Before - Legends How Can I Keep From Singing-- An Au Story thread for Darthishtar

Title: How Can I Keep From Singing?
Author: Noelie
Characters: OC's, Qui-Gon Jinn
Genre: AU on both the EU Star Wars, and the 'Noelaverse'
Notes: This is for DarthIshtar. I realize that it might not be everyone's cup of tea. Understand I am not advocating the course of action the characters are taking, but will continue to explore what I started in what I mistakenly thought was a one time plot bunny for DarthIshtar. She wants more. The original fiction was the Ebb and Flow of Life

~~~~~

Matin Anis had been having a strange day.

His office had been contacted for a very special case, one that was going to require the supreme delicacy and privacy his office was known to provide.

He allowed his daughter, Meahan, to be the primary council for the case, and on the face of it this was only a standard surrogacy contract. That was until a person had any understanding of the people involved.

The first thing was that the biological mother was dead. He remembered the reports of the Senator of Alderaan dying after injuries sustained in a mission. There were other odd things about the case, if he was remembering correctly, and while he put someone on task to find all relevant reports he couldn't foresee that they would be an issue.

So, just before the negotiating parties were to arrive he took a look at the data collected, expecting to see very little in the file. Not only was there mention of Noela Ovorp's death, there was a great deal of information of her life. She had been a fine legislator and ambassador, but it seemed the only thing that the media had been interested in was her unique and cordial relationship with the Jedi temple. Moreover a good deal fo the information seemed to ignore her contribution to society, and focused on exactly that relationship might have fully entailed.

However, it did explain a great deal about the gentleman that was coming in as the prospective, male-biological component to this negotiation. He handed the file to his daughter.

"Did you know about any of this? You might want to take a look. If you wish to have me take over when you are finished, I would quite understand."

He was gratified to find Meahan's eyebrows do a surprised lift, and that only seemed to increase as she considered the information that had been collected. He had been afraid that she did know, and that she had a bit more of his dear wife's need for sentimentalism than a legal counsel should have.

"Do you think this is going to make the case more difficult? Since we know, we are going to have to bring this up if they do not. I thought his name was familiar."

Matin grinned at his oldest child, "It does remind us that our Holovid clients are not the only ones to have interesting secrets."

"You can say that again, Father."

He laughed while Meahan continued to read the file, shaking her head in bemusement.

~~~~~

The group was a study in contrasts.

Even if one were to just to consider the women, who could never be mistaken for anything but sisters, the hair color ranged from a light blond to a vibrant red-head.

The said vibrant red-head was the chosen surrogate. Their office had already understood that she was the younger sister of the erstwhile senator of Alderaan, and she felt deeply that this would be a perfect memorial for the woman that had helped raise her from infancy.

The love of the three sisters for the dead Noela Ovorp was clear.

He was a harder read, even if you granted that frequently in the holo's collected he seemed to be watching his Attachment with unusual warmth for what was expected for a Jedi. Of course, that was nothing less than he expected for a seasoned Jedi Master, and a respected council member at that. He was certainly unique enough, having married and yet not only accepted within the order, but elevated to the said Jedi Council.

Matin wondered to himself how they could have missed the man's air of assurance that bespoke of his leadership. His focus had alw

 

*sigh* Lovely ending to that first installment. I found the level of conflict to be appropriate and credible and as always, you delight with the Ovorp sisters and Qui-Gon.

 

Title: Above Earth's Lamentations
Author: Noelie
~~~~~

The other people in the clinic were quick to notice the pair. It was an interesting couple, she being young and pretty, he older with distinguished glints of silver in his dark hair. Two women, that could only be her sisters, were with them.

The man had his arm around the young woman, and while that might normally indicate some deeper feeling, at this moment it was out of pure comfort, as the girl was crying.

"I don't know what to do if this didn't work," she gulped.

It wasn't something unknown to be expressed in this setting, as it was a clinic for reproductive problems. Most others turned their eyes away the couple, sympathy for whatever the problem was, providing all the privacy they needed.

A door slid open with a swoosh, and the assistant called out, "Mere Ovorp?"

Mere gave Qui-Gon a watery smile and took the hand he proffered to escort her first to a station where a sample of blood was quickly taken, and other physical indicators checked.

In the privacy of the patient room, Qui-Gon took the moment to kiss her forehead, "If it doesn't work, and you no longer wish to do this, we do something else."

She grasped the edges of his tunic as she leaned closer for the hug she knew would be forthcoming. "I just hated the two previous times. I am afraid to hope."

He touched her nose, "And yet Mere, that is all we have. It will be when the time is right."

Ciel and Tani came forward to join in the short embrace, and then they all found a place to sit as the healer entered the room.

"Good day. I see you are all here again."

Qui-Gon spoke for them, "Yes, what is the news?"

The Healer looked at him as if he hadn't heard and then began to go through the chart. He turned to look in Mere's eyes and felt for a pulse and assess the feel of her skin.

"It is good that you are all here. It makes it much easier to plan the next visit."

They exchanged looks of disappointment, and Qui-Gon's hand absently patted the one of Mere's that he could touch. "Don't give up hope, my dear."

The Healer looked surprised, "What are the long faces for? My assistant should have told you. Mere is most definitely pregnant. This last embryonic transfer was successful.

Tani and Ciel looked at each other in the dawning of the statement, "We have a baby!" They squealed as they went to embrace the laughing Mere.

The healer rolled one of his three eyes and then went back to his datapad. "We need to set up another appointment in a couple of weeks to set up for her baseline. After that we do one a month until she reached thirty-four weeks. Tell Sari when that works for any of you. Mere if you start feeling nauseated or want to ask any questions, please feel free to call."

He left the room without further notice, leaving four stunned people behind him.

The women had each other, but in a moment they realized they saw a look of wonder on the father-to-be.

"I didn't know what this moment would mean!" And for the first time in any of their memory, his smile seemed less self-assured.

Mere got off her perch on the table and sat beside him, "Noela would be so pleased." She halted for a moment and then threw her arms around his neck, "I am pleased myself."

They looked to the other two sisters, who were crying.

Qui-Gon covered his offending moist eyes and then said, "I think it is time we went out and celebrated."

"No alcohol!" exclaimed a happy Mere.

Qui-Gon reached a gentle hand to rest over her abdomen, "No indeed. We need none of that this time."

~~~~~~

"Do you have any idea of what you looked like as a baby?" Ciel asked, curiosity shining from her sky-blue eyes.

Qui-Gon could only shake his head, "I would imagine a long, slim boy, with a nose to large for his face."

Mere's look was one of contemplation. "How do you suppose the baby will look?"

His smirk was infectious, "If it is wise it will look like it's mother, although I wouldn't mind if it is not so vertically challenged as an Ovorp."

He made a mock ex

 

Such a funny/sweet conversation on inheritance. I loved the atmosphere of them at the medics'/

 

I of course read this just because of the title, one of my most favorite hymns.

I like where you are going with this story. It brings in a completely different set of circumstances and how people deal with grief and loss.

 

"It just kept saying, how can I keep from singing? I suppose I wanted to help her keep singing, wherever she is."

Very good ending to the first part.

Poor Qui-Gon.

But at least he sent Tahl packing. Strange goings on in that strange woman's mind. I'll be back for the rest later.