The Lion Sleeps Tonight (JA): *New post by HaiGan*

"Even if I lose, I win." Brr, Jemmiah, I am shivering already at how smoothly Merdan can make everything fall into place. True evil genius here! Boo, hiss!

Leona: "corporate rates" was great!

 

It IS a great line...and it was a great post as well! I liked the way Leona was worried what Qui-Gon would say when he found out it was Lilith's ship that would be hired to carry the equipment!

And what IS he going to say?

 

Two days before Departure:


Krelo stalked briskly back to her quarters and pluncked herself down in front of the communit. She'd promised the healer a prompt answer and she would deliver. Taking a short breath, she punched up a holonet connection and dialed the number that Lilith had given her ages ago. The tall knight waited patiently while the connection was established. After a few moments Mick's handsome face filled the screen and his low, mellow voice rolled out of the speakers with a recorded message.

"You've reached the number you dialed."

It was just like them not to use names or give away any information they could possibly help. Krelo vaguely remembered the droid being a bit more open when she first met him. //Lilith must be rubbing off on him.// Just before the recording ended, a text message appeared on the screen, cutting out the sound and leaving Mick's image speaking silently.

"If it's the right number, leave a mess-"

FORWARDING INFORMATION BEING UPDATED, PLEASE HOLD.

//That means she's planet-side somewhere.//

M1-CK's face froze, jumped, then started again as the call was picked up on the other end, where ever that might have been.

"Krelo, nice to see you. That was great work back on Caldera, by the way. Hang on a sec while I get the captain."

He was gone before Krelo could open her mouth and either return his greeting or ask him how he and his mistress always seemed to know where she was and what she was doing. Absently, she glanced at the small section of the YT-1200 that she could see through the pickup. There was no clutter, no mess, everything was exactly where is should be, except for the plate and its half-eaten meal sitting on the gaming table in the background. It occurred to her that Lilith might not actually be free. //Is she just now loading a cargo? Force, let her be off-loading,// she prayed.

A long length of leather-clad hip and thigh passed in front of the pickup as Lilith seated herself at the console.

"Krelo," she exclaimed happily, "what's kicking?"

The red-head couldn't help smiling at her friend. "A job, if you're free."

Bleached eyebrows rose skyward and the smuggler's expression sobered as muddy green eyes scanned the knight's face. "A job? You? You're not in trouble again?"

"No, far from it. In point of fact, I'm about to leave on a much deserved vacation. A small horde of us are headed for the retreat the Temple maintains on Tildas for about three weeks," Krelo explained. "And you know how over prepared Jedi tend to be . . ."

Lilith sniggered. "You don't have enough space for all the luggage?"

"Nailed it in one," her friend confirmed. "They dumped the job of finding a cargo transport on Leona, Master Jinn's girlfriend, with no warning."

"I remember her. Nice lady."

"Well, she's at wit's end trying to jump us to the head of the waiting lists. So far she can't find one leaving in time for love or money."

"When are you leaving?" the smuggler asked a little suspiciously.

Krelo carefully noted that Lilith still hadn't even indicated whether or not she was available. //Note to self: Don't tell her Qui-gon's coming on the trip.// "Morning, day after tomorrow." Her tone made it almost a question.

Lilith ran some rapid calculations in her head. "I can't be there before afternoon."

"That's okay, I know that the Scorpion can catch the Chancelor's yacht with time to spare."

Lilith ignored the play at her vanity and pride, though a faint grin played at her lips. "What's it pay?"

"Well, since she was looking for a commercial transport, she's got the budget for corporate rates." She could see the pleased gleam that large credit ammounts usually brought to her friend's eyes. "Oh," she continued casually, "Jemmiah's goign on the trip, too."

"I'll be there." There had been no hesitation to the answer. It had almost been a knee-jerk reaction, and Krelo had to fight to keep a smile off her face. Lilith had been right. When bargaining, all it takes is findin

 

Lilith's on her way! This is getting good!

//Note to self: Don't tell her Qui-gon's coming on the trip.// Very good self tip Krelo! Couldn't have said it better myself!

 

Sis, great post! So Merdan's going to get back at the Jedi AND Levenstowe; oh, that was smooth! He's such a good baddy!

Leona, I liked the insight into the healer's thinking Lilith could be good for Jemmy. As long as she doesn't tel Qui-Gon about that! At least Mace's sig will be down for hiring Lilith! LOL!

Lilith, that post really flowed. I particularly liked the discription of Lilith sitting down, the black leather clad leg, etc. Krelo's one smart cookie, taking lessons Lilith's taught her and turning them around. Jemmy was a good ace to play!

Do you realise it's only a week since we all started, and look how it's going?!!! This is just such a great thread!

 

Great post Lilith! I like how Krelo decides not to mention Qui-Gon's involvement on the retreat!

 

Nice posts, people. I'll read them prperly when I can. Right now though my back is doing really horrible things to me and sitting at the keyboard is agony. :-(

 

Wow! page 8 and they haven't even left Coruscant. You are making my life difficult reading this and a few other stories plus writing on my own. If only all the "dificulties" in my life were so enjoyable. HaiGan I had to run this off and take to work to read on my breaks so I could even begin to keep up with it.

 

Hey! Where did the smileys appear from?

Let's try;



Cool!

 

Two days before Departure:


?So, Captain, what did Knight Rei?ch have to say??

?The Jedi have some long vacation that they?re going on and they?d like me to come haul all the stuff they wanna bring with them, but that won?t fit on the liner they?ve borrowed,? Lilith said absently as she streaked her face with yet another knuckle-wide line of grease. ?It?ll be easy, decent pay, and we?ll probably get Krelo to come with us.?

?I know how you enjoy talking with her.?

?Oh, there?s more than that involved, but yes, I enjoy talking with her.?

?What will be our port of call??

?Tildas.? Lilith took her hydrospanner in both hands and gave the offending power coupling a resounding whack. ?Kriffing sithspawn won?t come off.?

Mick ignored the obscenities with the practice of years. ?Shall I look into acquiring a cargo there for the return trip??

?Naw. I think I?m just going to hang out there, during this vacation. We can afford the time off, and I?m sure we can dock at the Jedi facilities and not worry about any fees.?

?Is Miss Gleshan going to be coming?? The droid asked with his usual insight.

?Can you think of a Corellian who would give up an opportunity like this??

?Yes.?

His abrupt and firm answer precipitated a thump and savage cursing from within the maintenance crawl-space. Lilith?s face appeared briefly. ?What do you mean, ?yes???

?The word is self-explanatory, Captain.? Mick suppressed a smile by cutting out his emotion routines for a brief second. ?If you had somewhere else to be, or something more important to be doing, -you- would not be staying. Were it not for the fact that Krelo asked you to do this, I very much doubt that you would have even considered it.?

?Your point?? she nearly growled.

?Only that if Miss Gleshan has other things to do she might very well not be going on this vacation of theirs.?

Lilith?s eyes took on that hard look that M1-CK had learned to recognize a long time ago. It was iron-willed determination, and not even a whole cargo full of Sithlords would stop her, though an equally stubborn Corellian might have been able to manage it. ?She?s going if I have to kidnap her out of that Temple of theirs. Krelo said three weeks. That?s just about enough time to get a good start on training that girl.?

?You are thinking of your debt to Mahkree??

Lilith nodded. ?Jemmiah?s just the person to pass it all on to. She needs it, and if I?m any judge, she?ll be needing it quite a bit in the years to come.? The smuggler straightened briskly and disappeared back into the accessway. ?Now, do you have the spare ready? As soon as I finish this we?ll raise ship. Even at top speed, we won?t get there before they leave, and I have a reputation to uphold.?

 

Hey Lilith, I have to echo Leona's sentiments. The interchange between Lilith and M1-ck is like two old-time friends who know each other better than they know themselves.

 

Thanks, everyone. Gryph, that's essentially what they are. Now, someone else post so that we can keep this monster going.

 

Wonderful posts Lilith! I loved how she decided to go as soon as Krelo told her Jemmy would also be attending And I agree, the banter between Mick and Lil is just so comfortable!

I have a post coming up as soon as I get it all finished

 

Yea, a new post! And another one coming up soon! Great story. . . UP

 

Oooh, very nice, Lilith!

"Mick suppressed a smile by cutting out his emotion routines for a brief second." Love that line!

I've got three posts planned (one is slightly out of order) and I hope to have them up by tonight (server time.) I'm currently doing battle with Darth Writer's Block. Urgh!

 

And one from me too! I'm taking this back to the morning.

*********

Day 2 before departure, early morning.


?Sith!?

Jaz stood at the door rubbing one eye with a fisted hand and trying to focus the remaining one on her three friends standing in front of her. Letina laughed and sauntered into the room followed by the others.

?I forgot you?re not a morning person.? She looked Jaz up and down and grinned. ?Obviously things just get worse without your master here to hurry you along.?

Jaz threw herself down on the nearest seat and promptly closed her eyes, resting her head on the high back of the armchair.

?It?s too early for social calls.? She mumbled. ?Go away and come back in a couple of hours.?

?Caf.? Dimallie pronounced, as if coming to a medical conclusion, and wandered towards the kitchen in search of the cure.

Letina and Kylenn decided to drag Jaz back onto her feet.

?Time to get up and wake up? Letina stated as she pulled on an arm. ?Into the fresher, get ready and your caf?ll be waiting for you when you reappear.?

Jaz slowly opened her eyes and stared at her friends uncomprehendingly.

?And I?m doing all this because...??

?Because we?re not going to let the fact Mace is looking after us spoil our trip.? Letina answered firmly. ?So, we?re going to hit the shops and buy everything we talked about getting a couple of days ago.?

Jaz smothered a yawn. ?You really think he?s going to let us sneak off for an afternoon or two to enjoy ourselves?? She questioned.

?Well, we won?t know until we try. Anyway it?s better than moping around.? Letina answered giving Jaz a little push towards the ?fresher. ?Now get a move on before the shops start getting busy.?

?You?ll be lucky if they?re open at this time? Jaz muttered as she slowly plodded to the ?fresher.

Letina glanced across at Kylenn and frowned. ?Are you feeling okay? You?ve been really quiet this morning.?

?No, I?m fine.? Kylenn insisted. ?Just tired and a slight sore head but I?m okay.?

Letina shrugged and promptly turned her mind towards their shopping

Dimallie reappeared with cups for everyone, setting them down carefully on the table and breathing a sigh of relief at not having dropped them. She looked at her friends hopefully.

?I have an idea? she said tentatively. ?Why don?t we have a girl?s night in? Jaz is all alone here so it?s a great opportunity to use the apartment and take her mind off being by herself.? She picked up the cup of caf and sat down, sipping it slowly. ?It?d put us in the right frame of mind for the trip.?

?Mmm? Letina chewed her lower lip. ?Yes it?s a good idea. And if Mace doesn?t let us...? She paused, her mind quickly thinking over possibilities. ?Yes, let?s REALLY get into the mood. That way if he puts his foot down we?ll have had one good time. We can push the sofa and chairs back...Li, you?re the cook here. Can you throw together some food??

Dimallie nodded, a smile breaking slowly over her face.

?You?ll want to watch that new Rex Victory holo as well then??

Letina laughed loudly.

?You know me so well. There couldn?t be anything better than a night in with my friends and Rex Victory.?

Kylenn raised an eyebrow.

?A night in with the real Rex Victory?? She enquired mildly.

Letina threw her a toothy grin in acknowledgement. ?At least we can truthfully say to our masters we?re cheering Jaz up. This is going to be great! Well, now?s a good a time to start planning. Jaz takes forever to get ready, so we?ll probably have this all worked out by the time she appears.?

The three girls huddled over their cups of caf started to plan.

 

Jaz I feel the same way in the mornings! I'd rather just stay up all night!

?A night in with the real Rex Victory?? She enquired mildly.

Let's just take out the name Rex Victory and add our own fantasy guy! Who's with me!!

 

Two days before departure

***********

"You look a little better now." Obi-Wan smiled as Jemmiah stepped through the open door and into the living quarters, running an appreciative eye over the now sleek and preened figure who had evidently spent a considerable amount of time cleaning herself up.
"I don't feel it." She said abruptly. "I still feel like fleg."

Her eyes peered through the beaded curtain that divided the kitchen from the living quarters for any sign of Qui-Gon.

"Where's old eagle nose?" she asked with a frown. "Is he in?"
"No, as it happens he's not." Obi-Wan replied. "He said he wanted to speak to Master Windu about the trip. Laugh at him, more likely."
"I heard." Jemmy managed a small grin. "He's really going to love being put in charge of all those padawans, isn't he?"
"At this rate we are going to be the only ones having a good time on this vacation."
"I know of two others who aren't going to be having a good time." Jemmy smirked, not even trying to keep her delight of her face.
"Who?"
"Sybelle and Junine. Considering what they said to me I hope they are miserable the whole time! Sybelle has really changed since she split up with that smuggler boyfriend of hers. Why she's latched onto Junine I don't know. She's like a slug stuck to a cabbage!"

Obi-Wan threw back his head and laughed.

"That image is never going to leave me." He smiled, his eyes crinkling slightly at the sides. "We should be thankful that Junine's not going, I agree. Frankly I was dreading Master H'darri coming with us."
"The man who never smiles." Jemmy rolled her eyes. "I've never once seen him grin in all the time I was here!"
"If you were stuck with Junine for a padawan you wouldn't do a lot of smiling either." Obi-Wan remarked. "Ambianca's going though."
"And Sal-Fina." Jemmiah groaned. "Just what we need. Master Birdscare and Padawan Fluff-brain. I can't wait. You know what a bad traveller Ambianca is. She'll lock herself in one of the freshers and we won't be able to get her out for the whole journey?hang on, I like that idea!" she smirked.
"We'll have showers adjoining our quarters." Obi-Wan's eyes lit up. "Maybe we can scrub each other's backs?"
"Like you threatened to do to Mrs. Krabople after our first night together?" Jemmy smiled at the memory. "Maybe I ought to give her a call?she can pack her black bra!"
"Jemmy." Growled Obi-Wan. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Yeah?"

Jemmiah made a dash for the holoterminal, reaching it only seconds before his hand clamped down on hers.

"Don't even think about it!" he laughed, hooking an arm round her hips.
"Awww?but she knows how much you want to ravish her! This could be your big chance!"
"Jemmiah!" he tried to smother her in his arms. "If she finds out about this trip you are in so much trouble!"
"Spoil sport!" Jemmy stuck out her tongue.

He placed a small but deliberate kiss on her forehead by way of a hint.

"I'd sooner ravish you, if it's all the same." He gazed meaningfully at the copper eyes, seeing the small wince of uncertainty and wondering if he was perhaps just pushing her too soon.
"I?I'm not sure," she put a hand up to the cleft in his chin. It had always fascinated her. "After what Junine said?I don't want to risk anything like that happening again."
"What DID she say?" Obi-Wan demanded in an icy voice, sounding so much older than his twenty-one years. Jemmiah never understood how he did it, but she'd frequently get little images of what he would be like as an older man?

Jemmy made a small shrugging gesture with her shoulders and started to play with the end of his padawan braid.

"She said I was stupid for falling pregnant. That everyone felt sorry for me and that was the only reason I was going to Tildas?well, that and a rather disgusting suggestion about Plo Koon."

Obi-Wan's eyes seemed to change color as they frequently did when he was hurt or angry, flaring to an almost greeny-blue. She could see how much the words had hurt him and regretted telling him the truth.

"Don't bother confronting them." Jemmy grumbled. "Where

 

C'mon Qui you GOTTA believe that one!

Miracle of miracles, Obi only broke the arm to the sofa and not his!

 

"Would you believe me if I said we were looking for loose change?"

I certainly wouldn't!! *snicker*

Another outstanding post Jemmiah!

 

LOL, loose change . . . No, I don't think he believes them.

 

yeah, i was worried for a sec.. I thought Obi broke his arm.. again.