan fired up the engines. The craft rose in the air. The doors above continued to close, the opening narrowing. Obi-Wan pushed the engines to full power.

“We can’t make it!” Andra screamed.

Obi-Wan yanked the controls so that the skyhopper flew sideways. He aimed for the small opening and cleared it by a centimeter on either side.

“Are we through?” Andra asked, her eyes closed. Sweat beaded her forehead, and her hands clutched the seat.

“We’re through,” Obi-Wan answered. He wiped the sweat off his own forehead with his sleeve. “Next stop, Thani.” Chapter 14

Qui-Gon paced impatiently near the central ring of the dome. He was careful to keep his hood forward to conceal his face. The mid-game break was taking place, and much of the crowd had headed for the food stalls, but he couldn’t take a chance of being spotted. His picture was on every information kiosk in Thani.

Obi-Wan and Andra should have been back by now. What if something had happened to Obi-Wan? This was the second time the boy had been in great danger. Again, Qui-Gon had allowed it to happen.

“Settle down, Qui-Gon,” Den said. “You’re making me nervous.” But Qui-Gon noted that Den’s face was taut with nerves, and he continually scanned the aisles around them.

“You’re worried about Andra, too,” Qui-Gon said.

“Who, me?” Den said, turning away. “I don’t worry about other people. Only myself. I’m the one who’s about to bet his life savings.”

Once Den had rigged the results so that he could win the lottery, he had to come up with the resources to make a credible bet. Den had added all the credits he had to one of the many easy loans available on Telos. If he lost, he would be liable for a heavy debt.

“Are you certain you interpreted the game correctly?” Qui-Gon asked. “You’re sure you know who will win?”

“I’ll get my legs broken if I’m wrong,” Den said. “It’s Kama Elias. Relax.”

“Remember, after you win, I’ll be right here,” Qui-Gon advised him. “Don’t even entertain the possibility of taking off with that prize. That money is going straight back into the treasury of Telos.”

“Of course it is,” Den said. “Kill me now if you think I’d double-cross my friends.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Qui-Gon said dryly.

The dais in the central ring began to rise, signaling the start of the next round of games. Qui-Gon and Den took their seats. Qui-Gon kept an eye out for Obi-Wan. After the lottery winners bet on the final contest, Xanatos would present the prize. Then scenes of what Katharsis funded would flash on the giant screens. Instead of images of pristine beauty, the crowd would see scenes of devastation. But only if Obi-Wan returned in time.

The second round of games began. The battered contestants now played a round of shock ball. Roars from the crowd encouraged the most savage play.

Qui-Gon’s worry intensified. Where was Obi-Wan?

He remembered the circumstances of their leaving the Temple. They had stood together on the landing platform, ready to take a shuttle to the spaceliner port. They had already said good-bye to their friends, to Tahl and Bant and Garen. They had said good-bye to a disapproving Yoda.

“It is not too late, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon had said. “There will be no shame if you remain here. It will not interfere with what happens with us later. I promise you that. It is better for you if you stay.”

He remembered the clear resolution in Obi-Wan’s gaze. “I can’t say that you need me, Qui-Gon. I know you can do this on your own. But I will help.”

Now Qui-Gon admonished himself. He had thought then that he could not prevent Obi-Wan from coming. He had taken the resolution in the boy’s gaze to mean that even if he insisted, Obi-Wan would not walk back into the Temple and remain.

But was that true? Was his own quiet gratitude what had been most important at that moment? Again, it was his own emotion that had swayed him. Should he have taken a firm stance and insisted Obi-Wan remain? Had he been selfish?