"Yes, the miners — " VeerTa said. She rushed out.

Qui-Gon had seen the effects of explosions before. They were always terrible. Lives were lost, bodies maimed, spirits broken. Blood mixed with ashes and tears. He did not know why this tragedy seemed worse to him. Perhaps because the miners had carved the mine out of rock and earth. They had worked with no money and little hope to build a future they had struggled to even imagine.

They stacked bodies in the yard. Qui-Gon worked tirelessly to carry victims from the wreckage. Forty miners were trapped below ground. Rescuing them was a painstaking and dangerous process.

The explosion had been touched off in one of the tunnels. The main administration building was completely destroyed, as well as the dwellings surrounding the mine. It was dark before Qui-Gon and the others had finished evacuating the wounded to med centers.

At last, there was nothing more for them to do. Clat'Ha called him to one of the untouched buildings for food and rest. He joined VeerTa and Clat'Ha at the table, but they were too exhausted and sorrowful to touch the food.

"Our dream has died," VeerTa said. Her face was filthy with dirt and mud.

"No," Clat'Ha responded softly. "That's what they want. We can rebuild."

The door opened, and SonTag entered. She, too, had helped at the mine today. Her red and gold tunic was filthy and caked with blood.

"We have news of the cause," she announced quietly. "It wasn't Offworld. There was a mixture of gases in a sub-level tunnel."

VeerTa half-rose. "Impossible!" she cried. "We have sensors — "

"The sensor was inoperative," SonTag said. "Strictly a mechanical failure. The engineers are certain of it."