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Chapter 8: A Deadly Turn of Fate
Qui-Gon knelt near the pool, the same pool that Xanatos had died in..no, had gone into, Qui-Gon reminded himself. Before he could not believe that Xanatos had survived, but now he had an idea on what may have happened.
Peering into the pool he could easily see the bottom through the crystal clear water. Reaching a hand in, he swirled the water around, testing the temperature of the water. Andra and Layla exchanged quick glances. Neither of them knew what the Jedi had on his mind, and they scooted closer to see what he was doing.
As he suspected the water was warm. "Layla, the porforcine," he said quietly, holding out his hand. She quickly placed the vial in his hand. Qui- Gon removed the cork and slowly poured the green liquid in. At once the water reacted. The clear water immediately turned black, and the surface bubbled.
Holding a hand carefully over the top of the surface, sensing if there had been a temperature change. He could feel none, and taking a breath, he submerged his hand. Andra cried out in surprise, but the Jedi didn't even flinch.
"Don't worry, the temperature hasn't even changed," he said quietly, a bit surprised himself. He withdrew his hand, holding it up for the others to see. It was true, his hand was completely fine, expect the edge of his sleeve had disappeared, as if the fabric had been eaten up.
Seeing this, Qui-Gon submerged his arm up to his elbow in the pool, leaving it in for a few moments. When he withdrew it the fabric up to his elbow had disappeared. "It seems as if though the chemicals in this potion is harmless to a person, but it is deadly for clothing," Qui-Gon said, remembering how he and Obi-Wan had seen Xanatos' cape dissolve before their eyes.
"Xanatos knew what pools were connected, and which ones were separate. He poured porforcine into the four separate pools to make them look as if they were contaminated like the others. This is how he survived."
"But," Andra cut in, "Where would he go? Even if he had this planed, there was no where he could have gone. No one saw him leave the pool."
Qui-Gon nodded. "Yes, that is true. That is what I'm going to try and figure out next. Layla, do you have the other vial?"
Layla nodded, handing him the blue tube. Before they had left they had stopped by a friends of Layla who was skilled in potions. He had created a potion that would stop the reaction the porforcine would have.
Quickly he uncorked the small bottle and poured the contents into the pool. Within minutes the water was crystal clear and undisturbed. Once again Qui- Gon checked to see if the water would have any strange effect on him. Once he was sure, he pulled an Aqua breather out, and slid into the pool.
The pool water reached over his head, and he found once he was under that he had plenty of room to work with. Quickly he ran his hands over the walls, feeling for any slight disturbance in the balance. Within moments he found a seam, almost invisible, a blank wall.
Placing both hands on it he concentrated on the force, and soon it flickered, and disappeared.
Andra and Layla watched in disbelief as Qui-Gon slid through what seemed like a solid wall. They exchanged worried glances as he disappeared from sight. Andra squeezed her shoulder gently. "Don't worry. He's a Jedi, he knows what to do."
**************
Obi-Wan slid on the brown robe easily. His body still ached from the pounded he had received, but now he no longer noticed it. Sliding his lightsaber onto a belt strap he quickly left his room, walking through the large carpeted hallways. Halfway down the hallway he turned into a room that was on his left.
Xanatos was waiting for him there, and smiled softly as Obi-Wan bowed in greeting. His plan had worked. "Are you ready?" he asked quietly.
Obi-Wan nodded softly. "Yes Master," he replied easily.
Xanatos laughed lightly. "You will arrive at Coruscant within the next two days. Don't fail," he warned lightly.
Obi-Wan nodded. "I won't master. You have my word."
"Good, let us eat before you depart."
********
Qui-Gon found himself in a small tunnel, crawling on his hands and knees. There was just enough room for him to get through, and he knew that Xanatos would have had plenty of room in order to make it through.
"So," he muttered to himself, "This is how he escaped." He cursed himself for being so easily misguided. Now his mistake may cost Obi-Wan's life.
The tunnel led into an open room. It now was deserted, but Qui-Gon could tell that someone had been here not too long ago. Moving the strands of wet hair from his face he examined the room quickly. There had to be another way out. As Andra said before, no one had seen him come out of the pool, so there had to be another way out, wasn't there?
I the corner he could see that an edge of an old painting was off set. Curiously he moved over, and lifted the painting from the wall. Behind it was a door. Qui-Gon quirked an eyebrow as he opened it. Another hallway stood before him, halfway filled with closed crates.
Scooting through the hallway, he carefully eased the lid off one of the crates. To his surprise it was willed with guns, and so was the next. The third was filled with blasters. 'SO' he thought, placing the lids back on 'that's two questions answered.' Now he just needed to report to the council.
As if on cue, his comlink singled. Qui-Gon answered it swiftly. "Qui-Gon, it's Tahl."
"I'm here," he reassured.
"We just got a message in, I thought you might like to hear it." it was silent for a moment, then the recording came on. "Qui-Gon it's me, Obi-Wan. I'm on my way back to the temple. I'm okay. You probably have a lot of questions, but my comlink is almost dead, so I'll have to talk later, I .." The voice died out.
Qui-Gon let out a breath of air. "What about Xanatos? How did he escape?" he asked hoarsely.
"I'm not sure Qui-Gon, but the Council has already thought of some possibilities. They prepared for anything. They have his ship on a tracking system, he will be back here tomorrow."
"Then I will be there also," he replied, signing off.
*******
The door opened softly as the guard walked in.
"You called?"
Xanatos nodded. "Start handing out the weapons. We leave for Coruscant in two days. By then Obi-Wan will have Qui-Gon out of the way as planned. We must act quickly. After you finish that, bring the new slaves up, it's time."
The guard nodded, leaving the room.
"It's time," Xanatos said softly. The time would come when justice was served. With the Jedi out of the way, nothing would be able to stop him.
TBC
Chapter 8: A Deadly Turn of Fate
Qui-Gon knelt near the pool, the same pool that Xanatos had died in..no, had gone into, Qui-Gon reminded himself. Before he could not believe that Xanatos had survived, but now he had an idea on what may have happened.
Peering into the pool he could easily see the bottom through the crystal clear water. Reaching a hand in, he swirled the water around, testing the temperature of the water. Andra and Layla exchanged quick glances. Neither of them knew what the Jedi had on his mind, and they scooted closer to see what he was doing.
As he suspected the water was warm. "Layla, the porforcine," he said quietly, holding out his hand. She quickly placed the vial in his hand. Qui- Gon removed the cork and slowly poured the green liquid in. At once the water reacted. The clear water immediately turned black, and the surface bubbled.
Holding a hand carefully over the top of the surface, sensing if there had been a temperature change. He could feel none, and taking a breath, he submerged his hand. Andra cried out in surprise, but the Jedi didn't even flinch.
"Don't worry, the temperature hasn't even changed," he said quietly, a bit surprised himself. He withdrew his hand, holding it up for the others to see. It was true, his hand was completely fine, expect the edge of his sleeve had disappeared, as if the fabric had been eaten up.
Seeing this, Qui-Gon submerged his arm up to his elbow in the pool, leaving it in for a few moments. When he withdrew it the fabric up to his elbow had disappeared. "It seems as if though the chemicals in this potion is harmless to a person, but it is deadly for clothing," Qui-Gon said, remembering how he and Obi-Wan had seen Xanatos' cape dissolve before their eyes.
"Xanatos knew what pools were connected, and which ones were separate. He poured porforcine into the four separate pools to make them look as if they were contaminated like the others. This is how he survived."
"But," Andra cut in, "Where would he go? Even if he had this planed, there was no where he could have gone. No one saw him leave the pool."
Qui-Gon nodded. "Yes, that is true. That is what I'm going to try and figure out next. Layla, do you have the other vial?"
Layla nodded, handing him the blue tube. Before they had left they had stopped by a friends of Layla who was skilled in potions. He had created a potion that would stop the reaction the porforcine would have.
Quickly he uncorked the small bottle and poured the contents into the pool. Within minutes the water was crystal clear and undisturbed. Once again Qui- Gon checked to see if the water would have any strange effect on him. Once he was sure, he pulled an Aqua breather out, and slid into the pool.
The pool water reached over his head, and he found once he was under that he had plenty of room to work with. Quickly he ran his hands over the walls, feeling for any slight disturbance in the balance. Within moments he found a seam, almost invisible, a blank wall.
Placing both hands on it he concentrated on the force, and soon it flickered, and disappeared.
Andra and Layla watched in disbelief as Qui-Gon slid through what seemed like a solid wall. They exchanged worried glances as he disappeared from sight. Andra squeezed her shoulder gently. "Don't worry. He's a Jedi, he knows what to do."
**************
Obi-Wan slid on the brown robe easily. His body still ached from the pounded he had received, but now he no longer noticed it. Sliding his lightsaber onto a belt strap he quickly left his room, walking through the large carpeted hallways. Halfway down the hallway he turned into a room that was on his left.
Xanatos was waiting for him there, and smiled softly as Obi-Wan bowed in greeting. His plan had worked. "Are you ready?" he asked quietly.
Obi-Wan nodded softly. "Yes Master," he replied easily.
Xanatos laughed lightly. "You will arrive at Coruscant within the next two days. Don't fail," he warned lightly.
Obi-Wan nodded. "I won't master. You have my word."
"Good, let us eat before you depart."
********
Qui-Gon found himself in a small tunnel, crawling on his hands and knees. There was just enough room for him to get through, and he knew that Xanatos would have had plenty of room in order to make it through.
"So," he muttered to himself, "This is how he escaped." He cursed himself for being so easily misguided. Now his mistake may cost Obi-Wan's life.
The tunnel led into an open room. It now was deserted, but Qui-Gon could tell that someone had been here not too long ago. Moving the strands of wet hair from his face he examined the room quickly. There had to be another way out. As Andra said before, no one had seen him come out of the pool, so there had to be another way out, wasn't there?
I the corner he could see that an edge of an old painting was off set. Curiously he moved over, and lifted the painting from the wall. Behind it was a door. Qui-Gon quirked an eyebrow as he opened it. Another hallway stood before him, halfway filled with closed crates.
Scooting through the hallway, he carefully eased the lid off one of the crates. To his surprise it was willed with guns, and so was the next. The third was filled with blasters. 'SO' he thought, placing the lids back on 'that's two questions answered.' Now he just needed to report to the council.
As if on cue, his comlink singled. Qui-Gon answered it swiftly. "Qui-Gon, it's Tahl."
"I'm here," he reassured.
"We just got a message in, I thought you might like to hear it." it was silent for a moment, then the recording came on. "Qui-Gon it's me, Obi-Wan. I'm on my way back to the temple. I'm okay. You probably have a lot of questions, but my comlink is almost dead, so I'll have to talk later, I .." The voice died out.
Qui-Gon let out a breath of air. "What about Xanatos? How did he escape?" he asked hoarsely.
"I'm not sure Qui-Gon, but the Council has already thought of some possibilities. They prepared for anything. They have his ship on a tracking system, he will be back here tomorrow."
"Then I will be there also," he replied, signing off.
*******
The door opened softly as the guard walked in.
"You called?"
Xanatos nodded. "Start handing out the weapons. We leave for Coruscant in two days. By then Obi-Wan will have Qui-Gon out of the way as planned. We must act quickly. After you finish that, bring the new slaves up, it's time."
The guard nodded, leaving the room.
"It's time," Xanatos said softly. The time would come when justice was served. With the Jedi out of the way, nothing would be able to stop him.
TBC