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 visited him. He thought he had known desperation in that vision, but the living reality was far worse.
Tahl's eyes closed, and she slumped against him. He felt her muscles go slack, and she melted against him as though she no longer had bones. He had never realized Tahl could feel so soft against him. He had only known her strength. He held her against his chest.
"You should leave me," she whispered. "I don't have long…"
He leaned his head down to speak into her ear. "No. It is not too late. You never give up. The Force is still with you. I am with you. You cannot leave me now. Not now."
"I… will try, for you," she breathed. "Qui-Gon, we must go," Obi- Wan said desperately.
He nodded and let his Padawan lead the way. Tahl was no burden. She felt light in his arms.
Fissures had opened in the ceiling, and water streamed in from above.
The cave was slowly collapsing. Water poured out of the side tunnel where Balog had left.
"Do you think we can reach the cave entrance?" Obi-Wan asked.
Qui-Gon eyed the water pouring from the ceiling and the thick smoke ahead. "Doubtful. We can try to find another way out."
"There is another… exit," Tahl said. Qui-Gon had to bend down to hear her. "To the underwater base."
"I saw it," Obi-Wan said. "Let's try it. But what about Eritha?"
Qui-Gon hesitated. "Let's get to the entrance to the underwater base first." He did not want to have to decide between Tahl's life and Eritha's.
But he knew he could not leave without looking for the young girl.
Tahl stirred again. "Eritha is here? We can't leave her, we must…"
Each word seemed to cost her a great effort.
Qui-Gon stilled her with a hand on her hair. "We won't."
The cave had been evacuated. Another explosion shook the cave and they staggered with its power. More water streamed from the ceiling.
They reached the side tunnel that led to the underwater structure.
Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon anxiously as the water grew deeper, now swirling around their knees. It was icy cold.
"The tunnel where Eritha was held is just ahead," Qui-Gon said. "Try there first. I will stay here with Tahl. If Eritha is not there, come back here." If necessary, he would get Tahl out and return for Eritha. He could feel how weak Tahl's connection to the Force was. It frightened him.
Obi-Wan turned to hurry away, but from the smoky dimness they suddenly saw a figure pushing through the water toward them. It was Eritha, her braided hair now loose and wet.