Whirling so quickly Qui Gon had barely caught the movement, Xanatos sprang at Obi Wan.

Obi Wan leapt back.

Leila leapt forward.

Red, purple and green light clashed mightily.

Qui Gon actually stepped back the clash of the Force rocked him so.

The tunnel filled with smoke as the three of them fought madly.

Qui Gon recovered and circled them, trying to see through the smoke and bodies and whirling lightsabers.

Suddenly Xanatos bounded out and went down the tunnel.

Qui Gon dashed after him, Obi Wan and Leila on his heels. Turning a corner, they just had time to see Xanatos disappear down a smaller corridor. He was gone.

"Wait, Qui Gon, Obi Wan panted. "Are you certain we should follow?"

"Why not?" asked Qui Gon impatiently. His lightsaber was hot in his hand.

"Because he wants us to," said Obi Wan simply.

"It's too late now," said Qui Gon. "He has chosen the field of battle, true. But we can defeat him."

Qui Gon turned and ran down the tunnel after Xanatos. Obi Wan and Leila exchanged glances. Then together, they hurried after him. They both would stand by him until their last breath was gone.

Suddenly, Qui Gon stopped. He saw a sign glowing ahead. Core 5. VeerTa had lied to him. Or else she had not known this tunnel existed.

The tunnel opened out into a slightly wider one. The glow lights were bright here. Immediately after they had left the smaller tunnel, several things happened.

The Force slapped Leila in the face with alarm. "No!" she screamed.

Qui Gon and Obi Wan whirled.

Leila drew her lightsaber, ignited it and whirled. She slashed at the door they had just come through.

But she was too late. The doors clamped shut.

They where trapped.

Leila leaned against the door. "We're trapped," she said softly. Slowly she straightened. "And he's here."

Then the lights went out.

The mocking voice came from out of the void. "I hope the two of you have time for a temple exercise." Suddenly, in the darkness, a red lightsaber ignited.

Leila and Qui Gon didn't even wait for Xanatos to strike. They leapt on him, using the Force to guide them. Moments later, Obi Wan's green light entered the flashing lights.

Suddenly, Xanatos backed into a wall.

Leila gasped.

The wall turned transparent and a door opened.

Xanatos grinned and sprang inside.

"It's a lift tube!" shouted Qui Gon. He rushed forward but the transparent door closed.

Xanatos' voice echoed through the cavern through some sort of amplification device. "It doesn't matter what you do now. The mine is about to blow. I've created the same conditions for explosion as I did last time. Except more so. Gases are mixing and will combust,. I have enough time to get to the surface. You do not."

They heard the lift shoot up out of the mine.

The voice of Xanatos echoed in the darkness. "Goodbye, my old Master. May your death be as painful as my father's."

Obi Wan grabbed Leila's hand. "The crosscut tunnel."

They all ran back to entrance. But it was sealed.

"It's sealed," said Qui Gon. "And I cannot open it. Not with the Force."

"Sh," said Leila. She concentrated and ran her hands over the wall. "There's a panel here." She opened it. Several buttons glowed. She pushed them but nothing happened. "Some sort of locking device," she muttered.

"He said we didn't have much time," said Obi Wan. He looked around the tunnel. "Qui Gon, he said the blast would be more powerful…"

"Yes," said Qui Gon. "And I'm sure he was sincere."

Leila turned from the panel. Her thoughts began turning quickly. "There's only one thing to do," she said. "I can get us out of here."

"No," said Obi Wan. "Leila, I can't let you do that."

"You can't stop me."

"I will."

"Obi Wan…"

"Leila, I will not let you do that."

Qui Gon looked back and forth between the two of them as they argued. He felt a deep unease stir within him. "What do you mean?"

Obi Wan touched the collar around his neck. "I have the transmitter," he said. "I can reactivate it. If I push myself up against the door, the explosion should open it."

"No."

"Yes, Qui Gon, I will do it," said Obi Wan.

"No," said Leila. "You don't have enough power in yours. You'll need mine too."

All the color drained from Qui Gon's face. "No!" he thundered.

Leila pulled out her transmitter. "You have to evacuate this mine. Thousands could die if you don't."

Qui Gon was as close to panicking as he had ever been in his whole life. Here in this small space where the two people he cared most about in the whole world. One he had cared for eleven years. And the other…he had just learned to care for. "You'll never survive the blast!"

Obi Wan was looking into Leila's eyes.

She dimpled a dazzling smile at him. "I always wanted to go out with a bang."