Suddenly, Obi-Wan's lightsaber whirled. Qui-Gon was astonished at how quickly and gracefully the boy moved, leaping off a mound of lava to strike at Xanatos. Xanatos stumbled backward from the ferocity of the attack. A cloud of steam suddenly erupted, and he quickly lurched to one side, losing his balance and landing on one hand.
'Stronger than you,' Obi-Wan added fiercely, leaping after him.
Qui-Gon followed, admiring Obi-Wan's focus. Now the two fought as one. Xanatos had weakened, and they used this to drive him back, back against the black pool. If they could get his back against it, they would be able to disarm him or defeat him. It would be his choice.
Two swoops suddenly appeared from behind the pool. Andra and Den had found them. They landed and ran to help, their blasters at the ready.
'You will pay, Xanatos!' Andra shouted. 'We will take you back to Thani for trial!'
Xanatos stood at the edge of the water behind him. He had no hope of escape. He was surrounded, and there was nowhere to run to. His gaze traveled from Den to Andra to Obi-Wan, finally resting on Qui-Gon. The depths of his hatred turned his gaze as black and foul as the steaming pool.
'You will never have the satisfaction of killing me, Qui-Gon Jinn,' he said softly. 'And I will never submit to anyone's laws. Your hate drove you, though you won't admit it. You destroyed me because you could not save me. I am your biggest failure. Live with that. And live with this.
'No!' Qui-Gon cried, starting forward.
But he was too late. With a cruel smile that stretched his lips over his teeth like an animal, Xanatos took two quick steps backward and leaped into the boiling black pool. Andra cried out as he disappeared.
'He can't survive,' she whispered. 'The acid will strip the flesh off his bones.'
Obi-Wan shuddered. He had seen what the pool could do. Xanatos was pure evil. But he was a living being, and he had gone to a horrible fate. Qui-Gon seemed frozen, staring at the murky, stinking pool.
Slowly, something stirred in the water, spiraling upward. It was a black cape. As they watched, it disintegrated before their eyes.
Xanatos was dead at last.
Chapter 18
Den stretched his arms over his head and smiled. 'Whoever would have thought that a thief and a dinko would be the grand heroes of Telos?'
Andra threw a pillow at him. 'I'm glad all the attention hasn't gone to your head.'
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon smiled, used to Den and Andra's squabbling by now. They knew a deep affection was growing between the two.
Their return to Telos had brought everything Andra had wanted for so long. UniFy had been exposed as a front for Offworld. Their treacherous activities had come to light. The government had apologized to the people, then called for special elections. Investigations had begun into payoffs to various government heads. The governor who had turned a blind eye had resigned. The treasurer, Vox Chun, was in jail.
And Katharsis had been stopped. The citizens of Telos were horrified that they had been hoodwinked by greed. Mass delirium had taken over, they claimed. Scores of citizens had contacted Andra, hoping to join the POWER party. A new patriotism had flared on Telos, one based on commitment and stewardship of the land they cherished and had almost lost forever.
'So what kind of governor do you think I'd make?' Den asked. 'The people love me.'
'That's because they don't know you like we do,' Andra said with a grin. 'You're no politician, Den.'
'Hey, you yourself said I was good at lying,' Den protested, pretending to be hurt.
'There will be no more lying by a government on Telos, ever again,' Andra said seriously.
'I'd take that bet, but I don't like the odds,' Den added more cynically.
Qui-Gon rose. 'I wish you both luck. And we thank you for helping to clear up those charges.'
'You're free to go, but must you?' Andra asked. 'We'd love you to stay for a few days. Let me show you the beauties of Telos. The Sacred Pools will take time to clean up, but there are other places.'
'Some other time. We must return to the Temple.'
Obi-Wan rose and thanked Andra and Den. He was sorry to say good-bye. He admired Andra's commitment. He had been suspicious of Den, but he had come to appreciate him, too. He knew that in their different ways, they would work to restore Telos to the busy, peaceful, blooming world it had been.
'I know we're leaving Telos in good hands,' Obi-Wan told them. He grinned at Den. 'I'd say the odds are definitely in your favor.'
Obi-Wan walked with Qui-Gon down the wide boulevard toward the spaceliner that would take them back to Coruscant.
'Was Xanatos your biggest failure?' he asked tentatively. 'Will his death haunt you, as he hoped?'
'Does Bruck's death haunt you?' Qui-Gon asked softly.
'No,' Obi-Wan said slowly. 'But I carry it here.' He touched his chest.
'It is the same for me, I think,' Qui-Gon said. 'It will not haunt me? not the way Xanatos hoped it would. Xanatos chose death. It was his nature to choose the dark path. But it will take some time for me to feel peace about it. I cannot help feeling that if I'd been a better Master, he wouldn't have turned to the Dark Side. Yoda would tell me that as a Master, I cannot make a Padawan a success or a failure. I can only guide.'
