Before - Legends Luminous Beings reposted & continuing MESSAGE JULY22 LINK to sequel inside

Don't worry Gkilkenny, Aleena's not the only one who's gonna be gunning for Oorami.

Obi Has more allies than he knows Maychorian

The post is on the next page, avoiding the end of page disapearing post.

 

Obi-Wan awoke to the smell of 'swamp' tea, and Issuni calling
him. "Obi-Wan wake up."

The sleeping Padawan opened his eyes to see the Healer
standing next to a table in Tolinn's room with a mug of what
had to be the herbal tea Kimu had given him to take. The smell
woke up Tolinn to.

"What's that, it smells worse than the fresher?"

"It is Obi-Wan's medicine that he is supposed to be taking."
Both boys made faces. "Tolinn I need to get you cleaned up
while your buddy drinks this. So you need to get off of your
mattress there."

Tolinn giggled at the thought of Obi-Wan as a mattress. He
untangled himself from the blanket, and Obi-Wan stood.

"I would have gone to my chambers and made my own you know," the
Padawan told the Healer.

"Did you make it last night, while you were waiting out in the
corridor?"

"Well - - No," Obi-Wan admitted.

"Let me tell you something young man." Issuni joked, but was
serious. "We Healers have a saying, you can not take care of
others, if you do not take care of yourself."

"And do you always follow that saying?"

Issuni cringed a little. "Maybe not, but you will drink that,
now."

Obi-Wan did not argue and drank the foul tasting tea while the
Healer washed and put Tolinn in clean cloths. Obi-Wan noticed
he was not the freshest thing going either. "I do need to go take
care of myself. I have to go before the council
today."

The Healer could see that the young Jedi was still upset at
all that had happened the day before. "I know you are worried,
but I have a feeling everything will work out."

"I hope so," Obi-Wan quietly replied. "I have to be here for
the next treatment, that's the one - - " He did not have to tell
Issuni, she knew that was the important one, the one that
would tell if they were working. A gentle hand on the older
boy's shoulder said more than any words could. Obi-Wan
crouched down to Tolinn's size and spoke to the toddler. "Now
you behave and when you feel better, you eat lots of good
stuff."

"I will." Tolinn smiled. "Obi?"

"What Toli?"

"Thank you for being my buddy."

Obi-Wan smiled. "You're welcome," was all he could say. In his
mind he was praying, 'he has to get well, he just has to.'
He then managed to cheerfully say, "I'll see you later."

As soon as Obi-Wan was out of the healing center, heading
to his chambers, his fertile mind was thinking of going in
front of the council. He had just told Tolinn he would see him
later, but he did not even know if he would be there later.
All the worst case scenarios were running in his head. They
would believe Kelee and Oorami and throw him out of the order.
Then he would see how foolish that way of thinking was. Then
he would think it again. If he had only know that some of his
elders were already talking to each other. He was not the
one on the verge of being thrown out of the order.

Mother Oorami had woken up that morning confident that she, at
last, would have

 

Obi-Wan was up bright and early the next morning. Qui-Gon knew
how important this day was for his Padawan and so told him he
did not have to train that day. That was part of the reason
for the extra hard work out the night before. For the third
day he drank the herbal medicine that Kimu had given him, and
knew he had to wait till the afternoon to eat. He would be
glad when the next four days were over. Then he thought about
what he might have to go through again if the Healers felt he
was not better. The first place Obi-Wan went to was to Bant's
temporary home. Both Bant and Lowan were happy to see him.

"Obi-Wan, why didn't you tell me what was going on yesterday?"
Bant asked.

"I didn't want to worry you, and everything worked out,"
Obi-Wan explained.

"I heard, Mother Nisa told me some of what happened."

"Next year, I'm gonna' live with Mama Nisa," Lowan pronounced.
"Just like my Mama Bant did."

"I'm sure you'll like it a lot," Obi-Wan told Lowan. "The other
boys and girls in her group are nice kids."

"Do you think Toli will live with Mama Nisa?"

"He already lives with Mother Aleena, but I'm sure you will
see him - - " Obi-Wan stopped short. He had said it as if he
were so sure that the treatments that Issuni was giving Tolinn
were going to work. Indeed Obi-Wan could see in his minds eye
the two boys playing together in the future. That may have
been wishful thinking rather than foreseeing.

"Massa Soli's going to show me to the other Massas tonight."

"I know, then you'll be a real Jedi."

Lowan smiled the biggest smile he ever had. Bant had explained
that Obi-Wan could not be at the presentation, but the Mon Cal
infant did not understand. "Will you be there to see me Uncie
Obi?"

Obi-Wan felt badly that he could not, but it was for the only
thing that would have kept him away. "No but Qui-Gon will be."


"Remember," Bant reminded. "Obi-Wan has to stay with Tolinn
tonight, because he's very sick."

Lowan really had no understanding of how sick his little
friend was. "Can't Uncie Obi bring Toli with him to see me?"

"Lowan." Bant tenderly looked at her son. "Do you remember
what you called the medicine tree?" He had seen the I.V. rack
one time at the healers and called it that. The boy nodded.
"Well Tolinn is going to have to be connected to the medicine
tree. So he can't go where the Masters are going to meet you."

"Oh."

Obi-Wan remembered something. "You know what though?"

"What?"

"Tolinn and I can still see you."

"Huh?" Lowan scrunched his face in doubt.

"I'm sure that they will show the presentation on the view
screens, don't they do that Bant?"

"You're right. They do, I had forgot. I'm glad you
remembered."

"I never really had a reason to watch it before. Now I'll make
sure that we see you Lowan."

Lowan was happy again, but he was wondering. "Will I get to
see you when I live with Mama Nisa?"

"Not like now," Bant said.

"You'll be busy le

 

Oh no! This means he's getting better, right? Things always get lots worse before they start to get better, right?

Oh dear.

 

Sorry about the evil cliff hanger Maychorian I'm afraid the next post leaves it just as ambiguous, but you are on the right track.

----------------------------

The Healer was not far away, she came running when she heard
the Padawan's call. Her tiny patient did looked horrid. He was
an odd color and the medicine was making him want to empty his
stomach. Tolinn's stomach was empty so there was really not
much for him to get rid of. The sick little boy was also
shaking, something he had not done with the other treatments.

"Let's get him back into the bed," Issuni told Obi-Wan, so he
carried Tolinn back to it. The young Jedi could feel that
Tolinn was very hot as well. Issuni still wanted to cover him
up tightly with the blankets. She closed her eyes and held her
hands just above the little boy. She was using her skills to
sense just what was going on in Tolinn's body. Obi-Wan could
also sense that the Healer was using the Force to regulate the
boy's system as much as she could. When the Healer opened her
eyes, she increased the drip on the I.V. that gave Tolinn the
fluids his body needed.

Obi-Wan did not have to ask, the look on his face told the
Healer what he wanted to know. 'What was wrong? What was
happening to his little friend?' Tolinn's eyes were closed and
he was still shaking. His color was not any better. Issuni
indicated with a tilt of her head that they should go outside
of Tolinn's room to talk.

"Why is he like that?" Obi-Wan asked when they were out of
Tolinn's earshot.

"The medicine has a strong effect on the body. It is trying to
kill the bad cells in Tolinn's blood. Tolinn's body is
fighting both the medicine and the cells it is killing."

"You mean the treatment itself is doing that to him?"

"Unfortunately yes, that is the price if we want him to have a
chance. I'm going to have to stay here with him and use the
Force to regulate his vitals. Maybe you should go and get some
sleep. I don't think he will be awake until tomorrow."

"I don't want to leave."

"I know you don't. Right now you won't be doing any good here.
Come back in the morning. That is when he will need you."

Obi-Wan did not know what to do. He knew what Issuni was
telling him was true still he wanted to help. "You mean there
is nothing I can do now, to help you?"

"That is why we have apprentices." The Healer gave the Padawan
a sympathetic smile. "Anyone of them can help me, only you can
be his buddy. Go Obi-Wan, get some rest. I'll let you know if
anything happens."

As the Healer called out for one of the apprentice Healers.
Obi-Wan never felt so useless. He could only do what the
Healer had told him to, even if doing what the Healers told
him to do was never one of Kenobi's strong points.

In his chambers Obi-Wan just paced. All the time sitting on
his desk was the bag with the swamp tea, for some reason it
nagged at him. After a while of pacing her reluctantly went
out to the common area and started to get his mug and the hot
water to make the herbal remedy that he was supposed to take

 

"How do Hutts eat?"

"In very large quantities."

"Oh!" Tolinn really smiled now.

LOL! That was really cute. And all the Padawans playing the same game with Tolinn. I liked the conversation with Mace, too. Nice to see another side of him, and that Obi-Wan was able to see things a little more clearly. Wonderful post.

 

Thanks again Maychorian,and everyone else who's reading.
---------------------------------

When Obi-Wan went to the room where the books and toys were, he
found that Kelee was reading to a group of other kids that had
been in the healing center. The apprentice Crèche Mother told
the Padawan that she was just about to start another if he
wanted to bring Tolinn in. He went back and asked Toli if
he wanted to go with the other kids.

"Yhea, Kelee reads stories real good."

So Obi-Wan carried the tired boy to hear Kelee read. He
himself still did not know what to do with himself. He did not
want to leave knowing that Healer Issuni would be back at any
time to tell Toli if the treatment had worked. Had they found
the chemical combination that would destroy the bad cells in
Tolinn's system? At the same time Obi-Wan was sleepy himself.
While Kelee read to the children, Obi-Wan planted himself on
one of the double chairs that lined the wall of the play room.
It was not long before the young Jedi was fast asleep. Even
Kelee's voice reading the story, and the children's laughter
could not keep him awake.

A few stories later, an apprentice Healer showed up to take
the children back to their rooms. Kelee told her that she
would bring Tolinn back to his room.

"Aren't you going to wake up Obi?" Toli whispered.

"No, he needs to sleep," Kelee answered. "I'm sure he'll be in
to see you when he wakes up."

So Tolinn was brought back to his room and fell asleep himself
while Obi-Wan snoozed away in the play room. A few hours later
the idea that he should not be asleep crept into Kenobi's
mind. He sat up all of a sudden to find he was all alone. How
long had he been there sleeping? What time was it? He looked
at a clock on the wall and saw he had been there quite a
while. Issuni must have been back by now. He went to check in
Tolinn's room first. The little boy was fast asleep, and no
Healers were in site. Obi-Wan remembered where Issuni's office
was and he made his way there. Part of him wanted to get there
fast, another part did not want to know. He wanted to know
even less when he could hear the Healer crying on the other
side of the door. Obi-Wan braced himself for bad new.

A frown was on the Padawan's face when he opened the door and
saw Issuni looking at a slide in a old fashioned microscope;
the same one she had almost broken a few days before. Oddly it
looked like there was a smile on the face of the sobbing
Healer.

"Is that Tolinn's?" Obi-Wan pointed to the microscope.

"Yes it is." Issuni wiped her eyes. She said something that
Obi-Wan had not expected, "we did it Obi-Wan, we found it."

It took a moment for the fantastic news to hit Obi-Wan. He had
been so sure that Issuni was crying because Tolinn was not
going to make to. "What did you say?"

"The treatment it worked. Toli is going to be all right."
Again the tears of joy were welling in her eyes. Before she
knew it the Healer had a teenaged Padawan attached to her.
Obi-Wan was hugging Issuni so hard, she thought she'd pass out.

 

I really enjoyed this. Not only that Toli is getting better, but that Obi is having such a hard time lying. It does seem like a strange thing to do, but I understand Qui-Gon's reasoning. It was really nice of him to buy the fruit for the old woman. Maybe Qui-Gon will relent after a dozen or so? I'd hate for Obi to get a reputation for lying.

 

Obi lie? Never
------------------------

Once again Obi-Wan's Master sent him ahead to find someone to
tell a small lie to. Not far down the walkway a little boy,
who had tourist written all over him, saw Obi-Wan and tugged on
his mother's pant leg.

"Look Mom a Jedi; a real Jedi." The boy then lead the mother
by hand towards the Padawan.

Obi-Wan was really not in the mood for what usually happened
next. Many of the tourist to Coruscant always wanted to meet
'a real Jedi'. Many had wild ideas about what Jedi could do,
which sometimes were good for a laugh, but today he was glad
he had a way out of dealing with them.

"Young man, pardon me," the boy's mother spoke. "We are
visiting Coruscant..."

'As if I couldn't tell,' Obi-Wan thought sarcastically to
himself.

" - - and my son has wanted to talk to a Jedi. You are a Jedi,
aren't you?"

Obi-Wan did what he never would have done on any other
occasion. He lied. "No ma'am, I am not a Jedi."

"But you look like one," The boy pouted.

"I am an actor for the holo-net, this is my costume." Obi-Wan
was trying very hard not to laugh. "You see that man, down
there?" He pointed to Qui-Gon. "He is indeed a real Jedi."

"Well thank you for telling us," the mother said and she
dragged her son towards the Jedi Master.

Obi-Wan chuckled to himself as he stood off to the side
watching his Master deal with the tourists. Qui-Gon was
nothing but polite.

"That guy says you're a real Jedi," the boy stated.

"That's right." Qui-Gon knelt down to be closer to the boy's
line of sight. "And where do you come from young man?"

"Alderaan."

"That's not too far, but I'm sure you don't see to many Jedi
on such a peaceful planet."

"No sir. I'm glad I got to meet one here."

"I'm glad I met you too."

"Can I be a Jedi." The boy was entirely sincere.

"I'm sorry, that's not possible." Qui-Gon's words saddened the
boy.

"Why not?"

"Well, to be a Jedi you have to be in tune with the Force. If
you were, you would know long before now. Then if you were a
Jedi you would not live with your lovely mother here."

"Really?"

"Really, you'd have to live in the Temple with all the other
Jedi."

"And Mom couldn't live there?"

"Son, you know you can't be a Jedi," the mother interrupted
this line of questioning. The boy looked disappointed again.

"But you know what?" Qui-Gon said to the boy who looked at him
with interest. "If you study hard in school, you may be some
one who helps the Jedi."

"Oh? Who helps the jedi?"

"All sorts of people, from pilots to the people in the
senate - - "

"I could be a pilot - - I could even be a Senator."

"That's right."

"Can you tell me a story about being a Jedi?"

"I'm sorry young man, right now I can't." Qui-Gon extended his
hand to say good bye. "But it was nice chatting with you."

"Me too." The boy and Qui-Gon shook hand

 

Yay! More fun in the markest. I like the light-heartedness of this section.

 

Jedi teacher and student just happened to be walking along;
looking for the next person Obi-Wan was to tell something less
than truthful. They just happened to be walking in the
direction the irate father and the others were walking. They
just happened to see what they were selling at the market.
They were street performers. The people who had been chasing
the boy who had stolen a kiss, all joined the others who were
already in the middle of their high flying acrobatics. The
father and the daughter held out a hat and a scarf to take any
money onlookers might give them. Qui-Gon stopped to watch
Obi-Wan had walked a few yards before he realized. He went
back to stand at his Master's side, not quite sure why Qui-Gon
had stopped.

Obi-Wan looked at the acrobats, he didn't seem as impressed as
the rest of the crowd who clapped and oohed and awed. No
matter how high, it was not as if he had never seen the
jumping and flipping in all of the training rooms of the
Temple.

"They are good, are they not?" Qui-Gon asked.

Obi-Wan never knowing if Master Jinn was asking because he
wanted to know, or if he was trying to teach something, knew
better than to just say 'I guess so'. He still did not answer.

Qui-Gon did not push him for an answer, he just kept watching.
Obi-Wan watched only because they were there.

"This does not interest you Padawan?" Qui-Gon sensed Obi-Wan's
rising boredom.

"Maybe when I was six Master."

"You know that these people are not using to Force to do any
of their stunts."

Obi-Wan was still did not tell his Master, he could care less
about it. He was sure that he and his friends could do
anything these people were doing, Force or not. It would have
been a lot more fun to do than to watch. Something did catch
the young Jedi's attention. Along with three others, the girl
with the sparse bantha wool top was about to take the center
of crowd. The father seemed to be the ringmaster of this
group. He introduced his daughters.

"And now good citizens and visitors of Coruscant, I present to
you my lovely daughters who will astound you with a
demonstration of the ancient art of Nijire." He started with
the eldest and introduced the four girls. "The lovely Lilly."
The girl, dressed in white, went to the center and slowly bent
into a shape that not to many could have even attempted. "The
lovely Nightshade." This girl was in the same outfit, the tiny
top and billowy pants, in black. She went to the center and
balanced precariously on her pretzeled sister. "The Lovely
Trillium." Yet another girl in burgundy perched on the other
side of the first sister. "And of course the lovely flower of
spring, Jonquil." The girl that Obi-Wan had told his Master he
would not mind kissing, clad in yellow, ran out and climbed on
top of her sisters in away that seemed to defy gravity.

Obi-Wan now seemed interested in the show. It was not for her
contorting skills. Qui-Gon smiled to himself when he saw his
apprentice silently repeating the girl's name after the father

 

::groan:: Oh dear. This is going to be trouble . . .

 

Yes it will be trouble, but not till much later in the story.
---------------------------

While Obi-Wan was out learning how to 'lie' convincingly, Bant
was starting to work out with her Master again. At the moment
she was blocking attacks that Soliqua aimed at her. The little
Mon Calamarian was fast, Bant could always jump, or duck out of
the way. When necessary she blocked her Master's saber away.
Somewhere in the middle of their saber practice, when Master
and Padawan were locked in a block and their sabers hissed,
Bant lost her concentration. Soliqua's light saber slid off of
Bant's and moved towards her head. If not for the Jedi
Master's quick reflexes, the Padawan would have been severely
injured. Soliqua had shut down her saber just in time.

"Bant!" Soliqua half worried, half disappointed, jumped. "Where
are your thoughts?"

"Not here Master, I'm sorry." Bant bowed.

"You scared me. Such a laps in concentration, at such a moment,
is not like you."

"I'm sorry, I suddenly felt like - - " Bant did not want to tell
her Master what had distracted her. Because she had already
started, Master Soliqua pressed for an answer.

"Felt like what Padawan?"

"Like Lowan needed me."

"I see." Soliqua did not want to make an issue out of Bant
still feeling a connection to her son. "It may take a while for
you to not feel so connected. I am sure that he misses you a
lot."

"It is more difficult than I imagined. I don't know how you
will do it," Bant let slip out. "I'm sorry Master that was not
meant the way it sounded."

"It is true; it will be hard if my child is to be a Jedi. It
will be hard if they are not to be a Jedi as well. You are
young, it is harder to understand. Are you having second
thoughts about continuing your training?"

"No Master. I am just wondering, interested in how it will be
for you. I can sense the child growing inside of you. I only
felt bad for a few weeks and laid some eggs. It's been very
hard to leave the ones on Mon Calamari, and hard to leave
Lowan, even if he is with the Mothers and all the other
children. You will carry your child for over half of a year.
How will you be able to give it up after."

"If the child is meant to be a Jedi, I will find a way. Do you
feel like we can continue our sparing now?"

"Yes Master."

Their sabers hissed on once again.

Lowan was with the Mothers and all the other children, but he
still felt lonely and missed Bant. He knew she was nearby.
Even though she had explained to him that until he was a
Padawan she could not see him, he did not entirely like the
idea. He liked the other children. Because he was a Mon Cal, a
species that matured quickly, he did not have to stay with the
infants. He was with toddlers of other species. Mother Nisa
had promised that next year when he was old enough to go to a
group, she would pick him. That would be nice, he liked her,
and Mother Nisa had taken care of Bant when she was little.

Later that day a few of the Crèche Mothers took groups of the

 

I really liked Qui-Gon's riddles. I can't figure out the answer to the first one either, unless something happened in the meantime to make him happy that he didn't have a boat . . . or something.

Poor Obi, can't even go watch a ship being built without running into trouble. At least he saved the kids. Good for him.

 

Someone on the old thread actually guessed it right, but in the story, it hasn't been revieled yet, in the part that is written.
---------------------


?Let me take a listen.? The med tech saw something she did not
like on the scanner. She listened to Obi-Wan?s chest, but did
not hear anything out of the ordinary. Of course the young
Jedi could have been controlling his breathing. ?I still think
a trip to the hospital may be in order.?

?Hospital?? Obi-Wan groaned. If there was one thing worse than
the healers it was doctors.

?You are responsible for this young man?? another med tech
asked Qui-Gon.

?Yes. There are Healers where we live. If you could bring us
to the Jedi temple everything will be taken care of.?

?We have to bring this other child to the hospital. If you?re
smart you?ll let us bring yours there too. You don?t know
where the other two?s parents are.?

?No I?m afraid not.?

?We can?t wait any longer. Are you in for the ride??

Obi-Wan looked at his Master hoping to dissuade him from
listening to the med techs, but Qui-Gon quickly decided.

?Yes, take us as well.? Qui-Gon climbed into the emergency
speeder and the med techs added Obi-Wan, still on the stretcher
droid, in with the others; the little girl, who they were
frantically working over; the little brother, sitting at her
side; and the lunatic that had knocked the children over the
wall. He was still in the sleep trance Qui-Gon had put him in.
The med techs took no chance, and strapped him down.

?Do I really need to lay on this thing?? Obi-Wan grumbled.

?I suppose you can sit up,? the woman med tech said. ?If you
can that is.?

The woman?s teasing was all Obi-Wan needed to get him sitting
up, no matter how sore he was. He saw the little girl was not
doing to well. ?How is she??

?She will need a lot of reconstruction to her fingers, and a
lot of synth skin, but if she had hit that platform - - I am sure
she would be dead. The little one as well.? She smiled at him.

Obi-Wan had done a good thing, but he felt that if he had not
climbed up on the rail to begin with, maybe none of this would
have happened. They were only copying him.

?Don?t think like that Padawan,? Qui-Gon said to him in a low
tone for only him to hear. ?That man would have harmed someone
today no matter what.?

?Master?? Obi-Wan asked in that same low tone. ?Do any of the
lies I just told count??

?Obi-Wan, forget about the lesson for the rest of the day. We
will continue it some other time.?

Obi-Wan nodded. ?What a way of getting out of something,?
he thought to himself.

The little boy was now beginning to realize just how close to
dying he and his sister had come. He wanted to thank the older
boy who had saved them. He went over to Obi-Wan and
enthusiastically hugged him.

?Ahhh.? Kenobi flinched.

?I?m sorry.? The boy was surprised.

?It?s all right, I?m just really sore.?

?I wanted to say thank you for catching us.?

?Anytime,? Obi-Wan said smiling but with a win

 

The next time Obi-Wan awoke, it was morning. Qui-Gon had
slipped off to get some cafe'. He was once again staying up an
entire night at his Padawan's side, watching and wondering why
it seemed to be Obi-Wan who was always getting injured. Master
Jinn remembered back to when he was the same age. In thinking
about it, he had his own string of 'early Padawan years
injuries' as well. Somehow they didn't seem as traumatic or
frequent as Obi-Wan's.

The night's sleep had done as much for Obi-Wan as the repairs
of the operating room. The grogginess of the sedation was now
gone. What had replaced it was a ravenous hunger, and an
urgent need to use the fresher unit. Strength now returned he
got out of bed and headed that way. He realized that he was
not in his own clothes. He was in what amounted to a short,
thin, piece of material with arm holes and several strings
tying it in the back. He felt a distinct breeze in the neither
regions. A morning stretch and yawn reviled just how short the
hospital gown was. 'I could get arrested for wearing this
thing anywhere else.'

'Just where are my clothes?' Padawan Kenobi wondered. 'First
things first.'

When he was out of the fresher, Obi-Wan started to search for
his clothes. They were not in any of the room's drawers. Now
he was getting irritated. There was one last place to look, a
closet. His clothes were there, on the top shelf. He had to
stand tip toed to reach them. Just as he did, he heard the door open,
and someone calling out, "Breakfast."

Followed by, "now that's one of the perks of
volunteering here."

It was not Master Jinn, it was a female voice. Of course it
was. Isn't that the way it always happens? Someone walks in at
the most em-bare-assing time possible. Obi-Wan quickly covered
his bare assets with the clothes he had just grabbed.

"Do you mind!?!"

"No actually."

When Obi-Wan turned around he saw a girl around
his own age, wearing overalls the color that indicated she was
a volunteer at the hospital. She was holding a tray of food.
"That's the best thing I've ever seen here."

"Are you always this rude?"

"Rude? Can't you take a complement?"

"You just get out of here until I'm dressed."

The girl sighed and opened the door to go.

"Leave the food."

"Yes your majesty." She dropped the tray with a plop onto a
small table by the bed.

"Ha ha."

The girl left the room but Obi-Wan was now paranoid. He
quickly attempted to put his under shorts on. They were
somewhere around his ankles when he heard the door again. The
young Jedi jumped.

"Hey what do you think you're - - " Obi-Wan landed on the floor,
tripping on his own shorts, only to see a confused Qui-Gon
with his cup of cafe'.

"I think I came back at an inconvenient moment." Qui-Gon
smiled at his poor Padawan in the tiny hospital outfit. "What
are you doing?" He restrained himself from adding 'Tanglefoot'
to the end of that question.

 

"You know what they say about the food in places like this?"

"A Jedi knows no fear."

LOL! This was one of my favorite bits. Also the last few lines, and the whole annoyance that is Topaz and the way Obi-Wan irritatedly deals with her. Obi-Wan is injured again and the story still manages to be light-hearted! Very good.

 

Thanks Maychorian, I think that comes from being a M*A*S*H* fanatic.
-----------------

"Well, it is obvious that if you are well enough to be chased
about by girls," Qui-Gon said. "Then you are well enough to
spend some time meditating, aren't you?"

"Yes Master." Obi-Wan sensed that Qui-Gon was not kidding. He
found a spot on the floor and knelt very properly to meditate.

"And I expect to see you here when I return."

"Return?" Obi-Wan opened one eye.

"I want to contact the Temple again." Qui-Gon could see his
apprentice's questioning mind at work. Qui-Gon winked. "To
make sure we aren't missing all the action while we are away."

There was never any 'action' at the Temple. Because it was
part of his training, Obi-Wan was prepared to stay meditating
while Qui-Gon went off to get some time to himself. Obi-Wan
sensed that it must have been fairly boring for his Master to
play nurse maid over him, especially when there wasn't really
anything to worry about. These latest wounds healed quickly
because there was no baggage attached to them. Obi-Wan knew
this too. As he meditated he realized, despite Kimu's swamp
tea concoction, that something was still going on inside of
him. He never wanted to concentrate on healing it because to
do so meant he had to remember things he wanted to forget.

He laughed to himself when he thought about the new nick name
'that girl' had given him. He realized he could laugh about
it. Then an odd thing happened, he found that he could
actually think about the healing that needed to take place.
Maybe he should thank 'that girl', if only she wasn't so
irritating. And as he was thinking of just how irritating she
was, he sensed her back in the room. He did not move. He wanted
to see just what she would do when she thought he wasn't
paying attention.

"Hey cheeks?" Topaz said with her usual zeal. "What ya' doing
on the floor?"

Obi-Wan did not move. Topaz nosily looked around the room.

"I saw your dad leave, so I figured it was safe to come back."


Obi-Wan turned bringing one of his knees upright. "I think we
need to get a few things strait. Qui-Gon is not may father he
is my teacher. And there is no reason you couldn't come in
here if he was."

"He's not your dad? Why did my aunt tell me he was your dad?"

"Because not paying attention must run in your family."

"No need to be rude, Cheeks."

Obi-Wan had to chuckle to himself. Who was she calling rude?

"Do you mind not calling me that?"

"Well you haven't bothered to tell me your real name."

"Neither have you."

"You can read can't you?"

"Of course, what a silly question."

"Then you can read my name tag."

"What name tag?"

"This one." Weather or not Topaz knew what she was doing or
not, she pulled on the name tag on her jump suit. At the same
time she was practically waving her chest in the boy's face.

"Yhea all right, I see - - Topaz." Obi-Wan unconsciously added,
"you can put those away now."

Topaz did not seem to catch the comment.

 

Oh dear. It just keeps coming back, doesn't it?

But that's the way it is in real life.

 

Qui-Gon Jinn did not know which was the most boring, watching
his Padawan rest in his room, or watching his Padawan tell the
pirates in the game he was playing that they were 'going
down'. Obi-Wan had played that game at least eight times. As
far as the Master was concerned that was about seven times too
many. The older Jedi understood that it was just a game, but
he found something disturbing in the glee that the younger one
took in blasting away the virtual criminals.

When Obi-Wan started telling the machine to 'die scum bag',
Qui-Gon thought maybe he should take a walk. He sensed that
maybe his apprentice was using this game to take out some of
his pent up anger. That might be a good thing, as long as it
stayed with the game.

As a Jedi, Qui-Gon knew how to block out the noise of the
recreation center, he still wanted real silence in his ears.
"Obi-Wan I'm going to take a walk, if they want you I will
return to get you."

Obi-Wan just nodded, he was too busy blasting digital pirates
to actually say something.

Unlike most of the hospital, the pediatric floor was not so
silent, compared to the room with all the games it was.
Qui-Gon marveled at how open most of it was as well. Open, as
if children had nothing to hide. Qui-Gon knew better. The Jedi
Master felt drawn to a familiar presence in the Force. When he
found where it was, he was looking into the glass window of one
of the open rooms. Inside there were several of the hospital
staff holding small furry animals, and a group of little
children waiting to take their turn at petting them. The
hospital had seemed such a sterile place it surprised Master
Jinn that the squalls were allowed inside of it.

One of the children gently feeling the soft fur of the small
rodent was the Wylu boy. Qui-Gon thought it odd, this group of
children did not seem to be a child care group. They seemed
more like patients. As far as he knew Akiu had not suffered
any injuries. One of the staff looked up to see the large Jedi
looking in on them. He poked his head out of the open door.

"Can I help you sir?"

"Actually yes, if it you are permitted to answer a question for
me."

"That depends on the question."

"First I must explain that I am a Jedi, and that boy there,
Akiu, yesterday my apprentice kept him and his sister from
serious injury. I was sure the boy was all right. I would like
to know if I was mistaken. Is he a patient here?"

"All I can let you know is that Akiu was uninjured, but when
his parents took him home yesterday he could not sleep. He
kept having nightmares about the incident."

Qui-Gon nodded. "Thank you for informing me."

Qui-Gon did not want to disturb what ever was going on with
the children and the furry animals, so he walked on. He walked
on right into Topaz. If she had seen him first she would have
found a way to avoid him. She was not ready to face either of
the Jedi yet.

"Hello there Obi-Wan's friend," Qui-Gon greeted.

"Hello Mr. - - " Topaz knew it wasn't Kenobi now,

 

Loved the "die, scum bag" part. LOL! In many ways, Obi-Wan is still just a normal teenage boy. I like that Topaz has become much more of a rounded character. And Ruby! So annoying. Aw, how cute with the squall. Maybe Akiu will open up now? Poor little one.

 

In this next part, Ruby is much more than annoying.

-----------------------

Mr. Floppy had no intention of moving away from Obi-Wan, but
he did not mind when the two little ones came over to pat him.

"See." Akiu told Mazzi, "Mr. Floppy doesn't care about your
hands."

Mazzi knew that the doctors would fix her fingers today, but
she sniffed back a tear.

"Not like some people." Akiu made a face at Ruby.

She was now in the corner with Topaz whispering. "Why didn't
you tell me that was him?"

It had hurt the little girl when her favorite 'grown up',
Ruby, had winced on seeing her bandages. She had always
admired her cousin, but now she began to understand her
mother's statement that 'pretty is as pretty does.' That was
something she would never hear Ruby and Topaz's mother say.
Like the two young sisters, the two older ones were opposites.
At that point in time they were too busy arguing to notice
that maybe with a little nudge Akiu may have been ready to
tell his furry little friend about his bad dreams.

"Why do you think I pulled you away from him."

"You still didn't tell me."

"You didn't need to know. Just drop it."

"Drop it?" Ruby had an angry one sided smile on her face. "Not
likely. He should have a warning sign on his forehead : Don't
bother with this one."

"Why do you always have to be so mean?"

The children's mother was starting to change her opinion of
the reckless young Jedi. She was shocked when her eldest niece
threw her lip stick in the boy's lap.

"I guess you need this more than me."

"Ruby stop it." Topaz tried to get Ruby out of the room. " - - The
kids."

Obi-Wan was still oblivious. "What would I need that for?" He
looked at Ruby like she was nuts.

"Most boys like it when you kiss them."

"You're mad because I didn't kiss you?" It still had not
dawned on him.

"No, I'm mad that you may be my competition."

"What?" He knew what she was saying, but it was not sinking
in.

"Ruby Drea, just what are you saying?" Mrs. Wylu didn't like
what she was hearing. "What trick are you up to now."

"No trick Auntie, just that pretty boy has probably been
kissed by as many boys as me." She said it directly in his
face. This time there was no mistake what she meant.

Obi-Wan froze. As she said it, thoughts he believed banished
rushed back to him; dirt, blood, hands. He didn't want to
remember. 'How does she know?' He could see Topaz's sympathetic
yet horrified face. He felt like he was going to be sick. 'She
knows too.' He would not panic.

"Here, here is your pet." He handed Mr. Floppy to Akiu.
Obi-Wan wanted to get out of the room, but he was going to do
it with dignity, he would not run.

Ruby still had to get more digs in. She whispered to him,
"who's pet are you?"

Obi-Wan hurried to his room once he was out of the other one.
He wanted nothing more than to run. That was always what he
wanted to do when he felt like this. When he got to his room

 

Ruby! For shame. That was cruel.

Poor Qui-Gon. The angst is just building now, isn't it? The doctor's comments are not helping. I'm glad Topaz is trying to make amends.

 

--------------

It is a known fact that little boys can, no matter how
carefully watched, always escape from underneath the most
watchful eyes. Akiu was no slouch. He had heard that Obi-Wan's
room was only a few doors down from his sister's, he wanted to
bring his hero something that he thought would cheer him up.
The little boy did so well on his mission that the sleeping
Obi-Wan did not even know he had been there until he
discovered what had been left next to him.

"Squeak!" The lump in his bed yelped as Obi-Wan rolled over.
He quickly jumped back. He looked to see Mr. Floppy the
squall.

"What are you doing here?" He picked up the soft furry animal.
"I'm sorry I almost squashed you."

Unlike his relationship with Scrapper, he did not hear the
inner voice of Mr. Floppy. So he decided to provide one for
him. He held up the squall and made like he was talking.

* "That's okay Obi-Wan, you didn't know I was in here." *

"I think I need to get you back where you belong." Then he
thought of where Mr. Floppy belonged. Was Ruby still there?

* "No Obi-Wan don't send me back to that (bleep)." *

"Now Mr. Floppy is that anyway to talk?"

"Talking to yourself Padawan?" Qui-Gon caught the teenager
acting like a little kid. "If I didn't see that creature in your
hands, I'd worry about you Obi-Wan."

"I don't know how but the Wylu boy's pet has found it's way in
here." Obi-Wan let Qui-Gon's teasing roll off. He stood up. "I
better bring it back."

"That would be a good idea. That however is not a pet."

"It's not?"

"Nor is it actually the boy's. It belongs to the hospital.
Apparently the boy has been having nightmares ever since the
fall. The doctors think he will tell the animal about it
rather than a person."

"Good idea."

"Yes, I am reminded of another animal who helped a young man
when he needed a friend."

"Only Scrapper would have had Mr. Floppy for breakfast."
Obi-Wan grinned slyly. 'I won't let Ruby have me for
breakfast.' "I'll bring him back now."

"Aren't you missing something?"

"What Master?"

"Your boots?"

"I think it's safe to go next door without them." The bare
foot boy went to return Mr. Floppy to where he belonged.

Topaz opened the door. "How did he get out?" She had been
sleeping, her aunt had gone to get some food and get out of
the room for a while. The two children were asleep in the
beds. She looked at them sleeping, had one of them slipped
past her as she snoozed on the chair? "Come on in."

"I don't think so. Here you take him." Obi-Wan handed Mr.
Floppy to Topaz.

"It's all right Ruby and my aunt are gone."

It was an awkward moment, Obi-Wan still thought Topaz was in
with Ruby. "No, I don't think I need to provide you and your
friend any further entertainment."

"I never - - I came by earlier to apologize but your teacher
wouldn't let me see you. I need to explain. Ruby is my sister
and I never meant for you to be hurt. My sis

 

Ack. Poor Obi and Qui.

It does kind of make sense though, doesn't it? In a nomral world, people would notice how often teen-age Obi gets himself into bad trouble.

Of course, nothing is normal with those two!