Before - Legends Should As Strangers We Meet- JA repost Epilogue

Kynstar- Thanks, glad you liked it.

Diane-- that's why I stated board age... heh heh. I've been playing with him longer in all manner of ways... first come first served... possession is 9/10ths ... okay, *grumble, grumble* maybe we can share ..

 

AthenaLeigh - Thanks, we should be seeing Obi's 'friend' coming up soon.

Mouse - Wow, I don't think I even thought of all that... and it would be a much sadder galaxy without those wonderful characters.

Indra - Thanks, I glad even though the boys may be a bit different, well, Obi-Wan at least, that I'm able to keep them in character.

Kitara - Yep, the Force moves in mysterious ways.

Miana - I had no idea how sabacc was played at that time so Yatzee is exactly what I based it off. Kinda like bar dice, which I've never even played.

 

Such kind words VaderLVR, thank you.

Time for more.
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With that decided, Qui-Gon followed an anxious Obi-Wan to the outskirts of the city and the Terrian's camp. Passing the camp's perimeter, Obi-Wan whistled loudly, imitating the call of a wild animal. Instantly in response, answering cries could be heard off to either side as the duo continued walking to where a large fire blazed in the center of the commune.

Exiting one of the small dwellings that surrounded them, a tall figure approached.

Qui-Gon noted the stiff, cautious strides, the way the man's hand hovered over his side, betraying the weapon hidden there. He saw Obi-Wan flick his hand at his side as if brushing something off his trousers.

At the gesture, the approaching man visibly relaxed. Pausing and looking past them, the Terrian motioned with his head and the four men Qui-Gon had already sensed hidden in the shadows stepped out into the flickering light of the campfire. As they reached the still man, Qui-Gon could feel the man's appraising gaze on him.

The Terrian was tall, though not as tall as Qui-Gon. Thin, though his rolled up sleeves showed hard, sinewy muscles. Deeply tanned, his face was lined with tiny wrinkles giving him a much older appearance than the spark in his dark eyes alluded to.

"Obi," he said, his steady gaze never straying from the stranger, "oomi says an there's evil omens in the wind and we must leave this place." his tone ominous and full of concern.

"Is tomorrow soon enough Efrem?" Obi-Wan asked with a smile.

The Terrian's eyes jumped in surprise to the young man. "You have it then Obi, you have brought the money?" The man's face lit up with hope.

"No, Efrem" Obi-Wan said with confidence, "I brought something even better, my friend. I brought a Jedi Master. Efrem Chaboska, meet Jedi Master Jinn."

"Ah, a Jedi" Efrem bowed in respect, "we've heard much of the Jedi from our friend Obi. You've come to help us free our Danni?"


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Danian Chaboska sat on the hard bench meant to be used as a bed. Her knees were drawn up, hidden by the ankle length skirt she wore, her arms wrapped protectively around them. She had been imprisoned in the small jail cell for almost forty-eight hours now, without any word as to when she would be released. Nor was she charged with a crime or allowed to see anyone. This scared her to no end.

Being a gypsy, she was accustomed to suspicion, prejudice and mistreatment by the numerous peoples she encountered on the numerous planets her clan had set temps on over the years. Her people were eyed with distrust and sometimes outright hatred for only their way of life. Thieves, beggars and parasites, they were considered by many because of fear and misinformation when the opposite was far more true.

Yes, they called no planet home, but that didn't mean they lived like the Tatoooine sand spider that would invade an animal's burrow, kill and eat it's occupants then move on after filling the burrow with left-over carcasses and excrement.

The Terrian's were a proud and self-reliant people, choosing to live outside the normal realm of society and for that they were often persecuted and reviled. Danian had fallen victim to it many times herself and usually at the hands of some so-called law enforcement officer.

It was not something new to her, this barred cell. This was not what bothered her as she sat rocking back and forth on the bench, her shoulder length chestnut hair swinging as she moved. After being discovered at the transport company she had quickly found out she had been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Whisking her away, they had interrogated her through the night, questioning her alliances, accusing her of spying. Of course they didn't believe the flimsy excuse she had used when first caught. It was stupid, to be sure, but being lost was the first thing out of her mouth and that obvious lie only incensed them, making them more determined to learn the truth.

It was pretty apparent

 

Kynstar - Thanks. They do seem to be getting along fine now, don't they??? heh, heh....

Layren - Hope you're all settled and relaxed. Moving can be so tense. My vision of Obi-Wan in this fic was from the cover of 'The Unauthorized Biography of Ewan McGregor.

AthenaLeigh - Thanks. For those old enough to know, I fashioned the elder gyspy woman after Maria Ouspenskaya, my all time fave gyspy woman.

Diane - Thanks, all I did was picture the Wolfman for my inspiration of the gyspy camp.

KD Welcome! Glad you're enjoying this. Hopefuly I'l get more up shortly.

Jemmiah - ROFLOL!! Not the diet I would want to try.

Miana - Believe me, knowing you're reading and even more enjoying is all I need to feel good!

LukesTheMan- Another new reader!! *giggles with glee* Welcome and thanks!!

Mouse - I can so hear Rela saying that. LOL!

Ish - Hmmmm... who knows. Well, Okay I do.. and maybe some others here but you'll find out... eventually. Heh heh.

 

Indra - Thank you. This next post should go a long way in relieving that curiosity.

Arwen-Jade_Kenobi - Welcome! Always nice to gather another new reader!

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Over an hour later, Efrem joined them, panting from physical exertion. "Breakdown is well underway," he announced, taking a seat at the table. "three of the trailers are already on their way to the transports. Shouldn't take us more than a couple of hours till we're gone."

"Now, my friend," Efrem turned to the tall Jedi "tell me how we get Danni."

It was decided the Jedi and Obi-Wan would go alone even though Efrem argued there were able bodied men willing to join them.

"I wish to avoid violence at all costs, the more men we take only increases the chance of injury." Qui-Gon advocated.

Obi-Wan took Efrem aside "Efrem I agree with the Jedi. Too many men only makes us more conspicuous. You need everyone here to finish breaking camp." Casting a furtive glance at the Jedi he lowered his voice so as not to be overhead "And believe me my friend, one Jedi Master is more capable than an army of Wookiees."

"If you insist," Efrem agreed doubtfully, "I'll trust your judgment."

"What I need you to do is make sure everyone gets off safely, safety of the clan is priority." Obi-Wan put his hand on the elder man's shoulder, his gaze emphatic.

"And your escape?" Efrem questioned.

"Leave the small shuttle on the opposite end of the city."

"That ship carries no weapons or hyper-drive." Efrem interjected worriedly.

"If they're looking for us they'll come here first. Having the ship on the opposite side of town should give us more than enough time to be safely away. Once they see the camp vacated I'm counting on them feeling sufficiently vindicated with having run us off and don't anticipate they'll feel the need to bother with us further."

"Yes, logical reasoning." Efrem assented. They'd been in worse trouble on other worlds and found that most of the time all it took was a hasty departure to be left alone. "Then till together again." he grasped Obi's shoulder giving a light squeeze before leaving.

Watching the older man leave, Obi-Wan smiled to himself.

It had been amazing how quickly he had found kinship with these people. From that first fateful encounter he had found friendship and acceptance never experienced in his thirteen years at the Jedi Temple. He was even looked on as an equal and often a leader at an age when most young men had little understanding of true responsibility and commitment. But there was something more he had found here, something he valued more than his own life.

"Ready?" Jedi Jinn asked, pulling him out of his reverie.

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Across the street from the constable's office, two forms blanketed themselves in the deep shadows of evening. The older stood with eyes closed, deep in thought while the younger cast nervous glances down the empty street.

"Can you sense Danni, is she alright?" Obi-Wan inquired anxiously.

Gathering the Force, Qui-Gon reached out, feeling it flow around him and through him, offering strength and serenity. Directing a thread to the building across the street he could sense the life forms inside. Stretching out to the one consciousness whose signature differed from the rest he could easily feel her. Fingers of anger and fear washed through her mind.

"She is unharmed," Qui-Gon told him sedately as he reached out to her, sending waves of calming reassurance. The Jedi Master was not surprised when he felt her mind respond to his light touch. He had already sensed the same Force-sensitivity he had felt in the elder Magdalena Omsprey.

The young woman?s mind had at first expressed relief, extending out to his, then suddenly fleeing at the unfamiliar presence. Qui-Gon could feel her mind pushing at him in an attempt to raise mental shields. Opening his eyes, he had half a mind to inquire on the young man's obvious hand at teaching the Jedi arts to the woman, but lack of time and the realization this was not