'Obi-Wan!'
Balog's transport took off underwater, bouncing wildly as it fought against the impact of the water gushing toward the opening.
'Let him go!' Qui-Gon bellowed. 'Tahl will drown!' The deprivation device was now floating. Qui-Gon held his lightsaber aloft. If it touched the water, it would short out, too. Qui-Gon could feel Tahl's life force flickering. They had to get her out of here.
Obi-Wan struggled to his feet. The water was now up to his knees. He felt his leg ache as he pushed toward Qui-Gon, who had opened a seam in the side of the device.
'That sounded like the main weapons room,' Qui-Gon said tersely. 'The cave could collapse. Let's get Tahl out of here.'
Water was now almost to their waists. Qui-Gon deactivated his lightsaber and quickly tucked it into his belt. Desperately, he lifted Tahl out of the device. She said nothing, her head flopping against his chest as though she couldn't support it. To see her so weak sent agony ripping through him. They struggled through the water toward the opening Obi-Wan had cut in the door.
Once they were through the opening, they were able to stand. Water was pouring through the opening, and the door was starting to strain against its bolts, but the water in the tunnel was only ankle deep. They ran, splashing through the flooding, and reached the dry area of the cave.
The smoke was thick and acrid now, burning their lungs. The cave area was deserted.
Qui-Gon allowed Tahl to slide down his body so that she was on her feet. Her legs immediately gave way. He picked her up again and cradled her against him. He had to control his anger against Balog for her sake. What she needed from him was calm.
'Tahl,' he said gently. 'We're going to get you out of here.'
One hand curled around his neck. He felt the gesture, her cold hand against his neck, and it curdled his blood. It was the same gesture she had made in the vision, the gesture that had told him how close to death she was.
She managed to smile up at him. 'It is too late for me, dear friend,'
she said softly.
Chapter 17
They knew the Jedi Masters were watching. They were only ten years old, too young yet to be chosen as Padawans. But they knew the choice was coming soon. Some Jedi students had been chosen as young as eleven.
It was called Exhibition Day, and they had performed exercises while the Jedi Masters watched. Force exercises, balance, endurance, climbing, jumping, swimming. Sometimes they split into teams of two or four. It was play, but it was also serious.
The last exercise was a series of training lightsaber matches. Some were done blindfolded. Some pitted one student against two attackers. Qui- Gon won all his matches. It came down to him and Clee Rhara and Tahl. Then Tahl beat Clee Rhara.
'Guess that leaves us,' she whispered as she bowed to him at the start of the final match. 'Don't worry. I'll go easy on you.'
They had been matched many times before. He knew how fast she was.
She knew how strong he was. Knowing each other's strengths made the match more interesting. Qui-Gon found fighting Tahl to be both exhausting and exhilarating. It brought out his best skills.
They whirled around the space, using every inch of wall and floor.
All the Jedi students admired Tahl's gymnastic abilities. She could run up a wall, twist, and come at you with a sweeping backhand twist that left you dizzy.
Tahl fought hard. Qui-Gon admired how just when he thought she was tiring, she would find fresh strength. He could not match her agility, but he was able to surprise her with strategy. He saw her eyes flash with astonishment and her teeth grit in determination as she parried his blows and came at him with a series of twists and reversals.
The match was not timed. It would only end when one of them scored a blow. Exhaustion began to slow their moves, but they did not stop or make mistakes. He could hear the murmur among the spectators, wondering how long the two students could continue. He sensed more Jedi Masters arriving.
Tahl's face was a mask. She had gone deep within herself, past her exhaustion to a place of sheer will. Qui-Gon had never felt so tired. His arm muscles shook. His legs felt watery. They trembled. Still he did not stop or make a mistake.
Then Tahl's foot slipped. Just a fraction, but it was enough. The floor was wet with their sweat. She left herself vulnerable for one split second, and he moved forward, kicking out with one foot and driving the lightsaber from her grasp. At the same time he brought his own lightsaber close to her. He did not touch her with it. He was not willing to give her even the slightest sting from the training saber.
'Match to Qui-Gon,' one of the Jedi Masters spoke.
Qui-Gon and Tahl bowed to each other. Then they collapsed together on a bench nearby.
'A good match,' he said, panting.
'It would have been better if I'd won.' He shook his head. 'Don't you ever give up?'
She wiped the sweat off her forehead with a towel. 'Never'
Qui-Gon felt disoriented, as though he were in a dream. He was living inside his vision. His greatest fear had
