"I don't know," Obi-Wan said. He bent down to trail a hand in the water, trying to hide his face.

"You know, I thought he was forbidding at first," Bant remarked. "I was a little afraid of him. But I came to see how gentle he is. I'm sure the way will be smoothed between you."

"I didn't know you knew Qui-Gon at all," Obi-Wan said, surprised.

"Oh, yes," Bant said. "I helped him and Tahl with the theft investigation when you were on Melida/Daan."

Curious now, Obi-Wan turned to ask her what she had done, but a strange noise interrupted him. Bant and Obi-Wan looked overhead. A grinding noise filled the air.

They stared up. At first they saw only what they were meant to see: a brilliant sun in a blue sky. Then everything seemed to happen at once. There was a dimming in the light, and suddenly, an object crashed down through the sky, which they could now see was only a scrim. The skeletal forms of catwalks and the blocks of illumination banks were revealed. Part of a horizontal tunnel swung in midair.

"It's the horizontal turbolift," Bant said, horrified. "It's going to crash!"

Obi-Wan saw everything in a flash, but with the clarity of slow motion.

The turbolift ran horizontally high above, crossing above the lake and surrounding trails. Normally, it was hidden from view by the glare from the giant illumination banks. But a portion of the lift had fallen through its shaft, knocking out a bank of lights.

"The repulsorlift engines must have blown," Obi-Wan guessed. "It's hanging by a thread."

"That turbolift links the nursery and care centers for the younger children to the dining halls," Bant said, her eyes on it. "It could be filled with children." She wrenched her eyes away.

"I don't have my comlink," Obi-Wan said quickly. "It was damaged on Melida/Daan."