Obi-Wan said as he looked around for something to hold on to.
The Prominence skimmed the surface of the lake, then bellied into the water and began to hydroplane toward the center. The cruiser was on a collision course with one of the rocky islands, until its blunt bow dropped, and the lake robbed it of forward momentum. It came to a shuddering stop in turbulent water, then listed to its damaged side and slowly began to sink.
By then the seven Jedi and the few judicials aboard had gathered at the starboard docking ring airlock.
Blowing the hatch, they eased down into the frigid water and started to swim for the nearest island, which rose in a jumble of wind — and water — smoothed boulders to a height of one hundred or so meters.
First to reach shore, Qui-Gon launched himself to dry land, landing on his feet on a narrow stretch of rocky beach. Waves generated by the cruiser's plunge crashed around his ankles. He used his hands to sluice some of the water out of his long hair and beard. Then he emptied his boots, plucked his soaked tunic away from his chest, and slipped into the cloak he had held above the waves while swimming. Unclipping his lightsaber, he acti vated the blade and swept it in front of him.
Satisfied that the weapon hadn't been damaged, he switched it off and reclipped it to his broad leather belt.
He inhaled deeply, but didn't come close to filling his lungs with oxygen. The high-altitude air was thin; the sky, an inverted bowl of the deepest blue, was seemingly supported on the ice — white shoulders of mountain ranges that ringed the horizon.
As — meru's sun was a huge red smear on the western horizon. The temperature was falling fast, and certainly would be below freezing by sunset.
To the south, the sky was streaked with the contrails of ships rocketing down the planet's gravity well, no doubt headed for the landing area. Qui-Gon wondered briefly which one of them might be the Hawk-Bat.
He turned his back to the lake and let his gaze wander up over the lifeless rocks. Assembled by hand rather than nature, the island was itself a pyramid, with the ruins of ancient structures surmounting it.
To both sides of Qui-Gon, Jedi and judicials were beginning to climb from the lake, their waterlogged tunics and uniforms weighing them down.
Following Qui-Gon's lead, Obi-Wan sprang from the water, landing atop one of the smaller rocks. Vergere floated in like a water fowl until she reached the stony beach, then she called on her powerful reverse-articulated legs to catapult her ashore. Saesee Tiin's big hands cut through the waves like flippers. Yaddle rode in atop Ki- Adi-Mundi's broad shoulders, her short arms wrapped around his tall head, and her topknot of golden-brown hair plastered to her green skull.
Close by, Depa Billaba stepped gracefully to the beach, as if emerging from a warm bath.
Three hundred meters away, the dorsal hull of the Prominence was still visible above the waterline. Giant air bubbles broke the surface of the lake and popped loudly.
Everyone was a bit stunned. With a fractured arm, the cruiser's pilot was the most seriously injured. In obvious pain, she made her way over to Qui-Gon, breathless when she reached him.
'I thought we could break free,' she said, by way of apology.
'Don't condemn your actions just yet,' Qui-Gon replied. 'Nothing happens by chance.' The pilot nodded and looked at Saesee Tiin.
'Was it House Vandron that betrayed us?' The Iktotchi folded his arms across his massive chest. 'That has little bearing on our present situation.'
He glanced at Yaddle. 'The question is, what do we do next?' 'An immediate answer, that question begs,' the small Jedi replied, 'as company we're about to have.' Qui-Gon followed her gaze. Several vessels were approaching from the lake's south shore.
Obi-Wan reached to unclip his lightsaber, but Qui-Gon restrained him with a look. 'There's always time for that. Just now we need to assess where we stand.' Obi-Wan glanced around. 'On an island, in the middle of a lake, with adversaries on the approach, Master.' 'Wasn't it you who said that things are not always what they appear to be?' Obi-Wan frowned. 'I stand corrected.' Qui- Gon touched him on the shoulder and nodded his chin to the others. 'There's no sense making ourselves easy targets.' Drawing on the Force, and taking the judicials with them, the Jedi vaulted and bounded up into the boulders.
From higher up, they had a better vantage from which to see just what was approaching. Driven by repulsorlifts, the vessels were as gruesomely fanciful as the spaceships of House Vandron. Some had upturned animistic prows and ribcage gunwales; others had elaborately raised sterns, carved with ghastly visages. All were equipped with mounted repeating blasters.
The bestial flotilla came to a hovering halt just short of the island, weapons traversing the shore. Each vessel carried a crew of humans, Weequays, Rodians, Bith, Sullustans, and others, many of them layered in heavy garments, gloves, and headpieces that covered noses and mouths.
Standing in the bow of the lead craft, a tall human unwound the colorful scarf that masked his lower face and cupped his hands to his mouth.
'For what it's worth, Jedi, we had planned on providing you with a warmer, and certainly drier, welcome.' Saesee Tiin, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Qui-Gon showed themselves. 'The same warm welcome you provided our other cruiser?'
Tiin said.
The human had the boat brought about to face Tiin.
'In attempting to flee, your other cruiser struck several mines and was destroyed. We had no intentions of firing on it.' 'What are your intentions here?' Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.
'First, to declare that we are dismayed that the Jedi would oppose free trade in the outlying systems, by choosing to side with the Trade Federation.'
'We have taken no sides,' Tiin said gruffly. 'Our sole aim is to resolve this crisis before it intensifies into open warfare. That, too, is the goal of Supreme Chancellor Valorum, who is anything but your enemy is this
