Chapter 12:

Qui-Gon arrived at the gates to the now closed Belor Gardens within a few short minutes. Even at nighttime, the Gardens still looked magnificent. Immediately behind the gates was a small waterfall with flowers of every color embedding themselves on the jagged rocks. A little far off, Qui-Gon could see several groves of exotic fruit trees swinging lightly along with the night's breeze. Everything about the garden was so peaceful, but to Qui-Gon, the tranquility seemed to be more like "the calm before a storm".

Without further ado, Qui-Gon somersaulted over the gates in a graceful move. Immediately upon landing, Qui-Gon began his search for Antes.

He searched high and low through the Gardens' many walkways and meditation towers, but there was still no sign of Antes or of anyone for that matter. A fear began to unfurl itself within him. What if he was wrong and Antes wasn't really here? If that was the case then he was wasting precious time, a luxury he didn't dare to waste. Still, some foreboding instinct was telling him that he was in the right place.

Qui-Gon still continued to search as he went further back into the Gardens, nearing the maintenance buildings. Though the buildings were called 'maintenance buildings', they themselves were in definite need of maintenance. The visible walls of the buildings were caked with cracks and weather stains. Even with a brief scan of the buildings, one could probably reasonably predict that the buildings could easily collapse from a slight breeze. Perhaps that was why the buildings had been roped off until further developments.

Not thinking much about the now abandoned maintenance buildings, Qui-Gon was about to leave the area when something caught his eyes. There was a small glimmer of light on the wall near one of the maintenance buildings that seemed to be reflecting from the moon's light.

//Was it there before?// Qui-Gon thought to himself.

Whether or not it was there before or just appeared recently, Qui-Gon was already approaching it for inspection. Upon arriving, Qui-Gon realized with both shock and joy when he saw what the object was. There, imbedded into the wall inside a small metal device, probably a timer of some sort, was a crescent shaped crystal.

Seeing the crystal again brought flood of memories back. Qui-Gon could still remember giving the crystal to Antes 10 years ago as a last request by Master Hall'uc before he died. He could still vividly see the pain on young Antes' face seeing the last birthday gift from his late Master. There was so much hurt and pain in young man's eyes, showing just how much love was shared between Master Hall'uc and him. The memory made Qui-Gon feel an overwhelming sadness when he compared the old cheerful and loving Antes to the now cold, emotionless, and sinister Antes. Though sad it may be, Qui-Gon could not dwell on it anymore, not when Obi-Wan's life was in danger. Perhaps there was still some good left in Antes, but that was a hurdle to be dealt with much later.

With the crystal now in his hand, Qui-Gon knew that Antes had purposely left the crystal there for him. Apparently, Antes had known that Qui-Gon would be at Belor Gardens, more specifically at the maintenance buildings at a certain time, hence the timing device that concealed the crystal until its programmed time.

//So this is the right place after all.// Qui-Gon thought.

Turning on his lightsaber for lighting as well as in preparation for any lurking danger, Qui-Gon entered the building. From the dim light of his green lightsaber, the inside of the building was not any better than its outward appearance. The floor was covered with dust and cobwebs with no sign of anyone ever stepping foot inside for years.

Carefully, Qui-Gon traversed through the building, looking for some more clues that Antes might have left for him. As far as his eyes could see, Qui-Gon did not detect anything of interest, saved for a few abandoned wooden crates that lay scattered around the room.

After toiling around for a while with no success, Qui-Gon began to feel the tug of despair. Just then, a sense of danger brushed him slightly through the Force. Instinctively, Qui-Gon turned to the direction of the door and heard a metallic cranking sound resonated around him like an echo. The Force was telling him to get out of there as quickly as possible and Qui- Gon began to make a dash for the door.

At the instant when he was just a few short feet from the door, Qui-Gon saw a metal wall protruding from the ceiling came hurtling down, blocking his exit. Qui-Gon jumped back in time before the metal wall pasted him. But as soon as the metal wall hit the ground, Qui-Gon could hear other loud thumping sounds all around him. Glancing around, Qui-Gon saw that the old mildewed walls full of cracks had been replaced by metal walls. He was trapped.

It was completely dark and silent now, saved for the sound of his green lightsaber humming.

*************

Mace Windu and a few other Jedi, including An-Paj was already on their way to the sulfur factory near the Belor Gardens. For the last 15 standard minutes or so, Mace Windu had tried to contact Qui-Gon through the comm link, but had no response. The lack of response worried him, but he knew that his main objective for the time being was to find Obi-Wan.

Pushing all other stray thoughts aside, Mace Windu quickened his pace towards the sulfur factory.

As the group of Jedi ran through the neighborhood adjacent to the Belor Gardens, something caught Mace Windu's eyes. Though the night was dark and the lighting on the street was minute, as a Jedi Master, Mace Windu could see clearly into the dark. There in a crumbled heap in front of the Belor Gardens' gates was a brown robe.

Without a moment's doubt, Mace Windu knew it was Qui-Gon's.

//What is Qui-Gon doing here? Didn't he say he was going to the sulfur factory near the Market Street?// Mace Windu asked himself.

Looking at Belor Gardens, Mace Windu tried to probe out to the Force to sense his friend or anything of interest. As expected, Mace Windu couldn't sense Qui-Gon, but that didn't surprise him considering they didn't have a strong bond of Master/Padawan, only of friendship. Though Mace Windu couldn't sense Qui-Gon, he did sense a foreboding darkness emanating from a far corner inside the Belor Gardens.

Turning to his fellow Jedi, Mace Windu announced." I believe Qui-Gon is in Belor Gardens somewhere and I sense danger there as well. I am going after him, but at the same time I don't want to waste any possible chances of finding Obi-Wan, so I think it's best for us to divide into groups."

"I agree" An-Paj chimed in. "I will go with you Mace."

"Good. That settles it then" Mace Windu agreed.

With that, the Jedi parted ways.

************************

Qui-Gon didn't know what these metal walls were made of but they sure were effective in guarding a Jedi. Even with the Force, Qui-Gon had only managed to create scratches against the metal walls with his lightsaber. It made Qui-Gon wonder about where Antes had been all these years, learning so many deadly things. Or better yet, how did Antes become so evil? Qui- Gon knew that Antes blamed him for Master Hall'uc's death but never once did Antes showed signs of going over to the Dark side. There was something else behind all of it. Qui-Gon could almost sensed it, but he didn't know what.

Just then, the once dark room suddenly gleamed with bright blaring light. The sudden onslaught of light blinded Qui-Gon momentarily as his eyes began to adjust themselves. After a few seconds, Qui-Gon's eyes adjusted themselves to the new environment and Qui-Gon could see that he was truly trapped among four metal walls except for the ceiling being of the old brick wall but filled with blaring lights. There was nothing on the floor except the same scattered old crates that he saw earlier.

As Qui-Gon began to inspect the metal walls closer now with the better lighting, a sense of dread filled him. A voice inside his head was telling him to duck. Without a thought, Qui-Gon immediately dived to the ground as one of the crates near him exploded.

Dust and scrapnels covered him, but with the exception of a few cuts and bruises Qui-Gon was unharmed. Qui-Gon picked himself up, coughing from the swirls of gas and dust still remaining from the explosion. He came to inspect the exploded crate and was glad to find the planted "bomb" was of low intensity. Even if Qui-Gon were nearer, he probably would have survived. As he searched through the remains of the crate, some thing caught his eyes.

There amongst the dust and scarpnels was a transmitter device of some sort. Qui-Gon picked it up and studied it carefully. It was a regular transmitter hologram device, but Qui-Gon could see that it was programmed for an incoming message at a set time. Checking his chronometer, Qui-Gon knew that it was only a matter of minutes until the transmitter hologram device would display its message.

As time slowly ticked away, Qui-Gon was getting anxious, knowing fully that the message probably would be from Antes.

A minute passed, then two…the time was up…

Right on time, the transmitter hologram device whizzed to life, projecting a life-size screen. Setting the device down to the ground, Qui-Gon waited for the message. At first, the screen was blank, then it flickered a little but nothing could be seen. At the top corner of the screen, Qui-Gon noticed several numbers. Looking at it carefully, Qui-Gon realized now that whatever the screen was going to show in the next few seconds or minutes, it was going to be live not a prerecorded message. For reasons unknown, Qui-Gon could feel a lump starting to form inside his throat.

As if eternity had passed, the blank screen began to project images. Half expecting to see Antes looking back at him, Qui-Gon was aghast with shock when he saw an image of a sparsely furnished room and two occupants. One was standing defiantly with a blaster gun in hand on the right side of the screen. The other, was tied to a chair on the left side of the screen, looking deathly pale.

Qui-Gon knew immediately what was going on.

"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon cried out to the image of the pale boy being tied to a chair. He knew that Obi-Wan couldn't hear him and couldn't see him. Qui- Gon was no more than just an observer from afar. The thought sickened him.

"You don't believe me?" Antes said to Obi-Wan

"No! My Master would never do such a thing. You're lying!" Obi-Wan strained to yell back but Qui-Gon could see that the effort was taking a toll on his Padawan.

"Am I lying?" Antes said mockingly as he began to roam around the room. He looked straight at Qui-Gon as though knowing Qui-Gon was there. A sinister smile formed on his face, probably directing it at Qui-Gon since no one else was in the room and his back was to Obi-Wan.

"I am not lying Obi-Wan. Your honorable Master is not who you think he is at all. He LEFT my Master behind to die!" Antes continued, his voice now strong with anger.

"I don't believe you! Master Qui-Gon wouldn't do that unless he didn't have a choice left"

"Didn't have a choice left?!" Antes snorted. "Ha! I hardly think so. Qui- Gon HAD the means to bring my Master back, he CHOSE not to. He left my Master there! If my Master was brought back to the Healers on time then he wouldn't have died."

"I don't believe you. My Master would have done anything to save your Master."

"Oh my my. How naïve you are Obi-Wan?! What had Qui-Gon brainwashed you with all these years for you to be so blindly loyal to him?"

"He did not brainwashed me. You don't know my Master at all! He'd sacrificed his life without any hesitance to any Jedi, your Master including!" Obi-Wan tried to shout with conviction, but that effort made him cough in pain.

Qui-Gon could feel his stomach making endless knots at seeing how loyal Obi- Wan was to him, and the goodness inside Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon reprimanded himself for thinking in the past that Obi-Wan was like Xanatos. If there ever was a doubt at Obi-Wan's loyalty to the Jedi code, it had disappeared completely now.

"He'd sacrifice his life? I think not! Qui-Gon left my Master behind because bringing my Master along with him would make it more dangerous. He left to save himself!!"

"That is not true. He was going to …" Obi-Wan began but he stopped in pain.

Something was hurting him and Qui-Gon felt so helpless. He couldn't do anything to soothe Obi-Wan's pain or to barge on in to save him.

Guessing at what Obi-Wan was trying to say, Antes finished it for him." Don't be too sure about that Obi-Wan. Your Master probably only pretended to sacrifice his life to save yours to gain face."

"How would you know?"

"Why else Obi-Wan did he insist on discussing the procedure with An-Paj in your present."

"He didn't want to leave! He thought I was asleep"

"Did he now. A great Master Jedi that he is and with your bond with him, I'd be surprise if he truly didn't know you were asleep."

"I…" Obi-Wan stopped short in thoughts.

"I take it you never thought of it that way huh? Being weak as you were, it would be pathetic of your Master not to notice that you were only pretending to sleep."

At what Antes said, Qui-Gon was struck with shock and guilt. Why couldn't he see through it that Obi-Wan was only pretending to sleep? He should have been able to!!!

"No, I will never believe what you say. You don't know my Master. You only think you do but your anger has blinded you. And what's worse, you've betrayed your own Master the moment you stepped over to the Dark side."

"I did not betray him!!" Antes said in anger, his eyes were bloodshot. "I am only avenging his death. He would want me to"

"Would he Antes? I don't claim to know Master Hall'uc, but from everything that I've heard about him through those who knew him, I know he'd never condone it. You betrayed him when you had forgotten all of his teachings."

"Shut up!" Antes shouted. "I will have revenge for my Master!"

"Fine then. If you must have your revenge then seek it out on me instead. I'm already dying from your poison. I just hope that you will see clearly at what you've become now from what you once was. It's not too late to turn back Antes."

//Leave it to Obi-Wan to see the goodness in everyone// Qui-Gon thought, with his heart breaking apart bit by bit.

"I will kill you Obi-Wan, but not because of your entreaties, but because I know how much you mean to Qui-Gon. This way, he will have another life on his conscience and may it eat inside him until the end of his time. I just hope for your sake Obi-Wan that your Master has a conscience after all. If not, your death will have been in vain and for that I am truly sorry, for you would have become a great Jedi Knight."

"Do what you must Antes. I only hope you will learn the truth about what happened 10 years ago before you bury yourself any deeper." Obi-Wan said with a calm acceptance.

At this, Qui-Gon heart seemed to have stopped beating. His face became blanching white.

Antes turned to stare right at Qui-Gon again, his eyes glimmered with emotions as if saying "you caused this Qui-Gon". Then Qui-Gon saw Antes turned to face Obi-Wan with his hand on his blaster, aiming at Obi-Wan's chest.

Obi-Wan looked up to face Antes, sadness was in his eyes. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to say something but Qui-Gon couldn't catch it. Yet in his head he swore he heard a voice saying "Forgive me Master for all the pain I've caused you".

As if every second stretched out for an eternity, Qui-Gon saw Antes pull the trigger on the blaster. Qui-Gon saw the light coming out of the blaster. Qui-Gon saw the light traveling towards Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon saw it hit Obi-Wan squarely on the chest. Qui-Gon saw Obi-Wan's head lurched back from the impact then hobbled back to its final resting place on Obi-Wan's chest.

Obi-Wan didn't move, but sat there motionless with his chin to his chest, his eyes closed.

Then it came full force like a tsunami drowning him, Qui-Gon could feel the Master/Padawan bond severed as the tremendous force of it whiplashed back at him, making him fall to his knees. Desperately, Qui-Gon tried to find Obi-Wan's signature along the familiar line of the Master/Padawan, but all he found was a void. Obi-Wan was no longer there. Even when Obi-Wan was sick, though Qui-Gon could not contact him, he could still feel faint traces of him. But now…there was nothing left but a cold chilling void.

Qui-Gon didn't cry, didn't scream. He just sat there on his knees staring blankly at the now blank screen. He didn't hear the metal walls start to ascend, leaving the behind the original brick walls. He didn't hear someone pounding on the door and calling his name. He didn't hear the door swing open with tremendous force. He didn't hear running footsteps approached him. He didn't hear the worried shouts from two figures hovering over him.

He only heard the sound of the blaster going off. He only heard Obi-wan's last cry…"Forgive me Master for all the pain that I've caused you"