Before - Legends Where Faith Is--A Qui-Gon/OC Jemmiah Chronicles long story--Author's note, 9/21

"Sithly Squidlings!"

It was not unusual to hear that epithet in the Healer's Wing, especially from the Healers themselves, but the sight of a 19-year-old girl in street clothes and a bad temper, spewing that phrase at the top of her voice was something different entirely.

"Sithly, snotrag, smirking Squidlings!" Jemmiah bellowed for clarification, just in case a few of the patients hadn't heard them.

"I take it you weren't at all thrilled with your volunteer work this afternoon?"

She turned with a practiced glower on the speaker and shook the wad of tissues in his face.

"When Quiggy offered to arrange some work with those brats for my community service requirement, he didn't mention that the cheeky little snotrags were literally that!"

"You caught them in the middle of the winter," Simeon explained patiently, though she could see a smirk of his own struggling to contain itself. "Of course they're going to be dripping from every orifice."

"You might have mentioned that beforehand," she grumbled, thrusting the collection of tissues into his hand, then plucking a fresh one from the pocket of her close-fitting slacks to scrub mournfully at the long streak on the arm of her tunic. "And all over my new shirt, too."

"Don't worry," Simeon soothed. "Even if you can't get that out, you've got at least four other in the same color."

She scrubbed only more vigorously, finally succeeding in removing the outer layer of the stain before giving up.

"I hate to be the one to bear the bad news," Simeon interrupted her ritual, "but you don't seem to have suffered permanent damage from mucous exposure, so if you don't have any other pressing injuries..."

"Where's Obi-Wan?"

"Hmm?" he asked, focusing on the new task of finding a waste receptacle for the tissues.

"Obi-Wan," she repeated impatiently. "Short, fair, and awkward, hangs around a tall, dark and handsome? Is responsible for half the healer records in the archives? Any of this ringing a bell?"

"What makes you think he's here?"

"It's his living space," she explained. "When he goes to that vrelt's nest that he and Quiggy call an apartment, it's on holiday. As it is, he hasn't been there the last four times I checked, so I figured he'd made a visit to the Kenobi Ward."

Grudgingly, Simeon waved towards the south end of the wing. "He's in with Leona," he admitted. "Seems some of your Squidlings thought it would be funny to turn on the radiator at a progressive setting, so by the time he noticed it was getting warmer, he'd caught his robes on fire."

Sympathy could wait for when she actually had to minister to the poor boy, but for now, exasperation sufficed.

"That boy is going to be the death of..."

"Himself," Simeon supplied helpfully. "From the squeals he tends to emit, you'd think that posterior section would be the most sensitive spot on his body."

"Who knows?" Jemmiah replied with a shrug. "Maybe he's playing it up for the sake of encouragement."

"I'd suggest you avoid that area for a few days," he counselled.

"As the doctor orders," she agreed. "As he has no dignity left at the moment, shall I go make things worse, then?"

"Third door on the left," he encouraged.
*****
It was bad enough that he had been forced to read every children's bookchip, from "Four Noble Truths There Are, Taught to You an Me" to "Special You Are."

It was bad enough that he had been interrupted in reading "The Ugly Mynockling" by catching fire and being crushed by a few dozen initiates intent on smothering either the fire or him.

It was bad enough that he'd been admitted to the House of Horrors on An-Paj's day off, so that Leona was the supervising Healer.

But to add more insult to considerable injury, bits of his robes had become rather fondly attached to his blistered skin, and Leona had to carefully and very personally remove them.

"Isn't there anyone else who could do this?"

"Gethin's on assignment, An-Paj is off for the day, half the Padawans are in a seminar..." The pressure of her hand lightened slightly, sugg

 

Notes: Jemmiah belongs to Jemmiah. Leona belongs to Healer_Leona. All those unfamiliar names you saw belong to them and various other Chronicles writer. I am writing this story, based on an idea by Healer_Leona, who granted me permission to take over the plot bunny and the characters therein.

 

"Harpy!" he gasped. "Are you this rough with Qui-Gon?"

She ripped another bit free with more-than-necessary enthusiasm. "Only when he plays nice."

I really liked that exchange between Obi-Wan and Leona. Calling her a harpy - he's brave, especially when his fate is in her hands...or at least something! Entreating his beloved to tend to him! No wonder Jemmy thought of slapping him! Especially considering her outfit was spoiled by a dreaded youngling! Simeon has a devious streak in him, he wasn't slow to point the way towards the pit of doom...sorry, the healer's room where Obi-Wan was being tortured, er...sorry, healed! Now, the last bit is intriguing. I want to see where this is going, Ish!

 

Ooooh! Wonderful start Ish!

Trust Jemmy to get caught dealing with snot nosed kids. I think Obi could catch himself on fire with a damp paper towel sometimes.

Looking forward to more!

 

Jemmiah--"Harpy!" he gasped. "Are you this rough with Qui-Gon?"

She ripped another bit free with more-than-necessary enthusiasm. "Only when he plays nice."

I really liked that exchange between Obi-Wan and Leona. Calling her a harpy - he's brave, especially when his fate is in her hands...or at least something! Entreating his beloved to tend to him! No wonder Jemmy thought of slapping him! Especially considering her outfit was spoiled by a dreaded youngling! Simeon has a devious streak in him, he wasn't slow to point the way towards the pit of doom...sorry, the healer's room where Obi-Wan was being tortured, er...sorry, healed! Now, the last bit is intriguing. I want to see where this is going, Ish!

Anyone's brave when they're in a lot of pain, believe me. "His fate is in her hands." Well, I've never heard it called that before... I liked putting Simeon as slightly devious...

mouse2--Ooooh! Wonderful start Ish!

Thanks, mouse.

Trust Jemmy to get caught dealing with snot nosed kids. I think Obi could catch himself on fire with a damp paper towel sometimes.

Looking forward to more!

I'm trying to picture Obi-Wan catching himself on fire with a damp paper towel. Maybe if it were damp with alcohol. Now you're giving me ideas!

 

Ooooooooh a very lovely start Ish! You have me intrigued! I can't wait to read more!

 

Ooooh, you replied! Please continue! Thanks!

 

THis will be updated this afternoon.

 

Call me a cynic. Everybody else does.

It wasn't that he was bitter. It wasn't that he had "I told you so" permanently attached to the roof of his mouth for ready dispensation whenever the occasion arose.

It was simply that the Force deemed it unnecessary and nigh impossible to accomplish the simple act that he was attempting to achieve tonight.

Every time it seemed possible, a comm would go off, his Padawan would spontaneously combust, someone would knock on the door with a message from the Council, or a devious Corellian would hack into the door's entry computer and catch them both unawares in order to commiserate with his oldest friend.

Yet, when Obi-Wan wanted to pull a stunt like this, anyone and everyone would conveniently clear out, respect young love, and offer their apartment as a viable alternative.

But when it came to 'old love,' there was no such luck.

What was so blasted difficult about having a nice, romantic dinner?

He rarely attempted the feat, because of the traditional complications, but this was Leona's forty-first birthday and he wasn't about to see it ruined.

They had done the fancy thing last year, dressing up to the nines and eating too much at the Skyroom before going to the theater. Afterwards, they had come to her apartment for a quiet drink while she good-naturedly joked about being over the hill and needing to settle down.

This year would be more special but he was determined to do so in an entirely different way.

Obi-Wan and Jemmiah were occupied with their volunteer work and Leona wouldn't be off-duty for another three hours. By that accounting, he had plenty of time for the six bags of groceries to turn themselves into purem soup, salad, stuffed blum leaves, nerfsteak, and chocolate mousse. Alderaanian green wine, chilled, was already waiting in the cooling unit, since it was necessary to let it breathe for a full three days before serving.

Since the Council had only recalled them from the mission to Tercuron three days ago, the odds had never been better that he would not be assigned to another mission in the middle of dinner.

Dex was on an off-world retreat with the Padawan that the Council had convinced him to take a mere five weeks ago. Given that the retreat was in the Outer Rim and the only woman Dex had time for these days was Lenchen, chances were that he would not be coming around this evening.

Even if Obi-Wan were to spontaneously combust, Jemmiah would probably invite him round to her place for some of the quality consolation that he hadn't been able to get for six weeks on Tercuron.

As for the comm, he had rewired it so that all calls were diverted to the Hell's Chance Cantina sing-along line.

The evening should be perfect.

Which meant that he had just under three hours to wait for disaster to strike.

Fortunately, three hours later, the meal had been perfected and the wine poured when the door hissed open.

He looked up, eyes moving up the bare legs...

Oh, sithfire.

"I have a dinner date in five minutes and no desire to give Obi-Wan any hangover remedies," he said quickly, waving Jemmiah and his rather cross-eyed Padawan away. "If he's not willing to sleep it off, drag him round to Flint's place and let her knock him into next week, when I won't have quite so much to do..."

"If you're quite finished being compassionate," Jemmiah interrupted impatiently, "I'll drag him round to his pillow and start administering these pills..."

That snapped him out of his concentration, all right.

"Pills?" he repeated accusatorily.

"Blame the Corellians!" Jemmiah protested. "Five of them besmirched the name of our noble sector, disgraced the name of Initiate, inflicted great torment on your noble..."

"Just tell me what the damage was," Qui-Gon pleaded, "and if you've at least taken him to the Healer's Wing."

"He caught fire," she said shortly, "and a cracked rib from thirty initiates tackling him. The pills are from your star-crossed siren, who had the thankless job of picking him apart and patchin

 

Healer_Leona--"Short, fair, and awkward, hangs around a tall, dark and handsome? Of course I'd like that description. LOL

Of course you would. I didn't think short, white, and ugly would work as well or be true.

Oooh, lucky Leona.. Qui-Gon's cooking... hmmm, perhaps not. Ewww, he did not just... ewwww and ewwww again!! LOL!

When I had that idea, I had the same reaction. I was just going to have him set the kitchen on fire.

Wonderful posts Ish.

Thanks. I'm trying to get a bit of characterizing-establishment done in these first few posts.

 

Great story, it is very interesting to read.

 

Thanks, l_j...

 

Even if Obi-Wan were to spontaneously combust, Jemmiah would probably invite him round to her place for some of the quality consolation that he hadn't been able to get for six weeks on Tercuron...


Okay, I lost it at that point! Poor frustrated padawan. Not to mention poor frustrated Qui at the way his plans were interrupted! I don't think Obi-Wan would be able to get up to much in his current condition: that might be of some small consolation to Qui even if he is more-or-less okay with the Obi/Jem relationship at that point. You just knew Qui-Gon was tempting fate the moment that he contemplated all the things that couldn't go wrong! And then at the end, the final unfortunate indignity!

Altogether:

"Poor Obi-Wan!"

 

Jemmiah--Even if Obi-Wan were to spontaneously combust, Jemmiah would probably invite him round to her place for some of the quality consolation that he hadn't been able to get for six weeks on Tercuron...

Okay, I lost it at that point! Poor frustrated padawan. Not to mention poor frustrated Qui at the way his plans were interrupted! I don't think Obi-Wan would be able to get up to much in his current condition: that might be of some small consolation to Qui even if he is more-or-less okay with the Obi/Jem relationship at that point. You just knew Qui-Gon was tempting fate the moment that he contemplated all the things that couldn't go wrong! And then at the end, the final unfortunate indignity!

Yeah, he is more comfortable at that point with Obi/Jem, but he will be Sithed if anything interferes with his love life. And yeah, he was tempting fate. Poor frustrated Obi was very heavily based on my recollection of Jemmiah fawning over poor busted-up Obi at the cantina crawl.

Altogether:

"Poor Obi-Wan!"

*sigh*

 

LOL oh dear.. poor Obi-Wan ...

 

Lol, yes, indeed. Fortunately, this next post has nothing to do with Obi-Wan, but does have miserable, amused people.

 

"Just one last time!"

Sira sighed. I hate playing chaperone to a bunch of Initiates.

What makes it worse is that until tomorrow morning, I'm still an Initiate myself.

Tomorrow was her thirteenth birthday, a day long-dreaded for any Temple child, but one that she had thought would come with much more trepidation.

The Agricorps assignments had begun circulating just last month, plucking several of her friends from the pool of Initiates to be apprenticed to a garden hoe instead of a Jedi Knight. The standard age was thirteen for Agricorps assignment, but the Council could do it to you any time after your twelfth birthday.

When her commdesk had registered a message from the Temple assignments division, then, she had gone to the office with her tears firmly hidden and wondering if they'd at least send her to somewhere this side of the Outer Rim.

Instead, she had taken her seat very grumpily next to a small woman with an easy smile and narrow features.

"Come for your sentencing?" the woman teased.

"Easy for you to say," Sira retorted. "I'm just waiting to get my Agricorps assignment."

The woman at least had the grace to smile sympathetically. "How are you sure that it's the Agricorps?"

What, are you stupid or just obnoxious?

"I got a comm from the Assignments division saying to report here..."

"You got a comm from me," she corrected, extending a hand. "I'm Liara Khe and I've been watching you for some time now."

Ten minutes later, she'd managed to overcome her shock enough to sign the documents that would let her accept the offer of apprenticeship.

Of the group of ten that had gotten comms that day, six went to the Agricorps. She and three others, all younger than her, would be leaving the Initiates' Wing forever in the morning.

So, naturally, they were bound and determined to enjoy a bit of mischief-making before the dawn expected them to be Responsible Apprentices of the Jedi Order.

I am far too old to go careening down the banister like some five-year-old...

Oh, the Sith with it!

She planted her hands on the wooden railing, craning her long neck to make sure that no one else was on the rail, then hopped up and started her slide.

Seventeen stories from the Initiates' floor to the bottom. Usually, the kids attempted it from the classrooms on the fifth floor. The more adventurous ones from higher up. Only those who were brave enough to be Padawans would attempt suicide from this high up.

Or so Padawan Lucey said. For all Sira knew, it was a traditional joke.

Either way, she was going to accomplish it.

The 'wind' whipped against her hair, blowing strands of golden-brown hair into her face and obscuring her vision.

Seventeen...

Sixteen...

At fifteen, she passed Depa Billaba, but the Council member did nothing but roll her eyes in passing.

Fourteen...

At thirteen, her left hand hit a slick spot, letting it slide off the banister and throw her off balance. Her arm windmilled, scrabbling desperately for purchase and finding none.

And then she fell.
*****
"I'd say you were fortunate that the next landing was only five flights down," Simeon commented, "but you probably doesn't feel very fortunate."

Indeed, she had felt too much, since the fall hadn't knocked her unconscious. Even if the other Initiates hadn't gone running for the nearest crechemistress, the screams that this girl's lungs put out could have awoken every dead soul remembered in the Memorial.

That had at least ruled out the possibility that her broken back was impairing her breathing. The fact that she'd tried to kick him when he was stabilizing the injury suggested that it hadn't caused immediate paralysis.

All in all, she was fortunate, but didn't want to hear about it.

"Nanny Ukar is going to kill me," Sira groaned.

"No, actually," he corrected, "it's well after midnight, so Master Khe..."

He shook his head, remembering a twenty-year-old girl hanging off the side of an airbus. And that same girl arriving at the infirmary wi

 

Owch! The curse of the spiral staircase strikes again! That must have hurt some: you had me wincing right along with her! And Simeon choosing to study Gethin's bedside manner was a scream. Not sure what Rela would say to Simeon's tried-and-tested patter!

"The Temple's runners-up for the annual Kenobi prize were now Master and Apprentice.

Chances were, they wouldn't last the week."

That line is strangely ominous!

 

Jemmiah--Owch! The curse of the spiral staircase strikes again! That must have hurt some: you had me wincing right along with her! And Simeon choosing to study Gethin's bedside manner was a scream. Not sure what Rela would say to Simeon's tried-and-tested patter!

I love Gethin, you know I do. And Rela would probably be rolling her eyes very frequently with Simeon trying to be all Gethiny. I'm having the feeling that I keep copying other JeChr stories in the beginning (They all seem to start with Jemmiah yelling at no one in particular, Qui-gon being misguided, and someone in the Healer's Wing), but this is all establishing shots. And Li/Sira is a very important pairup.

"The Temple's runners-up for the annual Kenobi prize were now Master and Apprentice.

Chances were, they wouldn't last the week."

That line is strangely ominous!

Reminds me of in Swings and Roundabouts, when Ana says that they'll be in the Archives and Li says that she just hopes they're not under the section of "Casualty List" and then her Master dies, she nearly gets killed on that airbus...

 

Lurkers: You probably haven't had time to show up here yet, but I've had some supporters beyond the boards who have helped put these first few scenes together and I know the rest of you are out there, giving silent support just by clicking on that button. That means so much to me, even if I'll never know your name.

The person who delurks the most memorably will have a role created for them in this story to their choosing or will have a vignette written by me in their honor. Please participate.

This week is for all of you, to remind you how much we appreciate the little things you do.

Happy Lurker Appreciation Week!

[image=http://www.rhonderoo.com/easy.jpg]

 

OK, so I've been lurking trying to get a feel for the boards again, seeing as DRL has kept me away for FAR too long. Good job Ishy. I'm looking forward to seeing what trouble the new disaster duo gets into.
-K'Tai

 

Probably nothing. If this girl were any older, it would be a matter of shoot first and ask questions later.

That's the truth! And you're right Rela would be rolling her eyes frequently at Simeon trying to act Gethiny. But then Simmy would probably do something stupid making her laugh.

The Temple's runners-up for the annual Kenobi prize were now Master and Apprentice.

Chances were, they wouldn't last the week.

I don't like the sound of that. But I will echo the 'Poor Obi-Wan!' from earlier. Seems like I've been saying that for years.

 

Hugs to K'tai.

 

mouse2--Probably nothing. If this girl were any older, it would be a matter of shoot first and ask questions later.

That's the truth! And you're right Rela would be rolling her eyes frequently at Simeon trying to act Gethiny. But then Simmy would probably do something stupid making her laugh.

Yes. I've been rereading TLST for some characterization guides.

The Temple's runners-up for the annual Kenobi prize were now Master and Apprentice.

Chances were, they wouldn't last the week.

I don't like the sound of that. But I will echo the 'Poor Obi-Wan!' from earlier. Seems like I've been saying that for years.

LOL, we've all been saying it for years, but it's worth it just to hear it again.