A blast from the cannon misted them by centimeters, sending up a shower of dirt and gravel.
'So I see,' Qui-Gon said.
He wheeled the landspeeder sharply, turning to the right as another blast whistled past them.
Lightsabers were useless. They had no blasters. They had to rely on Qui-Gon's skill. Even as he drove, he gathered the Force around him, using it to anticipate the blasts.
Dirt and gravel flew in their faces as Qui-Gon swerved, dived, reversed, and hung stationary, all to evade the deadly laser cannon. On a speeder bike, Xanatos had greater maneuverability, and he used it to dodge suddenly around them, firing from the left. The jolt nearly sent Obi-Wan flying out.
'Hang on!' Qui-Gon called. He sped ahead, as low to the ground as he dared. He kicked up the dust underneath him, which blew behind them in a thick cloud, blinding Xanatos.
It bought them precious seconds, no more. Qui-Gon recognized the mining towers ahead. It was the Home Planet Mine. There would be friends there, weapons. Clat'Ha was a fierce fighter. She has saved his life once before.
He roared into the yard, but no one was there. Everyone was in the mine, working to repair it. There was no time to call VeerTa or Clat'Ha. Behind them, they could hear Xanatos roaring into the yard.
Qui-Gon jumped out of the landspeeder, calling on Obi-Wan to do the same.
Xanatos headed for Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan at top speed. Qui-Gon unsheathed his lightsaber and dealt Xanatos a glancing blow ah he sped past. But the impact sent Qui-Gon spinning backward, and he felt his shoulder wrench in pain. They could not fight Xanatos while he was on that vehicle.
Xanatos turned and roared back toward them. They had no choice but to dash into the mine entrance. As they did, Qui-Gon had a sudden flash of chilling knowledge.
They were doing exactly what Xanatos had planned for them to do. They were playing his game.
Qui-Gon drew Obi-Wan back into the tunnel. It branched off in several directions, and he tried to remember which way VeerTa had led him to the lift tube. He let the Force direct him, take him over. He ran down the left tunnel, Obi-Wan at his heels. The lift tube stood at the end of the tunnel. The jumped in and Qui-Gon pressed the number of the deepest level, Core 6.
The glow lights hummed as the stepped out into the tunnel. Qui-Gon turned to the left.
'Where are we going?' Obi-Wan asked in a whisper.
'There's another lift tube,' Qui-Gon explained. 'It should be fixed by now. Xanatos wouldn't know that. We'll be able to circle around him to come at him from another direction, or even escape the mine. It's better not to fight here.'
Obi-Wan nodded. It was always best to fight in a place where your opponent couldn't drive you into a corner.
But that wasn't the only reason Qui-Gon wanted to escape the mine. Xanatos had driven them in here for a purpose. They needed to foil that plan. A nameless dread tugged at Qui-Gon, telling him there was something here he would not want to face.
They traveled deeper into the tunnel. Qui-Gon frowned as he peered ahead. 'VeerTa said this tunnel was completely blocked. Why — '
Suddenly, a shadow detached from the wall of the tunnel. Xanatos stood before him.
'You make so many mistakes, Qui-Gon,' he said. 'It's a wonder you're still standing. First you deactivate the transmitter so that I'll know exactly where you are. Then you enter time mine, which is exactly what I wanted you to do. And then you assume that I don't know about the north lift tube.'
Behind him, Qui-Gon heard the hum of Obi-Wan's lightsaber.
'Which one of you shall I kill first?' Xanatos murmured. 'You, or your clumsy boy?'
Obi-Wan lunged forward fiercely. He leaped onto a mining cart, which rolled toward Xanatos. At the last moment, Obi-Wan sprang off. He flew over Xanatos' head, striking down with his lightsaber as he did so.
Qui-Gon heard the flesh on Xanatos' hand sizzle. Howling, Xanatos almost dropped hid lightsaber, but caught it with his other hand.
Obi-Wan landed safely behind Xanatos. 'Don't call me clumsy,' he said.
Whirling so quickly Qui-Gon barely caught the movement, Xanatos sprang at Obi-Wan. The boy leaped back, slashing with his lightsaber at the same time. Xanatos' attack missed him by a whisper. Qui-Gon was already charging forward, and Xanatos turned to parry the thrust. Their lightsabers tangled and locked, sputtering. Smoke rose in the tunnel.
Xanatos withdrew, leaping past Obi-Wan, and the two Jedi pursued him down the tunnel. As they ran, the floor beneath them sloped sharply. Qui-Gon realized that they were descending to a lower level.
Turning a corner, they just had time to see Xanatos disappear into a smaller corridor that led off the shaft. They hurried forward. The crosscut tunnel was narrow and dark. The glow lights here were set at a fainter setting. The ground dropped sharply downward. Xanatos was gone.
'Wait, Qui-Gon,' Obi-Wan panted. 'Are you certain we should follow?'
'Why not?' Qui-Gon asked impatiently. His lightsaber pulsed hot in his hand.
'Because he wants us to,' Obi-Wan said simply.
'It's too late now,' Qui-Gon said. 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 followed. He would stand by Qui-Gon's side until his very last breath.
They were deep in the planet's crust by now, close to the core. The heat was intense. Qui-Gon saw a faint
