The Death of Hope

13

Within minutes, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Eritha were back on their transports. They had entered the coordinates Yanci had come up with into their nav systems.

Qui-Gon turned to Eritha. “I cannot order you to stay here. But I strongly recommend that you do so.”

She shook her head. “You haven’t been able to get rid of me yet. After seeing this, how can I stay behind?”

Qui-Gon turned away, displeased. It would be so much easier if he did not have to worry about Eritha. Despite her strong words, he knew she was not prepared for what they might find.

“The site is to the west, in the quarries abandoned years ago. As you get closer, the canyons will narrow,” Yanci warned. “You will have to abandon your vehicles, even the swoop. You must approach on foot. There is a road, but I’m sure it will be under surveillance. This is the best way to approach without being seen.”

“What will you do?” Obi-Wan asked, concerned. The haunted look had not left Yanci’s eyes. She had been damaged and would never be the same.

“I will bury my dead,” Yanci said.

“I contacted the Workers in the city,” Eritha told her. “They are sending help to you. They will be here by dawn tomorrow. Will you be all right?”

“I am with those I love,” Yanci said. “I wish you success on your mission.”

Qui-Gon turned away. He felt a heaviness inside him. For the first time since he had become a Jedi Knight, he could not face someone’s grief.

Grief was part of life, and Jedi saw it more than most. Qui-Gon knew the forms it could take, how it could twist and spiral into rage or revenge or dead numbness. There had been times when sorrow had been so much a part of what he saw that it became the only thing he saw. Part of his training had been to see the joy in the galaxy that existed alongside the grief. He remembered early in his life as a Jedi Knight how he had returned to the Temple for long talks with Yoda. Yoda had helped him see the balance in the galaxy, just as he had taught him the balance in the Force.

But now he looked at Yanci, and he saw a possibility of what he would become. His eyes would be that empty. His heart would be that shattered.

Qui-Gon accelerated the engines. The wind blew in his face, making his eyes tear. He knew he was pushing his craft in order to outrun his fear, and he knew it was not what a Jedi should do. But at that moment, the wind and the speed comforted him as no Jedi wisdom could.

Now that they had a clear direction, they made good time through the quarries. The landscape was rough, with unexpected looming cliffs and canyons. Yanci had prepared them for switchbacks and sudden huge pits of water as large as lakes.

At last they reached an area where the canyons narrowed to mere slits in the cliff walls. They abandoned their transports as Yanci had told them.

They proceeded single file through the narrow passages.

Qui-Gon took the lead. Ahead he saw a line of sky and ground and knew that soon they would be through. He slowed his pace and drew up to the opening.

In front of him the cliffs widened to embrace a small canyon. A deep pit was to the right, filled with water. The soil around the pit was a muddy red dotted with huge boulders. Sunlight danced on the smooth surface of the water. Some distance to the left he could see the dark opening of a cave. He saw no movement, no sign of living beings.

Obi-Wan and Eritha crowded behind him to scrutinize the area.

“There’s no one here,” Eritha said, disappointed. “Yanci was wrong.”

Obi-Wan spoke quietly. “What do you think, Master? Are we in the wrong place?”

Qui-Gon reached out for the Force. He tested the air, searching for vibrations. He sent a message to Tahl. I am here.

He received something back a reverberation. Like a gentle touch on his cheek. Like a tiny sigh. Something...

“No,” he said. “This is the place.”

Suddenly they saw the water ripple on the lake. The ripples grew into waves. The two Jedi grew alert.

“We’re wasting time. We should go back,” Eritha said.

The two Jedi remained focused on the lake. “There is no wind,” Obi-Wan said.

“Exactly,” Qui-Gon murmured.

A structure rose from the surface. Water streamed off its curved top.

An opening slowly widened and a ramp emerged. It extended over the water to dry land. A few seconds later, two tech vehicles sped down the ramp, hit land, and then headed for the cave. They disappeared inside. They did not see the Jedi.

“Everything is hidden,” Qui-Gon said. “The camp can’t be seen from the air. Clever.”

“How shall we infiltrate, then?” Obi-Wan asked.

“We’ll have to start with the cave. The tech vehicles didn’t seem to go through a checkpoint,” Qui-Gon said, scanning the cave entrance. “I don’t think there are sensors outside the cave.” He turned back to Eritha. “Stay here until we send for you.”

“No. If you go without me, I’ll follow you.” Eritha’s jaw set.

Qui-Gon frowned. “Then stay behind us. Realize that you can endanger this mission if you act hastily. You will follow my orders. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Eritha flashed a shaky grin. “I’m stubborn, but I’m not stupid.”

“All right,” Qui-Gon muttered. “Let’s go.”