Before - Legends Swings and Roundabouts (JA - RR) *Final post *

Yes - and no showing the photograph that it was based on, either!

 

Qui-Gon's fear of Bull Neck was very funny, and is intiquing to find out how Obi Wan is planning to get the chair back.

The very idea of dex being on a bouncy castle and a roller boarding contest is very funny. Plus the fact he cant get the helmet off is a masterpiece. I wonder whats wrong with Kylenn

The last scene with QuiGon & Jemmiah was sweet and I am curious as to what he's gonna get her.

 

I'd like to state that the following post only has a slight grounding in reality. Humiliating as it was to be outwitted by fate (I will allow Healer Leona to recount the story, he he!) and find myself more or less in Jemmy's situation, I can't pretend that it was as ghastly as Jemmy made out, and from a certain point of view must have appeared quite funny.

Although I never want to see Chip and Dale again.

*******


"What IS Qui-Gon up to?!?" Jemmy groaned, sitting on the bench with her hands placed over her eyes, partly out of embarrassment and partly to comply with her guardian's wish to shield her sight. "No peeking, indeed! How old does he think I am? Maybe he's regressed." She sighed; wondering if she should be worrying more about Obi-Wan than Qui-Gon's bizarre behaviour. "Yes, that's it. He's regressed. He's hit that age where his brain is beginning to slide back into infancy."

What could he be doing? And why did he inexplicably dash off like that? Not that such behaviour was untypical for Qui-Gon: he had a reputation for sudden, unexplained action. Even so, this strange bout of?well, weirdness was starting to make Jemmiah feel distinctly unnerved. One minute he was playing the doting parent and the next he was staring off into the distance, away in his own little world?

"What about my sucrella, huh?" She muttered to nobody in particular. "I was looking forward to that! I just hope that whatever it is that Quiggy's up to is gonna be worth it!"

She felt somewhat ashamed to catch herself uttering such ingratitude, especially given all that Qui-Gon had told her mere moments before. He'd been sorry that Evla had 'snatched' her away? Of course that hadn't been meant as a slight against Evla who she knew Qui-Gon valued very much as a friend and fellow Jedi, but rather as an indication of the affection he felt for her. It was a pity in many ways that Qui-Gon was so good at keeping his feelings under control: had he not admitted it Jemmiah would never have guessed that her departure from the man's household had caused any great heartache at all. It just went to show that you could never second-guess a Jedi's thoughts.

And who was she to criticise when there were few in the galaxy more adept at keeping their feelings to themselves than Jemmiah Gleshan?

"He doesn't have to go out of his way to prove that he cares for me." Jemmy gritted her teeth. "I KNOW he does! Fact is he wouldn't have rescued me or challenged the council about looking after me if he didn't. And I know that the only reason he argues or raises his voice is because he worries or thinks I'm doing something that's wrong?even if I'm always right and he isn't!" She blew out a deep, wearisome breath. "So what is he up to?"

Maybe the thought of Lilith Demodae on the premises was causing him a little extra worry? Was he in some way, whether consciously or otherwise, trying to out-dazzle the smuggler?

He'd said that he couldn't make up for the time lost?for the days and months he'd been absent when she was a child, but that he could do something about enjoying today. What was he going to do, buy her a balloon on a string? Take her to the face painting booth? Why did she think his sudden departure boded very ill for her?

"You want to do something for me, Qui-Gee?" Jemmy mumbled into her hands. "Then how about you wave the punishment you've promised me and Ben?"

A shadow loomed over her. She could see it even through her closed eyes and splayed fingers.

"Master J, is that you?" She demanded. "And if it is can I please open my eyes?"

"No, not yet." Qui-Gon replied, making a sort of swishing noise with his robes as if perhaps raising his arms. Unable to use her eyes Jemmiah instead concentrated for all she was worth on utilising her hearing to the best of her ability, ears straining for every telltale sound or clue. Boots?yes, Jemmiah could clearly hear Qui-Gon's boots slowly pacing away from her, moving backwards in a deliberate, funereal pace. Why was he retreating? Was there some thirty-foot Rancor towering above her that

 

UHOH! Lol about the pic!

 

Hey, I've got the pics too!!!

I have to amit the look on your face sis was one of the best moments of that day in Animal Kingdom... especially as you'd been laughing at me earlier for getting soaked on the river rapids! IT still brings a smile to my face to think of it! But I'll also leave the story for Leona to tell.

Blanket praise everyone, this is getting better and better!

 

Qui-Gon tell her! (...and us )

 

Sneaking around.

It was something Obi-Wan considered himself quite good at, when all was said and done. Still, the padawan preferred it when he wasn't as good as ordered to do so, nor could he quite understand why Qui-Gon had been so keen to send him back into the proverbial jaws of death when they'd only just got away by the skin of their teeth! He liked to think that it was because his master trusted him with the mission - that he was skilled in subterfuge - or that maybe it was some kind of test. More than likely, however, there existed the possibility that his master either didn't wish to go himself or simply wanted him out of the way so that he could lecture Jemmiah on her own.

Suspicion was something else that Obi-Wan was considered a natural at.

It had certainly been a surprise to see the little toad-like officer with the swollen neck again, especially considering the trouble that Qui-Gon and Lilith had between them managed to land him in. That the man still had a job of any description was a source of astonishment to Obi-Wan: if what had happened to Bull Neck had happened to him the padawan felt certain he wouldn't be able to set foot outside the door for the best part of a year! And then of course there was Qui-Gon's crooked governor friend who'd swiftly arranged for a transfer - evidently not promotion - which would seemingly have put the odds of a meeting at roughly seven thousand six hundred and fifty to one. And he didn't need to be a protocol droid to work that out?

As he neared the confused crowds still waiting to get in to the Tunnel of Love Obi-Wan decided it was time to perfect his Jedi mind trick technique. It was perhaps the easiest way of avoiding unnecessary trouble, which was surely what Qui-Gon would have wanted. It all rather depended on who was sitting guard in the property section of the Tunnel: if it was a droid controller then he might very well find himself facing more than he had bargained for when first agreeing to go and collect the repulsar chair.

Droids didn't trick very easily. He'd dismantled a few with a lightsabre in his time, but never satisfactorily mind-whammied one. Unless you counted that temple droid whose head he'd accidentally managed to explode?

Actually, he hadn't admitted responsibility for that one.

Of course he might not even run across Bull-Neck. Just because the man was last seen in the vicinity didn't necessarily mean that he was going to be there when he got to the front of the queue. And that was another thing: how exactly did Qui-Gon expect him to get inside again without being noticed - and more to the point how was he to get back out?

"I know exactly what I'll do." He muttered as he marched his way confidently up to the top of the queue, ignoring the angry shouts and elbow jostling from those who thought he was trying to skip to the front without waiting and suffering in the heat like they had. Concentrating on putting a certain amount of swagger into his walk - although missing the rather splendid billowyness that his cloak leant to such occasions - the padawan sauntered along as if he were going for a casual stroll in the sun. A rather angry looking Aqualish and his partner both indulged in some mind-blowing vulgar gestures that might have taught Jemmiah a thing or two, but Obi-Wan was not remotely put off and waited in dignified silence at the front of the living, breathing chain of eagerly romantic beings.

He managed to stifle a small, wistful sigh. An hour ago he had been one of those eager and romantic beings. Well, maybe not that romantic given the cramped and undignified confines of the 'love mobile'?but he had certainly been eager!

"Here, what's going on?" A sharp female voice snapped from behind the double barrier, shadowed by the pair of giant fluorescent lips that literally formed the mouth of the tunnel's entrance. "I've explained already! Nobody can get in at the moment. We expect there to be delays of up to fifteen minutes before security personnel have finished their investigations, so co-operation would be greatly

 

LOL I'd say he over did it a bit!!

 

ODM! Another hilarious and totally obi scene. Loved the pseudo-twilek; I think she's based on me, except those coils are my auburn curls.

 

Jemmiah - In her mind Jemmiah was already picturing the whole amusement park suddenly emptying save for herself sat in the middle of a bench with her eyes closed, with an invisible arrow with the caption 'free meal' in large lettering pointing directly at her. - ROTFL! Can just picture that! That was a lovely thing that Quiggy did! I want to see the original photo!

" The entire queue comprising of some hundred odd beings, stretching back almost to where he'd left Qui-Gon and Jemmiah, droned in reply. - ROTFL! How will Obi get out of this?

Is anyone going to Celebration 3? I'm staying with a friend from the boards.

 

Mia and Rem exchanged glances as they hurried to catch up with Dex and Leona. The Jedi Master was striding purposefully through the milling crowds.

?Do you know what?s going on?? Mia whispered to Dimallie. The healer shook her head.

Rem pushed them ahead of him; they were in danger of losing Dex. ?Who?s Kyleen??

Again Dimallie shook her head. From the look on Leona?s face, it was clear that something was very wrong. Dex had said that they would need a healer; she would have to be ready to help her Master if she needed it.

Rem guessed what she was thinking, ?You?ll be able to cope. Don?t worry.?

She gave him a brief smile, ?Thanks Rem.?

Mia followed them, how quickly things changed. One moment Master Berlingside had been laughing and complaining about being thrown off of the bouncy castle, the next he became as serious as Master Windu. This had brought them all back to Coruscant with a bump. She hadn?t realised just how much she had put being a Jedi to the back of her mind or just how easily she had been able to do it. But then again so had Healer Leona.

That morning she had been so concerned about talking to Simeon and fitting in with the others. Now it seemed like a lifetime ago. As she walked, Mia looked round, where was Simeon? No one had seen him in ages but then again they hadn?t seen Jemmiah or Obi-Wan either. But she had made a friend in Dimallie and so had Rem. Mia smiled to herself, who knew what might happen with those two in the future?

The future. Facing her fears had made her realise just how badly she wanted to be a Jedi, well once their day out was over, at any rate. She wanted to make Master Yana proud of her, to show him, wherever he was, what she could become. Maybe once Master Sifo-Dyas returned from wherever he was, she could resume training in earnest. However, she remembered their present predicament, they still had that to face.

 

Real life is really no fun at all, especially when it keeps me away from here. But two weeks of school left for Mini-Mouse and Brodie's now 8 months old, so hopefully I'll be able to be around a bit more.

Thank goodness I have here to escape to! Blanket praise for everyone. I'll try and keep up from now on.

 

Wow, great job, Sabe. Loved the introspection. Will post soon. Have had one sith of a week and it's still not over!

 

Sabe: She hadn?t realised just how much she had put being a Jedi to the back of her mind or just how easily she had been able to do it. But then again so had Healer Leona.

I like how the various characters start to reveal themselves in their different lights according to the situation. The observations on Dex's change in mood was very nice! Lol, I loved the comparison to Mace!

*******



Jemmiah sat staring morosely into space.

"You didn't have to tell me." She said.

Qui-Gon seemed indifferent to her sulky expression: he'd seen it so many times in the past that it hardly had any influence on him at all.

"You did ask." He reminded her, smiling as he relaxed once more on the bench. "You twisted my arm, you pleaded, you begged, you made huge Nerf eyes at me to get me to divulge your punishment?"

"Yes, but I never really expected you to actually tell me!" Jemmy scolded, scowling daggers back at him. "You're not supposed to tell me!"

"I know." Agreed Qui-Gon. "That's partly why I did. Never mind though." He gave her a playful nudge on the shoulder with his arm. "It'll give you plenty of time to get used to the idea, won't it?"

Jemmiah demonstrated her opinion of Qui-Gon's belief by blowing a disparaging raspberry back at him.

"I'll NEVER get used to it. Not unless of course," she suddenly changed her tack back to pleading with him once again, adopting an earnest and repentant face, "you're prepared to change your mind. I mean, there's still time?you don't have to feel obliged to stick to the it if you think perhaps you went maybe a little too far or that the punishment rather outweighs the crime - which this definitely does in this instance." She could see that rather than being moved by her pleas he was enjoying listening to her digging an even bigger hole for herself. "Oh, Qui-Gee. Please!"

Yes, she thought with irritation, he was certainly enjoying himself FAR too much. So often people seemed to be under the impression that Qui-Gon either did not possess a sense of humour or had not the vaguest notion of how to show that he did. Jemmiah was now beginning to suspect that the only reason he walked around with a serious expression gluing his features into a near constant frown was because he was afraid to show just how easily amused situations could leave him.

"Would you please stop smiling?" Jemmiah begged him. "It's not funny!"

"I think it's perfectly funny." Replied the master, hiding his grin behind a feeble excuse for a cough. "You go out of your way to cajole me into revealing what your punishment is and then when I do you suddenly berate me for doing what you tell me to!"

"Why did you actually listen to what I said?" Demanded the Corellian girl, letting go of her indignation and suddenly feeling crestfallen, almost depressed with Qui-Gon's revelation. "You never do!"

"Do I not?"

"No! You listen to Rela?frankly I always assumed it was because she talked more sense than I did so I don't begrudge her that. You even listen to Obi-Wan?before going on and doing whatever it is you want to do anyway, but at least you show him the courtesy to hear him out before you dismiss him. But I seem to be the idiot relation, if you ask me." She turned to look at Qui-Gon, puzzlement creasing the fine skin of her brow. "Why is that? Am I really that much of an imbecile?"

"No?" Laughed the Jedi master, shaking his head at the suggestion. "I don't know where you come out with these ideas. If I perhaps treat you with a modicum of caution?if I maybe treat you with Kruskin gloves it's only because you've got less life experience under your belt to draw upon, that's all. Rela has - at least I believe she has - finally got her head screwed on properly. Obi-Wan is a little rash at times?"

"I know," Jemmy snickered, "I've seen his little rash! He breaks out in it every time he drinks Alderaani black rum. All over his body - and I do mean all over!"

"?But he does seem to manage to extricate himself from any fixes he comes up against." Qui-Gon finished, not particularly wanting to remembe

 

Oh boy...and I still think I missed what the heck the punishment is! Or is this something i should remember from TLST?

 

I'll give you a clue: it's mentioned by An-Paj in 'Lions, Tigers & Padawans, Oh My!', although not mentioned in the context of a punishment.

 

The first thing that Dex noticed was the crowd.

They stood in an almost complete circle forming a spherical barrier: the same formation the Jedi would adopt whilst watching each other's backs in a scrap or protecting a fallen comrade. Unfortunately, Dex had the rather unpleasant feeling that the latter analogy was going to prove disturbingly accurate. Half annoyed by the obstruction that confronted them it took all of the master's Jedi restraint not to carve a way through the onlookers with a force shove, parting them like a lightsabre through butter.

Was Kryztan all right, he wondered? What of Kylenn? She'd been Kryztan's sole comfort in the muddied and treacherous waters he'd found himself in whilst others hadn't even deigned to look his way and acknowledge him. Not that Dex hadn't understood their reaction - how could he not when he found Kryztan's own behaviour so baffling. So revolting?

"Excuse me, let us through please." Berlingside decided to keep his tone polite and brisk whilst pulling the nameless individuals backwards, compensating for his actions with calm civility. "Please! Can we have some room?" He could sense Kryztan crouched in the centre of the circle, drawn in on himself like a small and frightened child, confirming his worst fears. Something had happened to Kylenn?something bad. There was nothing else that could reduce Kryztan to such a state. Not anymore.

Even so, the shock of seeing Kylenn's broken body lying upon the ground, twisted into an unnatural and awkward position took him aback. It didn't matter how much you prepared yourself for it, he thought desperately, hesitating long enough to let Leona catch up; you never expected things to be as bad as they invariably were. Kryztan was being attended by somebody in the crowd; a jacket placed over his shoulders to keep him warm from the shock that was in evidence by his pale, bloodless face. Somebody - a short, balding man - was also attending Kylenn, looking into her eyes with what seemed to be a stylus-torch. One of the park medics? Dex was aware that Leona had managed to jostle her way past him and was quickly assessing the situation, bending down to offer her assistance to the medic.

"I'm a Jedi healer." He heard her say quietly. It was amazing how swiftly people stood aside, acknowledging the temple's skills and techniques as being without parallel. The man nodded and moved back, allowing Leona to get on with her job.

"Can I do anything?" Dex asked grimly, knowing there was little that he could.

"You can call the infirmary and get them to stand by with a medi transport." Leona replied in a curt voice. "Tell them she's unconscious - looks like a fractured skull to me." The healer calmed her mind, placing her hands against Kylenn's shoulder and allowing the force to flow through from her own body to that of her patient, feeling the comforting heat and healing energies travelling betwixt them. Had she fallen? Had she slipped somehow and been unable to control her landing? "Did anyone see what happened?" Leona asked the balding medic, talking as she sought to stabilise Kylenn's condition.

"It all happened so quickly that nobody realised that anything was amiss." Replied the man, clearly feeling rather useless in light of Leona's appearance on the scene. "Save the young man over yonder," he nodded at the dumbstruck Kryztan, "and the young lady over there."

Leona paused, glancing upwards. Had she seen the girl before? Or was she imagining some connection with the temple? Whatever it was, it would have to keep until further questions could be asked. The young lady in question never so much as looked up from the ground, her rucksack slung aimlessly over one shoulder. There was a youth with her too, standing some ways behind her?trying to make himself seem as inconspicuous as possible. Both of them had interesting faces, Leona thought. The first had an innocent expression that seemed to struggle with some guilty secret, whilst the second had a guilty, incorrigible face that struggled to look innocent! Yes, there was definite

 

"That's it!" Rela flung her hands up in the air. "I've had enough!"

Simeon allowed his shoulders to sink dramatically. Every time he'd suggested that they go on a certain ride or visit a certain area of the park that was not to Rela's liking, the fiery red head would declare that she'd "had enough" and threaten to catch the first air cab she saw back to her home. Whilst not especially manipulative by nature even Simeon had to admit that this time Ms Quinn was playing the emotional blackmail card to very good effect.

Spider wasn't much better. She'd just sat cooing sweet nothings into the pocket of leather jacket. It was all very well for those who knew she was trying to hatch a Dinko egg but to all the passers-by she must surely have appeared?well, to put it nicely perhaps a touch on the eccentric side. That coupled with her striking and unusual appearance, with her bi-coloured hair and multiple ear and nose piercings probably stopped too many people from staring at her too hard.

Either that or they figured she was nuts and just left her alone.

"What now?" Sighed Simeon.

Rela looked across the grounds towards the maze. It was an impressive construction made up of huge metallic sheets welded together, with dead ends, trap doors, rope ladders?certainly if the map guide was to be believed a playground paradise for the adventurous. Not that Rela considered herself to be unadventurous, but mazes weren't especially her thing. They were too confining?too claustrophobic. Explaining that to the likes of Simeon was not something Rela felt especially comfortable with.

"You go if you want." Rela pointed in the direction of the giant maze. "I'm going home."

"You've said that at least three times since that water rapids." Simeon pointed out reasonably.

"This time I mean it."

Simeon exchanged glances with Tanni. What they needed now was a challenge: something that would get Rela interested enough, piquing her curiosity so as to insure she didn't stay true to her word and flounce off in a Jemmiah-style huff. He didn't need the force to tell that Rela DIDN'T want to go home at all and that her constant referral to being soaked to the skin was nothing more than a gambit to get her own way, but Simeon's sense of fairness dictated that he call her bluff.

"Go on then." Simeon folded his arms, smiling at the astounded jaw-drop performed by Rela.

"Pardon?"

"Go on then." Repeated Simeon. "It would be unfair of us to keep you here if you really wanted to be somewhere else. I mean if you're unhappy with our company or you've maybe got something else planned later this evening that you need to get home for?" His eyes sparkled impishly as he added; "or if perhaps you don't like mazes?"

"I like mazes just fine!" Rela snapped. "I'd get to the centre and out again faster than you or your striped friend here!"

"Good!" Tanni stepped in, grabbing Rela's hand and pumping it up and down in congratulatory fashion. "We accept the challenge. Ladies versus gentleman. And may the best team win."

"That's us, isn't it?" Simeon grinned, beaming with false modesty.

Rela stared unbelievingly at Simeon. She'd been hoodwinked! Set up by a couple of Jedi con merchants working in tandem, clearly cooking up all manner of mischief behind her back! Worse still was the fact she'd somehow allowed herself to fall for their scam! Could it be that Simeon was starting to read the way that her mind worked? It was an alarming thought indeed if true?

Well, she wasn't going to let him think he'd won, nor his feline companion either.

"I think you'll find that WE are the best team." Rela mirrored Simeon's own superior smugness, standing with her feet some distance apart and mimicking his cross-armed posture. "Although it's nice to note that you are yet again in an all-Jedi team. What's the matter? Determined to fix it so you win?" She saw Simeon frown and continued, " Maybe just a bit of an advantage, wouldn't you say?"

"I wouldn't say." Simeon replied seriously. "We've got Hmiol on our team again. If that's not a handicap

 

Jemmiah - Their eyes met in a sea of coldness. - No wonder Mia shuddered. What is going on and why did they react in that way to each other? Dimallie is going to be a wonderful healer.

We've got Hmiol on our team again. If that's not a handicap I don't know what is!" - That's Simeon! Had been wondering what they were up to. Can't wait to see what happens in the maze!

 

"Hey, that's not fair!" Jemmiah yelled, levering herself off the bench and hobbling to her feet. "That guy's stolen my chair! What kind of dirty, low, no-good, filthy sneak thief steals the repulsar chair of an injured girl?!? I'll sue him - that's what I'll do!"

Qui-Gon stood beside her, tracking the erratic progress of the repulsar chair as it flew across the park, weaving its way drunkenly between the tops of the marquees. The poor man attached to the back of the chair seemed rather hysterical at that point; screaming so loudly that Qui-Gon was almost reduced to pity.

Almost.

"I don't think he was trying to steal it." He replied adroitly, never taking his eyes off the chair for one second. "I think it probably took off with him. It looks rather unstable to me. Almost as if it had been broken through misuse."

Jemmiah cast her mind back to her initial trial run with the repulsar chair, recollecting with a wince the manner in which she had clattered along the corridor until finally being pitched unceremoniously to the ground at the foot of Master Genista's door. Subconsciously Jemmy began to rub at the bruises that adorned her rear. High-speed accidents were never fun.

"Then I'll sue An-Paj." Jemmy corrected herself. "He's the one who gave me that chair. Granted I had to beg and wheedle in order to get it, but still you'd think what with being a healer and all he'd try to keep his patients safe and healthy and not try to murder them!"

Qui-Gon gave a polite little cough. "I was referring to your misuse of the chair."

"Me!?!" Jemmiah gasped, aghast. "What have I done? The thing was already knackered before I got anywhere near it! I was pressing all manner of buttons to get the it to stop and it wouldn't! It's wiring must be faulty: I'll bet the manufacturers put it in the wrong way!"

"Which is probably what that poor officer of the law is discovering to his cost." Mused the master, not particularly inclined to do anything other than watch the aerial exhibition amongst the clouds. "That said, he's certainly putting on a proper display for the tourists. I especially like the way he's got the bunting wrapped round his ankle?it looks like a streamer!"

"Are you feeling alright, Master J?" Jemmiah asked him incredulously.

"Very much so."

A pair of booted feet approached them rapidly from their left, followed by a slightly out of breath exclamation:

"Curse the wretched fellow: he got away!"

Jemmiah treated Obi-Wan to her narrow-eyed, predatorial look: the one that told him she was seriously displeased without so much as saying a word or twitching a muscle. It was a look that Obi-Wan had come to recognise as a hint that he'd either better find himself a very good excuse for something she considered to be his fault or better still retreat from her sight until she had sufficiently cooled down.

"Don't give me that look! It wasn't my fault." Kenobi said crossly. "I did as I was bidden: went into Tunnel of Love, located the chair storage - and might I add suffered a considerable amount of grief from the employees on duty - only to find that rather unsympathetic Bull Necked officer waiting for me! And when I tried to use the force to gently ease it away without his noticing he jumped on to the back of it and wouldn't let go!"

"You should have given in and let him have it." Qui-Gon raised a hand to shield his eyes as both chair and fugitive security man became nothing more than little dark blobs on the horizon.

"I would gladly have done so," the padawan agreed a little stiffly, "but the infernal man grabbed hold of the control panel on the arm and?" Obi-Wan made a rocketing motion with his hand, "?whoosh! I confess it took me somewhat by surprise. I tried to grab hold of his ankle as he went past but it was to no avail. And then when I attempted to control the chair with the force it swung so violently to the side that our 'friend'," he said the word with more than a hint of derision, "nearly went flying."

Jemmiah's face softened as her initial annoyance faded. In its place there

 

Lilith Demodae and Qui-Gon Jinn checked into a hotel together.... ROFLOL!!!!!