The eighth young reader novel in the Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice series is titled The Day of Reckoning, and it's penned by Jude Watson. Every book in this series is the work of Jude Watson, with a single exception: The Rising Force, which was authored by Dave Wolverton. The series delves into the adventures experienced by Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi before the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.
Xanatos, Qui-Gon Jinn's former apprentice who turned to evil, has devised a scheme to ensnare his former Master. He has drawn Qui-Gon and the young Obi-Wan Kenobi to Telos, his home world, and falsely accused them of a crime they didn't commit.
The punishment is death.
Suddenly, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan find themselves as outlaws on a planet where everyone is against them.
Xanatos will face his day of reckoning.
Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi journeyed to Telos on a clandestine mission with the aim of capturing Xanatos, the Dark Jedi who had previously attempted the destruction of the Jedi Temple. Upon their arrival, they are taken aback to realize that Xanatos has amassed considerable financial and political influence on Telos. They soon come to understand that Xanatos and the Telosian government have been occupying the population's attention with a novel form of gambling referred to as Katharsis. Simultaneously, the company UniFy, a subordinate of the colossal Offworld Corporation led by Xanatos, has been extracting the planet's natural resources, disregarding the significance that the native Telosians place on their environment.
Hunted by Xanatos' forces, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are compelled to place their trust in a man named Den, a swindler linked to POWER, an illegal political organization committed to safeguarding the Telosian environment. The trio infiltrates the UniFy headquarters in search of evidence that would demonstrate Offworld's improper handling of the planet's resources. However, the two Jedi are apprehended, and Xanatos himself informs them that they have been condemned to death. The Jedi manage to break free from the public execution with assistance from Andra, a member of the POWER party.
Obi-Wan and Andra sneak into the Sacred Pools of Telos and uncover that the site is indeed being utilized for mining activities. The two are detected by surveillance droids, but they successfully escape and capture evidence linking Offworld to UniFy. In parallel, Den and Qui-Gon have manipulated the Katharsis lottery to ensure Den's victory. When Den wins and Xanatos presents him with the prize, the recorded images are displayed for all the Telosians to witness. Nevertheless, Xanatos deceives the crowd, and the Jedi are once again captured. However, Den, addressing the crowd, reveals how the lottery was rigged and how the Telosians were defrauded of their money. Xanatos then makes his escape, but Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan pursue him back to the Sacred Pools site. Following a lightsaber duel amidst the black acid pools, the two Jedi finally corner the Dark Jedi. However, Xanatos, unwilling to accept defeat, takes his own life by leaping into the acid pools.