As Long as there is Hope (JA): Completed!!!

UUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPP!!!!

 

I'm working on it, promise!

 

Just keeping it up

 

up!!

 

uppers

 

Bounce!

 

Here it is! Phew! *wipes brow*

***********

Obi-Wan awoke the following morning, prompted more by the rumblings of his stomach rather than the subtle reminders that his master would normally subject him to. He had overslept by a full two hours and as a result he was not only hungry but also extremely lazy. Never one to deny the fact that he enjoyed sleeping in when given the chance (which was non-existent since Qui-Gon had taken him as his padawan learner) the boy shuffled out of bed with his eyes still stuck together and his sleep shirt crumpled, wishing that he could just stay asleep all day. It would be a foolish thing to do though, he admitted ruefully as he stuffed his sock clad feet into the slippers by his bed, because he would only feel over-tired as a result?not that he thought he could feel worse than he did right now. He tried to use the force to see where his master was but he couldn't sense his presence at all. That couldn't be right?

Blearily he reached the door, sill trying to persuade his stubborn upper and lower eyelids to release their grasp of one another. Through the small slits he managed to see the morning light flooding into the balcony. There seemed to be no sign of Qui-Gon.

"Master?" Obi-Wan croaked.

No answer.

"Are you there, master?" he rubbed at his eyes.

Still no answer.

Obi-Wan sighed and decided to trust the force and save his voice in future. He felt his stomach urging him to find something edible to placate it's wrath and so he grudgingly made the effort of walking the few extra steps it took to get to the kitchen and the refrigeration unit.

//Citrus juice// he thought fondly. //That will do for a start. Then maybe if there's any of that Nerf's cheese left I can make some toast and?//

Just as his hand fell upon the fridge door he noticed a flimsy note stuck to the surface. The writing was small and neat - too small for Obi-Wan's sleep crusted eyes to make out at first - and unmistakably that of his master. Snatching the flimsyplast away and holding it merely inches from his nose, the padawan squinted at the series of strokes and squiggles until they deigned to fall into a pattern that made sense.

"Padawan," Obi-Wan managed to make out as he poured out a glass of citrus with the other hand; "I have gone out on official council business. I hope to return by the afternoon."

Obi-Wan yawned. "At least that means I don't have that assignment to work on."

"Please make sure you finish your assignment and see that your room is left in a tidy state. We will be leaving on our mission later this evening?. Qui-Gon Jinn."

Obi-Wan looked at the glass of citrus in his hand, and then back to the flimsy letter. The word that continued to jump out him was 'assignment'. He had the utmost respect and devotion for his master but there were times like now when the man seemed to read him just too well for his liking.

"Sith." Obi-Wan sighed.

*************

Qui-Gon strode determinedly along the permacrete paving.

If he were honest with himself this was a part of the city that he would rather not frequent unless he couldn't at all help it. Coruscant was built upon layers and layers of permacrete, which in turn were stacked upon what were now sub-layers of seedy and grimy, darkened stonework and dank buildings, some long forgotten. And below the sub-layers were the sewerage and fresh water systems. He remembered a good many years ago some unstable individual had decided to poison a fair amount of the West Side of Coruscant's population by trying to get the former diverted into the latter. It was rumoured that there were even subterranean species living amongst the tunnels and pipes?

Fortunately he had never had to go down to those levels before. On this occasion he was searching amongst the lower buildings around the streets themselves hoping to find the 'gentleman' that Mace had hinted he should search for. Qui-Gon strode amongst the other pedestrians, aware that he was hardly blending in. A jedi wandering round the streets usually meant there was some sort of

 

I can just see Obi standing there trying to read Qui-Gon's note!

Little do you know Qui that you may be visiting those types of bars a little more often in the future!

Excellent post Jem!

 

The plot advances and information can be gleaned from between the lines. Very nicely done, and good description of the bar's atmosphere. And Obi-Wan's state of mind. Keep going!

 

Up! Off page 8 this minute, d'ya hear? Up!

 

Jem, you must've put one of Garos' cameras in my apartment - your description of Obi-Wan in the morning sounded just like me.

Ooh, depending on the intent behind Elcron's last line, it either makes me feel a little sad or really creeps me out.

Well done!

 

Great post sis! Worth the wait.

Mor soon though I hope!

 

this was a good one. lets keep it coming

 

Haven't I replied to this one yet? Eeep! Behind again. I feel rather sorry for Qui, having to let someone think the unthinkable about him- but we all know it's in a good cause.

 

come on...its been a week....need more

 

"I don't like him." Jemmy eyed the weasel-faced guard as he strutted around in the courtyard.

He'd been hovering about now for some time, swaggering across the cobbled surface backwards and forwards as if he owned the place.

//He wouldn't dare do that in front of Merdan// thought Jemmiah tersely. //Then again nobody would//

"Nobody likes him." Nadine replied as her eyes followed the object of their loathing with every stride he took. "He's a jumped up little kriffer, pardon my bad Corellian mouth, and he's heading for a very sorry end."
"I wish he'd head there right now." Jemmy gritted her teeth. "You know there are more people arriving today?"
"I had heard, yes." Nadine nodded, tidying a strand of shiny brown hair. "Wonderful. I am so thrilled. Bad enough the one's we have, let alone adding more to our little holiday resort. You just keep your head down, you hear me?" Nadine insisted. "You have an advantage that myself and none of the others have. You're small and easily overlooked. No offense intended." She gave the girl a pat on the shoulder. "Half the time they probably forget you're even here."

"He doesn't." Jemmy scowled at Keleskladt who continued to pace up and down as if he might wear a trench into the cobbles. "And neither does Merdan. He never forgets anything."
"Has he tried anything?" Nadine growled suspiciously at Keleskladt... "If he has, just say the word and we'll sort the kriffer out somehow, pardon my foul Corellian mouth again."

Jemmy shook her head. "No. Keeps staring at me though. Gives me the creeps. Follows me around a lot. He's always trying to get me angry or cause trouble for me. He upended a bucket of dirty water over my nice clean floor, the miserable piece of Fleg."
"I'll have none of that language from you, missy." Warned Nadine. "I didn't bring you up to speak like that. But you just say the word, and if he so much as looks at you in a bad way me and the girls will poison his kriffing tea!"
"Pardon my Corellian mouth?" Jemmy hazarded.
"Why, what have you done?" Nadine asked innocently. "Come on, we'd better go back to peeling those gourals."

Jemmy dragged her feet reluctantly after the tall figure of Nadine. "But I seem to spend my life peeling gourals." She complained. "Can't we stay out for just a bit longer. I like the sunshine. I'm stuck indoors most of the time."
"I'm afraid we dance to Merdan's tune, kid." Nadine placed a hand on her shoulder and steered her away from the courtyard. "We've had our allotted time to stretch our legs and now it's back to work."
"S'pose." Jemmy pulled a face that under most circumstances would have caused Nadine to react with her typical harsh laughter? but at the back of her mind something about the kid was beginning to bother her.

"Tell me something," Nadine said airily, trying not to alarm the girl, "you feeling okay?"
"Why? What do you mean?" Jemmy asked, swallowing. "Why do you ask?"
"It's just that when you said you wanted to stay out in the sunlight it kinda got me thinking?" Nadine chewed at her lip for a while. "You don't look your usual bright and bubbly self. And you do know that the sickness that was going about last year seems to be back."
"I did work out what happened to Beralina, yes." Jemmy nodded, eyes to the ground. "She did nothing but complain about how dull and dark everything was. Always wanted to be outside in the sun."

Jemmy looked up at Nadine. "Do you think I'm sick too, is that it?"

//How do I answer that?// Nadine wondered. //How do I tell the kid that it might be her head next on the block? She might not be ill, it might be a coincidence?but if she is and I've noticed it you can bet that Merdan will notice too.//

"I don't know kid, I was just wondering." She smiled at the girl. "Still, keep out of the way of the others, huh? Just to be safe. It's probably nothing. Don't give the likes of pig face over there a chance to hurt you in any way. I'm just waiting my chance to get at that kriffer, pardon my overworked Corellian mouth."
"You didn't go after Levinstowe." Jemmy said slowly.

 

It's nice to see that Jemmy is keeping her chin up! I think she should keep the meat cleaver and continue chopping up on Levinstowe!

 

Superb posts, Jemmiah!

Excellent description of Obi-Wan first thing in the morning. That scene in the bar was so realistic, especially with that disgustingly seedy guy.

I don't know why, but it surprised me a little that Jemmiah is possibly sick, even though it's mentioned elsewhere. This is really illustrating just how close things were.

 

Good post sis!

I like Nadine. Despite her loose tongue she's doing all she can to look out for Jemmy and protect her as best she can.

And all I can say is keep chopping Jemmy!

 

I hate to say this but...

UP!

 

Great posts, Jemmiah! I love lil Jemmy, and can't wait for the boys to begin their rescue work!

 

Up!

 

With thanks to Leona for lending me the funniest line!

*********

"Sleep, padawan."
"I'll try, master. I'm just not very tired that's all." Obi-Wan sighed, and dejectedly shuffled towards the cot where he had thrown his blanket.

It was a lie of course. He WAS tired. It was just that there was too much buzzing round and round in his head. The journey was under way at last, and the small craft they had chartered would take them as far as the rendezvous ship in the Jantau system. Normally he would be looking forward to escaping the temple environs but this time he was finding it difficult to become at all excited at the prospect.

//A jedi should not look for excitement!// he almost heard Yoda chastise him.

Obi-Wan got so far along before stopping by the wall, shoulders slumping dejectedly.

"Master?"
"Obi-Wan?"
"Are we in any?danger on this trip?" he hazarded. "You've not said much about the mission. I just wondered if that was because it was better I know as little as possible."

//Smart thinking, padawan// Qui-Gon smiled inwardly at the logic Obi-Wan had misapplied to his reticence. //But it's not because I think you should know as little as possible. I think you should know as much as possible?but how do I tell you?//

"No, Obi-Wan. It's not that at all. As for danger, there is that to be found in every mission we are sent on. You can be certain that there will be times that our duty as ambassadors will prove every bit as treacherous as any espionage we have to carry out."
"Is that what we are doing then, master?" Obi-Wan stared at the dignified and controlled face. "Are we spying?"

Qui-Gon considered what exactly to say. Keeping Obi-Wan in the dark was more likely to cause harm in the long term. He knew the boy would play his part as well as could be expected, but under the circumstances of where they were heading for, it was still going to be unpleasant for him to learn the truth. For the first time since he had insisted to Valorum that his padawan come with him on the mission, he found himself regretting his decision.

"In a manner of speaking." He nodded slowly. "This isn't going to be a pleasant experience at all for either of us. We have to search for a friend of the chancellor's who has disappeared in?unusual circumstances."
"That doesn't sound too bad so far, master." Obi-Wan replied carefully.
"Yes, well." Qui-Gon mumbled. "There is a possibility that this person has fallen into the hands of some unscrupulous persons as yet unknown to us. To make matters worse we are searching an area that is known pirate territory. Our own safety has been insured only because of the substantial amount of money that was paid in advance via equally unscrupulous sources. We should be safe on the way there."
"What about the way back?" Obi-Wan dared to ask.
"It depends on whether or not they like our faces." Qui-Gon managed to jest.

Obi-Wan looked the tall man up and down.

"In that case I think we could be in trouble." He quipped.
"What's the matter with my face?" Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed slowly like a carnivorous plant round a fly.
"There's nothing actually wrong with it." Obi-Wan dared to voice his opinion.
"I'm glad to hear it."
"It's just not a conventional type of face if you'll forgive me for saying." Obi-Wan looked embarrassed. "Maybe if the beard was to come off?"

"Absolutely under no circumstances will this beard ever come off." Qui-Gon pointed at his face. "I grew this beard for a very good reason."
"To scare Master Falmar away?" the padawan wondered outloud.
"I beg your pardon?" Qui-Gon let his back stiffen to indicate that the boy was on very shaky ground.

Obi-Wan realized his error and tried to cover up.

"N-no, master. It's just that Master Berlingside said you grew the beard to keep Master Falmar away from you because she didn't like the idea of getting her face all scratched and red?" he let his words die a natural and painless death.
"Master Berlingside WOULD say something like that." Qui-Gon nodded. "But I am entirely satisfied with the way I look. And as I