Chapter Eleven

Instantly, Sarali's decision was made and she ran back toward the hangar. When she got there, she noticed a great deal of wreckage, but no Jedi. The doors! Quickly, Sarali hurried to one set of doors, she could feel them fighting still through there. The doors opened to reveal the energy core. It was gigantic. If she hadn't been Force Sensitive, she would not have been able to find them, but as it was, she could sense them a few levels up from her. She quickly ran down the walkway to a spot where the levels overlapped. Then, she jumped up. She landed a level up and jumped again, and again.

Now that she was on the right level, she could see Obi-Wan. He was behind some type of energy barrier, watching something closely. She ran closer and saw a black figure pacing farther down the hallway. An energy barrier separated him and Qui-Gon, who knelt on the floor, resting.

Sarali did not call out. That would distract them. Instead, she ran toward them, stopping at the first barrier. Seconds later, the barriers dropped one by one. Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber, and Qui-Gon leapt to his feet in one fluid motion.

Instantly, Qui-Gon and the horned man were fighting once more. Obi-Wan ran toward them, as did Sarali, but she could not catch up with him. He was taller and longer legged. The barriers went up again, trapping Obi-Wan one away from helping his master. Sarali was several farther back.

Qui-Gon and the horned man fought around a great pit, seemingly equally matched. However, the stranger hit Qui-Gon in the nose before stabbing him in the stomach. "NO!" Obi-Wan yelled, while Sarali barely managed to restrain herself.

Qui-Gon collapsed to the floor, dyeing. At the same time, the stranger walked over to stand before Obi-Wan, ready to fight him. He did not notice her.

The two waited for a minute. A second before the barrier shut down again, they both ignited their lightsabers. As soon as they were able to, they began to fight again.

Sarali ran forward, not caring for personal safety. She hurried around the pit to Qui-Gon. He was stil alive, but barely.

"Qui-Gon," she said softly as she picked up his head to help him breathe.

"Use your gifts," he said weakly, "You are force sensitive. Use it."

Almost as soon as he said that, Sarali felt a change in fight. She looked over, but only saw the stranger, looking down into the pit. She inhaled sharply before she noticed Qui-Gon's lightsaber on the floor next to her.

In a second, she jumped up, lightsaber in hand and ignited, and attacked the stranger. He was far more skilled than her, but she used a technique he had never seen before. All she could do was fend off his attacks.

While they fought, Obi-Wan hung on tightly to the knob on the wall of the pit. He could see them fighting, and he could tell that she would not last long against the Sith. She would die if he did not help. He could not let that happen.

The padawan gathered his strength and reached out to the Force. Then, he pulled hard with his arms, launching himself up and out of the pit.

Almost instantly, Sarali's eyes flicked to him. She dropped down and threw him his lightsaber, allowing them both to attack simultaneously. Thanks Obi-Wan, they quickly overwhelmed the stranger, which soon allowed Obi-Wan to slice him through his stomach, separating his lower half from his upper. The man tumbled backward into the pit.

Instantly, Sarali was racing to Qui-Gon's side once more. She looked back only to see Obi-Wan still standing there, breathing heavily and staring after the man he had just killed. "Obi-Wan!" she said urgently. Only then did he look up. That served as a reminder that his master was dying. The padawan then ran to Qui-Gon's side.

He lifted up the older man's head and held it. Qui-Gon spoke weakly to his padawan saying, "It's...It's too late."

"No," Obi-Wan protested weakly.

"Obi-Wan...promise...promise me you will train the boy," he said.

"Yes, Master," he said sorrowfully.

"He...is the Chosen One...he...will bring balance...train him..." Qui-Gon said. Those were his last words. He closed his eyes one last time, and died.

Obi-Wan bent over the body of his master and weapt.

Seconds later, a hand rested on his back, rubbing it gently. Another hand was at his shoulder, pulling him up from the body. Obi-Wan looked up to see Sarali. A couple tears dripped down her face, but her eyes showed more understanding for him than sorrow. She could tell that right now, he needed someone, anyone near. Because of that, she wrapped her arms around him and let him cry.