[b]Chapter 7[/b]
"Xanatos?"
Xanatos didn't move for a moment, testing the waters of the Force to see what danger still lurked in the mine. There was tension in the Force, but it seemed to be devoid of any imminent warning. Slowly relinquishing his grip on the Force shield surrounding him and Obi-Wan, Xanatos allowed the debris, mostly silt and small rocks, to slide off of them, and welcomed the red glow of blinking lights back into existence.
"At least we didn't lose emergency power," he murmured as he stretched as high as the narrowed ceiling would allow and then folded himself into a sitting position. "Are you okay?"
"Maybe some bumps and bruises," the boy said shyly. "I hit the ground pretty hard."
"I am sorry about that …"
"Your head," the boy gasped. An ooze of warm, slick blood dripped down over Xanatos' eye.
"Ah, the stray rock wasn't my imagination, then." It had smacked into him before he could wrap the Force around them. He ripped one of his sleeves off, not certain Corellian silk would make the best bandage. Sighing, he tied it around his head. He hated being right. If Qui-Gon had just … the realization seemed to hit both of them at the same time.
"Where's Master Qui-Gon?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Over here," the Jedi master replied with a cough.
Xanatos and Obi-Wan scrambled toward Qui-Gon. The Jedi master had been closer to the entrance of the tunnel and had therefore been subject to heavier debris. Though he was mostly unburied, it was obvious his leg was pinned. Aided by the Force, Xanatos quickly dug out the appendage, grimacing at the odd angle of his former master's boot.
"It's broken, isn't it?" Qui-Gon said softly. He seemed calm, but tense lines of pain etched his face.
"Yes," Xanatos agreed with a nod. "Quite obviously so."
"What do we do?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Fortunately, one of us had the presence of mind to grab a tracking bracelet before running headlong into danger," Xanatos nearly growled out in frustration. He felt like a padawan again, picking up the pieces of Qui-Gon's 'in the moment' impetuousness. "They should find us, but we may be here for a while."
"I need you to set my leg," Qui-Gon said to him. It wasn't the apology Xanatos was hoping for, but he felt a slight amount of satisfaction in having the master admit he needed help.
"I would be happy to," Xanatos bit back sarcastically. "There should be an emergency supply cabinent here. I might be able to find something to splint it."
Xanatos tossed Obi-Wan his comlink. "See if you can get anyone on one of the channels." The boy went right to work, seemingly glad to have a job to distract him.
Xanatos found the supply cabinent, but his attention was drawn to a consol located directly by it. Temperature, relative humidity – both were bearable. Oxygen levels – still normal, despite the cave-in. That didn't seem right. Instinct told him that the air felt too sluggish to have that much oxygen left. He opened the supply cabinent. It had been nearly crushed by falling debris, but he salvaged a dinged up first aid kit, five unbusted bottles of water, a handful of ration bars, and unfortunately only one breathing mask with air supply.
As he turned with the supplies, a glint in the opposite corner caught his attention. He took the supplies and dropped them by Qui-Gon before returning to the strange reflection. Igniting his lightsaber, he shaved a piece from the wall and studied it under the light.
Ionite.
Xanatos drew in a harsh breath. It all made sense now. The explosion – obviously a result of dangerous levels of explosive gases, undetected by compromised sensors.
"What's wrong?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Plans have changed," Xanatos murmured.
The fallen Jedi began to search the walls for any indication of an escape route. He found an opening. A glance through the Force showed that the passage led back to an open area of the mine. It was too narrow for him or Qui-Gon, but Obi-Wan would fit. That was all that mattered.
"Obi-Wan, I need you to take this passage. Tell the head of my crew that we are in Core 4, section K-7. Before sending anyone in, they need to flush the system. Tell them there is ionite." Obi-Wan nodded as Xanatos shoved the breathing mask, a bottle of water, and a ration bar into his hands. "If you come to somewhere blocked, use your saber to cut through."
"Wait," Qui-Gon called out. "He should stay here. Another explosion could collapse the tunnel."
"Go," Xanatos said, ignoring Qui-Gon as he gave Obi-Wan a boost up through the opening. "May the Force be with you."
Xanatos followed the boy's progress for a moment before returning to kneel down next to Qui-Gon. "Now, about your leg."
"I hope you know what you are doing. It was dangerous to send him when he could wait here with us for help."
"It would be more dangerous for him to stay," Xanatos murmured. "Help isn't coming."
used to Force to probe the location of bones in Qui-Gon's leg. "Ready?" he asked. Just as he had done on two separate missions he remembered as a padawan, Xanatos waited until Qui-Gon had imersed himself into the Force. Then, he moved the leg until the Force told him the bone had snapped back into place. Using two pieces of metal he had found and the bandages from the first aid kit, he splinted the leg before administering a hypo of pain killers.
"What aren't you telling me … something about the rock?"
"We're surrounded by ionite," Xanatos said softly. "It intereferes with signals and electronics. The sensors say we have oxygen, but I think you can feel how heavy the air is. This tracking bracelet is worthless, as is a comlink in here. Obi-Wan is the only one who will be able to find anyone now."
"I see – how convenient," Qui-Gon replied. "As I am essentially helpless, you could finish off what you started on Telos. Everyone would assume I died in the cave-in."
"I have no desire to kill you anymore," Xanatos murmured, surprised at the peace that washed over him with the simple admission.
"Since when?" Qui-Gon asked.
"About three days ago." Xanatos sighed contentedly. "Oh … I had plans for you on Bandomeer … quite spectacular, in fact. But the Force helped me find my way again."
"You will be needing this." Xanatos smiled before plucking the Jedi master's rebreather from his belt and handing it to him. "I know I failed you, but that boy is not me. You must train him. It's the will of the Force."
He was beginning to feel sluggish and an ache was forming behind his eyes. Already his body was craving oxygen. So strange that the Force would help him find his way in life only to ask him to forfeit it. It didn't matter. He could die in good conscience. Even if Qui-Gon continued to be stubborn, Master Yoda would see that the boy was trained. Soren was a good man who would run Offworld honorably.
"Xanatos?" Qui-Gon asked hesitantly.
Xanatos went to the corner of the small room opposite Qui-Gon and sank to his knees. Meditation still felt foreign to him after abandoning it for so long. However, he quickly found peace in the currents of the Force, unburdened for once in his life. His only regret was not being able to see the man Obi-Wan would become, but what mattered was that he would live to become that man.
"Xan?"
The concern in Qui-Gon's voice was touching. He blocked it out as his mind became heavier, more distant. As his body grew heavy and oblivion claimed him, he waited to be caught up in the arms of the Force.