Peace over anger. Honor over hate. Strength over fear.
Qui-Gon Jinn's past is not at rest. How can he forge a bond with young Obi-Wan Kenobi while he is haunted by the betrayal of his first apprentice—Xanatos? Xanatos was also a promising student…until the dark side of the Force intervened. Qui-Gon thought he was gone forever.
But now Xanatos is back. And he wants revenge.
Following the events of Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi go their separate ways on Bandomeer. Governor SonTag and VeerTa ask Qui-Gon to represent the Jedi Order when they meet with Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation and Offworld Mining Corporation, fearing Offworld will retaliate after VeerTa founded the Home Planet Mine. Obi-Wan, however, is sent to the Eastern Enrichment Zone as part of the AgriCorps.
Xanatos represents Offworld at the meeting, which ends prematurely when there is an explosion at the Home Planet Mine. The evidence suggests the explosion was caused by mechanical failure and a mixture of gasses, and Xanatos offers financial aid for the recovery. The Meerians believe he is sincere, but Qui-Gon can't trust him.
Obi-Wan and his Arcona friend Si Treemba come across a secret annex in the AgriCorps dome where there are multiple cargo boxes marked with the Offworld symbol. Obi-Wan tells Qui-Gon, and Qui-Gon orders him not to do anything except contact him if he finds any evidence of wrongdoing.
VeerTa finds an ionite vein, which will make up for their lost azurite, but only if they can keep it a secret from Offworld. He asks VeerTa and Clat'Ha about the boxes Obi-Wan found, and they confirm seeing similar ones in other enrichment zones.
Obi-Wan and Si Treemba stake out the annex that night. Obi-Wan takes the first watch and meets Xanatos. Their conversation is interrupted by Offworld security, who believe Obi-Wan and Xanatos are thieves, and they try to arrest them. Obi-Wan is electrocuted into unconsciousness.
Qui-Gon goes to Offworld Headquarters. Xanatos isn't there, so Qui-Gon breaks into his office. He can't read any of Xanatos's files because they're in code, but he comes to suspect Xanatos founded Offworld and plans to take over Bandomeer. He reports to Yoda, who advises him to give Xanatos room to make a mistake. Qui-Gon wonders whether he placed Obi-Wan in more danger by not warning him about Xanatos and tries to comm him, but Obi-Wan doesn't pick up. Clat'Ha tells him that Obi-Wan has disappeared. He confronts Xanatos, but leaves to save Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan wakes up on the Great Sea of Bandomeer, forced to mine a deep-sea mining platform with other enslaved prisoners. Guerra Derida, a Phindian, says he saw a box with the Offworld logo in the explosives room, but when they go investigate, a silent alarm goes off. To save himself, Guerra pretends he caught Obi-Wan stealing.
In the morning, Obi-Wan is thrown off the platform as punishment. Qui-Gon arrives to save him, using the Force to help Guerra catch Obi-Wan with a tarp. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan escape, heading to the Offworld security office where they deactivate the electro-collars all slaves (including Obi-Wan) were forced to wear and steal a landspeeder. Xanatos attacks them on his speeder bike, and Qui-Gon drives them to the Home Planet Mine.
Xanatos confronts them inside the mines, and he has a lightsaber duel with Qui-Gon before retreating and leaving Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to die in an explosion. Qui-Gon realizes all the Offworld cargo boxes are bombs set to blow at the same time, across the planet. Obi-Wan uses ionite, which has a neutral charge, to stop the clock on the master control, giving Qui-Gon enough time to disarm it.
Xanatos leaves the planet before they emerge from the mines. Qui-Gon reveals VeerTa was working with Xanatos, and Clat'Ha promises she will answer for her crimes. Qui-Gon accepts Obi-Wan as his padawan, and they head off on their next mission together.
The character Xanatos first appeared in Jedi Apprentice: The Dark Rival. The 2011 comic book miniseries Star Wars: Jedi—The Dark Side adapted part of the novel's story.
- ISBN 9780590519250; May 3, 1999; Scholastic Inc.; US paperback
- ISBN 9780613168496; June, 1999; Sagebrush Corporation; Library binding