You Can Run But You Can't Hide (A Barin Truthfinder and Thom Capella story)

Why do I always get nervous when I start posting a new thread? Oh well, here goes nothing.

This began as a snapshot, a very short story about the first meeting between the Jedi Knight Barin Truthfinder and his eventual padawan, Thom Capella. I intended to write another snapshot set a little later on, but when I started it just kept growing. So now it's a story in its own right: a story of friendship, healing, and Corellian fast food.

Thanks must go to Jemmiah, as I have borrowed some of her wonderful character creations and used them as the unwitting butts of Thom's practical jokes. Apologies go to anyone who only reads these things to see more of their favourite movie characters, as they hardly get a look-in. I'll be posting episodes as and when I have the time to write them, as I am involved in various other threads already.

It did start as a snapshot, and so I am including the snapshot as the first post of the story. Enjoy!

 

THIS COULD BE THE START OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP

Sal-Fina Falmar walked between the fragrant mair-nam bushes at a leisurely pace. She paused and leaned down to savour the scents more closely, taking care that her shapely rear would remain in sight of the two male knights who had been admiring her from afar for the last ten minutes. She glanced at the men from beneath her long lashes as she straightened, and smiled to herself. She had not lost her touch. If their tongues hung out any further they would need to be scraped off the ground.

She was debating her next move when something struck her on the top of her head. Her ladylike scream was from surprise rather than pain. Her hands shot up to the point of impact, and encountered a wet, sticky, squishy mess. "Aaah!" she exclaimed, dragging her fingers through her blond locks. "What has happened to my HAIR!" Her hands came down bearing two long, soft, rubbery items that she normally associated with certain bedroom activities.

As Sal-Fina looked wildly about for the source of this outrage, she saw a small dark cloud. A small, dark cloud that swayed and split as it swerved between the bushes towards her. A cloud that buzzed. Sal-Fina's scream was less than ladylike this time. Her manicured hands clutched at her ruined hair as she sprinted out of the garden, away from the swarm of pursuing flies.

Behind the wall next to the mair-nam bushes, somebody sniggered.

******

Deep in thought, Mace Windu strolled through the gardens. So absorbed was he in his meditations that he barely felt the impending danger in time. His hastily erected Force barrier stopped the three missiles that dropped on him from above, but failed to protect him from the splashing fluid that burst from them as they slid past him to the ground. He closed his eyes, suppressing irritation as he sought the auras of those who had thrown the bombs. The Force showed him three figures couching behind the wall he now stood beside, trying to creep away.

Mace opened his eyes. The doorway through the wall was not far away. If he moved fast he could catch those three before they had the chance to get away. He gathered himself... then paused. He could hear a buzzing sound, and it was getting louder. He swallowed his horror as a small swarm of kabbas flies swarmed into view, headed straight towards him... or, more precisely, towards the fluid splashed on his legs and tunic. All thoughts of catching the three hiding behind the wall vanished.

"I will stay calm. I will stay calm. I will stay calm." Staying very calm, but walking fast enough to win the sprint at the Republic Games, Mace Windu left the gardens.

This time there was more than one giggle.

******

A solitary knight sauntered through the gardens. He was a short, slender, languid young man with exquisitely styled hair and a neat goatee. He contrived to wear his Jedi tunic as if it were the height of fashion. His boots shone; their built-up heels added a good handswidth to his height. His half-closed eyes scanned the garden with the appearance of lazy attention.

Three heads lifted above the top of a wall. The three initiates looked at one another, and nodded agreement. Three hands appeared, each holding a small, soft, pale, rounded item. Before the hands could open there came the brief impression of a shape tumbling overhead, and the knight was gone. The three initiates blinked.

"Turn around. Slowly." The voice was very cool and quiet, but managed to suggest that nasty things would happen if it wasn't obeyed. There was a familiar humming sound audible beneath it.

The three initiates froze against the wall, then turned carefully to face the direction from which the voice had come. Three sets of eyes swivelled downwards to take in the twin yellow blades held across their throats, then travelled upwards to meet the pair of glacier-blue eyes behind the double-ended lightsaber.

"Beautiful morning, is it not?" The voice of the Jedi Knight who held the weapon had an ominous veneer of cheerfulness over an icy calm that mat

 

YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE:

"Master Fel?" Thom asked, leaning on his mop.

"Clean the floor, Thom."

"Master Fel?" asked Thom again, this time mopping industriously at the initiate's common-room floor.

"Keep your mind on what you're doing," warned the Master. "I want the floor finished by the time I get back."

"But Master Fel!" Thom sighed through his teeth and gave the floor an extra hard rub of frustration as the Master walked out of the room. He'd only wanted to ask the name of the Jedi who had caught him throwing syrup-bombs. Now he'd have to think of some other way to find it out.

******

"Take your places and log on to your terminals," instructed Nebbia Sao, the computer-studies teacher. "And Thom- I'm watching you. No pulling out the power lead on anyone's terminal this time."

Thom sniggered and slid into his seat. It had taken Ambianca a good ten minutes to discover why her computer wouldn't work during the last lesson. She'd deserved it though, he'd thought, for picking on the smaller kids just because she'd had to stay down a class with them. Thom might have felt sorry for her, she was the only padawan in the class and obviously felt out of place, but Ambianca had turned up her nose when he'd tried to be friendly. She'd even refused one of his glow-in-the-dark jelly worms. There was just no helping some people.

"We will be looking at basic databases this week," said Sao. "Select 'Elementary Databases Lesson One' from the options on your screen, and start working through at your own pace. Raise your hand if you have any questions. You may begin."

'She makes it sound like an exam,' thought Thom, scanning through the lesson without much interest. Almost every lesson in the Temple seemed to work on the principle of repetition. As far as Thom was concerned, that equated to boredom. His attention switched to the window, which partly overlooked the Temple gardens. He still hadn't been able to find out the name of the knight from the gardens the other day.

A thought struck the young initiate. There was almost certainly some sort of list of all the Jedi in the Temple records. A database, in fact. If he could find it, and learn how to use it, maybe he could find the name he wanted. With a sudden burst of industry, Thom went back to studying his lesson.

Half way through the class, Thom raised his hand. Sao set her lips and frowned at him. Thom's questions tended to be either awkwardly insightful or to put the class into hysterics. At least he had been working diligently so far. Not so much as a folded-flimsy skycar had been launched from his direction.

"What is it, Thom?"

"I've finished. Can I start the next lesson, please?"

Sao hesitated with surprise, then went to peer at the boy's screen. Sure enough, the exercise was complete and almost without errors. Sao tapped her fingers against the edge of the terminal in a reflection of her slight suspicion, but she had been keeping a fairly close eye on Thom all the time and she didn't see how he could have cheated.

"I suppose so," she agreed. What else could she give him to do, after all? She probably ought to encourage this new studiousness, except with Thom she always gained the impression that he had some ulterior motive.

Thom flashed the teacher one of his bright, white smiles and bent over his terminal again as she returned to her position at the front of the class. A ghost of the smile remained as he flipped past the second lesson, which he had also finished already. He skimmed through the rest of the 'elementary' section, and started reading the 'intermediate' class.

******

"Hey! Brains!"

Thom made the mistake of turning at the shout. What he should have done was to start running. He realised the error as he found himself cornered by Ambianca, her friend Junine, and an older boy whom he vaguely recalled as the constant tormentor of the legendary Qui-Gon Jinn's new padawan. Ambianca and Junine were spiteful, but he hadn't thought they were actually bullies. With the other padawan around to encourage them he won

 

Thank you HaiGan!

I love learning more about Barin and Thom! Thom is a sneaky one isn't he? Cheeky too!

More please!!!

 

'Brick, Amoeba and Latrine'...

You have no idea how that still cracks me up, especially considering the personality quirks of all the padawans targeted. Like the others, I'm thrilled Thom and Barin are getting their own mini fic!

Hope to read more soon!

 

Oh, I love it HaiGan!

Like the others I'm glad to be able to read more about Thom and Barin.

More soon, I hope!

 

*Laughing!*

Barin and Thom have their own thread! Yay! I hope it becomes a very looooong one!

 

YAHOO!!!!!!! More Barin/Thom stories! YIPPEE!!!!!

They are such great characters, HaiGan, and you are a really fabulous writer. Your stories are awesome! Exciting! Thrilling! Touching.

AND FUNNY!!!

 

ROFL!!!! Oh, this is too good. Please write more.

 

I know this is only a short post, but I wanted to keep things rolling...

******

Thom stared around the huge Council Chamber with interest. He didn't remember having been inside that most hallowed of places on any previous occasion, but something about the place was familiar nonetheless. Most of the Council seats were empty; only Yoda and Adi Gallia were in their customary places, their heads bent together in conversation. An-Paj the Healer stood between them, clearly involved in the discussion. All three looked up as Mace entered with Thom and Bruck in tow. Thom thought for a second that Mace seemed surprised to see anyone there, and then caught a flicker of irritated realisation before the Master's Jedi control dropped back into place.

"A problem there is?" enquired Yoda.

"Running in the corridors, behaving without due care and consideration for others and causing bodily damage to a Master," replied Mace. "And some sort of death threat made by Padawan Chun to Initiate Capella- although having met Capella on previous occasions I could find that understandable."

The Masters all regarded the two boys. Bruck looked sulky and Thom distinctly casual considering the awe-inspiring surroundings, but both managed a creditable bow.

Mace turned to Bruck. "Padawan Chun, your side of the story?" he asked, tersely.

Bruck slewed his eyes sideways towards Thom, then looked back at Mace. "It was just a game. I was only teasing. I mean, all the initiates get teased a bit. I didn't mean anything by it." He shrugged. "Maybe I went a bit too far, but I wouldn't really have /hurt/ him. It's no big deal. Just a game." The padawan saw Mace's frown, and clearly decided that more was expected. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, Master Windu," he added, after a moment's thought.

Thom studied Bruck carefully. He /could/ tell the whole story. The Masters would know he was telling the truth. Bruck would be punished- and then what? Most likely he'd go right back to bullying somebody else. The initiate looked up at Mace, and waited for his turn to speak.

"I /guess/ maybe I could have got Brick wrong," Thom said, not even trying to hide the fact that he didn't believe it. "But he sure sounded like he meant it."

Bruck gritted his teeth at Thom's nickname, but managed to turn it into a forced smile and gave the initiate a 'friendly' slap on the back. "'Course I was just teasing. You need to learn to take a joke. And stop calling me Brick, or I really will kill you," he added with a fake chuckle.

"Anyway, that's why I was running, Master Windu sir," Thom said. "'Cos I called him Brick and he didn't like it and started chasing me and I was running away. And I'm very sorry I knocked you over, and I hope I didn't hurt you."

There was a short silence, in which both padawans had time to wonder if their story was going to be accepted. Then Mace nodded. "Very well. We'll say that's what happened. If I hear of another incident you can be sure I'll look into it more closely. You'll be informed of your punishment later." He paced over and opened the door, waving them out into the bench-lined hall that formed a waiting-room for those with business to bring before the Council.

Thom stole a sideways glance at the Master on his way past. Master Windu was hardly the most cheerful of masters, but he seemed to be even more out-of-sorts than usual. Or maybe that was just the result of having been knocked flying twice in one day. That, and the fact that he probably still hadn't forgotten the incident with the syrup-bomb and the kabbas-flies. And none of that explained why he had dragged two miscreants all the way to the Council chamber only to throw them back out again as fast as possible.

Thom kept close to Bruck as they headed away from the doorway. Mace might consider the matter closed for the moment, but he didn't. As soon as they were a few paces clear of the Master, he tilted his head to whisper to the padawan. "You owe me for that, Brick. Don't forget."

Bruck glared at him, and Thom met his gaze evenly, knowing that Bruck couldn't d

 

Thom is as sneaky as ever! I like the nickname Brick. Sort of rhymes with "thick", doesn't it? And why is Mace so chilly to Barin? Why was Barin waiting to see the Council (or part of them) anyway, and what was An-Paj doing there, too? Anticipation is delicious!

 

A whole thread of Thom and Barin stories! These characters are so intriging! Great posts Hai Gan!

 

Horrible Brick, sorry I mean Bruck. I really liked how Bruck hates his nickname but Thom is pleased with his.

 

So Bruck is in debt to Thom...wonder if he sees it that way! The two girlfriends - I'm not surprised that Bruck doesn't see them that way considering who they are!

 

Here we go, two , three, four!

******

Thom propped his elbows on the edge of the holoterminal and rested his chin in his hands, staring fixedly at the screen as if an answer would magically spring into existence. Dan-Lo sprawled over his shoulder to watch. Chersh had given up on the pair, and was busy trying to find out if the electrical panel under the console could be unscrewed with the aid of his belt buckle.

"Funny sort of hacking," Dan-Lo muttered.

"Okay, so I lied," admitted Thom. "I just want a name." He grinned sideways at his friend. "Once I got that, we can try for hacking." Dan-Lo cheered up. Thom's brow creased a little. "Do you know how?"

"How what?" asked Dan-Lo.

"Hacking."

"No. I thought you did!"

"Nope. I skipped most of the Computing classes right after I figured out how to upload pirated games off ShadowNet. I only came back 'cos Sao told Master Fel."

"Oh great. So what's the point of sitting here staring at the terminal?"

"I've written a query that has called up all the records matching the parameters I set," Thom said, unconsciously slipping into the vocabulary he'd picked up from his database studies earlier, "but the public-access database doesn't list much personal data about individual Jedi. So even though I guessed roughly how old he is and when he passed the Trials..."

"Guess when who passed the trials?" asked Chersh suspiciously, from somewhere near the floor.

"Just someone," answered Thom, embarrassed.

"Who?" demanded Chersh.

"Someone who told me to find his name out," Thom said defensively.

"Since when did you do what anyone told you?" scoffed Chersh.

"Since now," answered Thom, quietly. "It's important."

"Important?" Chersh sat back on his heels. "C'mon, Thom!"

Dan-Lo looked between the two. "Leave it, Chersh. So Thom thinks it's important. He's done enough stuff for you before. Give him a break."

Chersh shrugged, and went back to dismantling the base of the console. "Whatever."

Thom went back to staring at the screen. "It doesn't matter, 'cos whatever I do it's still giving me hundreds of names. Sure, there's an image for each Jedi in there, but it's gonna take /hours/ to look at them all. I need to get into something that gives stuff like height and hair colour and things." Thom banged the console in irritation, causing both Dan-Lo and Chersh to blink at him in surprise. Then he gave a philosophical grin. "Aw, never mind. I'll think of something later. C'mon, I gotta tell you what happened earlier with Bruck."

******

Thom slouched at the back of the line with the other initiates as they waited to enter the practice-rooms. Behind him, three girls chattered nervously as they re-plaited their hair. A few of the initiates were giving their clothing final checks, smoothing out wrinkles in their tunics and brushing out the lunch-stains. Some were standing casually, trying to act as if it was just another day. Others were comparing notes about who would be watching the session, discussing the best way to get noticed and to make a good impression. Today was a demonstration for those masters and knights who were looking for a new padawan. Consequently, it was one of those days that tended to bring out either the best or the worst in the initiates.

A few others were hanging around- Master Fel and Mother Yyr, who was looking after the initiates, and a group of padawans who were supposed to be putting on a demonstration of lightsaber exercises for the initiates during the half-time rest period. A few of the latter seemed to take pleasure in making the initiates nervous. One brown-haired joker was recounting various disasters experienced during initiate demonstrations. A tall young man, with golden bronze hair that seemed permanently blown backwards by some invisible wind, was quietly humming a funeral march under his breath. Ambianca was with them, twittering with her friend Junine and listing the failings of all her class-mates.

"I wondered where they'd got to," Thom commented. "No sign of Brick, though. He's the one really needs

 

Oh, great post HaiGan!

Thom's impressions of the masters had me giggling like an idiot.

 

Cool post! Thom doing the katas was SO funny! This is now officially my favorite story on the JC board ... *blissful sigh*.

 

"Yeah, and right after that they had ta stop him wondering off ta the Council Chambers with the pot-plant from his room, telling it it would pass the Trials in no time."

I CAN HARDLY BREATHE FROM LAUGHING!!!

That certainly sounds like Quirida-Xac to me

 

Hilarious post Hai Gan! Him giving his lightsaber to his friend was a great insight into his character.

Great post!

 

Ahh, this is so great. I love it! Write more soon, HaiGan.

 

...and there's more! Jemmiah, I hope I've managed to get Amoeb... ahem, Ambianca, Sal-Fina and Junine right. And anyone who's involved with 'By The Sea Shore', that turn's coming up next, I promise!

******

Ambianca and Junine filed into the practice-room behind the initiates.

"Which Master was that sorry little crybaby was going on about?" asked Junine as they headed for the front of the room, beneath the raised seating where the watching knights and Masters were positioned.

"Jabba? Gerbil? I forget," Ambianca replied. "Does it matter? She's hardly going to want a scruffy little tramp like that."

"Jerina," Junine remembered, "and she's sitting in the front row next to your master," she went on, slyly. "Why don't we sit in that free space right underneath her and make sure she knows just what a bad choice it would be?"

"I think it's practically our duty," replied Ambianca, looping her arm through that of her friend. "The girl would quite lower the tone of the Order. Shall we go?"

"Certainly," Junine agreed, primly.

"Of course, I wouldn't normally be watching," Sal-Fina was telling Jerina as the two padawans seated themselves, "but my own padawan has been chosen to give a demonstration during the break. It's such a benefit to the youngsters to have good role-models to look up to, don't you think?"

"Look, Ambianca!" Junine exclaimed. Sal-Fina heard her padawan's name mentioned, and was immediately all ears. Jerina couldn't help but listen as well, even though she preferred not to overhear others' conversations.

"They've actually let her in! After forgetting her lightsaber like that as well." Junine sounded quite indignant.

"Somebody actually lent her a spare," Ambianca noted. "Really, you wouldn't think they'd do that for somebody so forgetful."

"It's hardly going to encourage her to remember her own next time," Junine said.

"It's not as if she's ever been good at remembering anything, it would be doing her a favour if she had to miss out," agreed Ambianca. "It would be a reminder for her next time."

Jerina turned her head aside and tried to ignore the snide remarks from below her, but the two padawans were deliberately making themselves easy to overhear. The Master was already feeling sympathetic towards the unfortunate subject of the conversation, whoever it was. Jerina herself tended to be a little absent-minded at times.

"They might at least have made her tidy herself up before they let her in," Junine went on.

"She ought to pull her tunic skirt down more," commented Ambianca. "The mini look is /so/ last year."

"Besides, the poor girl hasn't got the knees for it anyway," added Junine.

"Is she actually wearing makeup?"

"I didn't think the initiates were allowed makeup."

"And the /colour/! Red eyeshadow!" Both padawans giggled in disbelief.

"Poor thing. No taste at all!"

Jerina found herself scanning the ranks of initiates, trying to spot the target of the unkind remarks. Sal-Fina raised an elegant eyebrow, and pointed to the back row.

"Over there, dear," she said. "Shocking, isn't it? Cream with grey. What do they teach them? A Jedi should be well dressed at all times." Sal-Fina let her eyes drift over Jerina's somewhat rumpled clothing, which looked rather as if the Master had slept in it. "After all, one never knows when one might be called on duty, or who might choose to visit the Temple."

Jerina thought she saw the girl Sal-Fina was indicating: a rather sweet, good-natured child who had been in a few of the initiate groups she had taken for meditation classes. She did look somewhat disarrayed, as if she'd dressed in a hurry. The puffy, red look to her eyes didn't look like makeup, either, but more as if she'd been crying. "Ambianca would be your padawan?" Jerina asked suddenly, choosing to ignore the implied insult.

Sal-Fina beamed fondly. "Oh yes. A lovely girl, I've got great hopes for her. She always takes such good care of her possessions as well," she added, glancing at the scruffy and forgetful initiate in the back row. "We're very much

 

Yes! Ambianca gets what she deserves and so does her Master!

Good thing their plan backfired. Obviously it was the will of the force! I'm glad it worked out for Suffie, and it was nice of the boys to help her out when she needed it.

 

"You look more miserable than Master Windy on a bad hair day."

ROFLOL! Where do you come up with these classic one liners? Yes, Ambianca, Junine and Sal-Fina were very much in character It really reflects what Ambianca was like at the time: thoroughly unlikeable! I am Soooooo glad there plans backfired! I especially loved the humiliation Sal-Fina was feeling!