Before - Legends The Qui-Gon Jinn Challenge Thread : New Challenge **Qui-Gon as a kid ** updated 5/8/05

Oh, you guys!!!!!! You are all such incredibly talented writers!! I want to go through and mention everyone's specifically, but it's pretty late and I'm going to pass out---argh-but! Oh, these were all so lovely. There wasn't one fic that I didn't love. We're a really talented thread, aren't we?

 

There are just too many fir me to comment individually right noe, but I have to say that this is proving to be one of the best challenges so far. Hurray for the broken nose!

 

oh man! this challenge is just too good!

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Prelude To A Kiss

?Can you please explain what we are doing here again?? Ten-year-old Tahl was not happy. One of her crèche-mates and best friends, Qui Gon Jinn, was dragging her along on yet another misadventure.

Qui Gon grinned and looked down at her. ?I told you already, it?s a surprise!?

Rolling her eyes, Tahl continued to climb. Why do I let myself be talked into these schemes of his?

?Because you love adventure as much as I do.? Qui Gon rudely interrupted into her thoughts.

?Stop listening in on my thoughts!? Tahl squealed and punched his ankle with her fist.

?Hey! Stop that! I could fall, you know.? Qui Gon?s voice echoed above and below them in all directions. ?You wouldn?t want to be responsible for me getting hurt, would you?? A sly and fiendish grin flashed across his face as he leaned back to peer down at her.

?You wouldn?t like to find yourself in the Healer?s Wing again, would you?? Tahl knew her friend, and that was one place he did not want to go.

Qui Gon?s smile quickly disappeared and he turned back to the maintenance ladder and gripped the next rung above his head

?I didn?t think so.? Tahl?s smirk was intense and gleeful.

Playfully, she swatted at his foot again, but he was climbing again and his foot was gone before her hand could reach it. She was not used to climbing maintenance ladders in air ducts to follow rebellious little boys to Force-knows-what end. Her swatting hand pulled her off balance and she swung free of the ladder, one arm and one leg dangling out and tugging her body towards the void below.

?Oh!? Her gasp was not loud, but the ripple of fear she shot out in the Force was caught by Qui Gon long before the exclamation was uttered. He had already begun his descent back towards her, and was eyeing the circular wall in the small shaft.

?Hold on Tahl.? His face screwed up in thoughtful determination, Qui Gon evaluated his options. Quickly deciding on his plan of action, he pulled his legs up and threaded them over the rung in front of him. Releasing his hands, he laid back and came face to face with Tahl.

?Well, hello.? His delighted upside-down grin was met with eyes made steely by anxiety and an impatient frown. Swiftly dropping his hands, he held one out for her wayward arm to grab onto. Pulling on him, Tahl regained her footing and gripped the rung with renewed fervor.

?Let?s not do that again, ok?? Tahl?s eyes bored through Qui Gon as he chuckled at his patronizing remark. He did not get many opportunities to gloat over her like this.

?Do we have much further? Or should we turn back now before someone gets hurt?? Tahl was already feeling the adrenaline leave her and wondered how far they had climbed. Glancing downward, she barely perceived the bottom of the ladder.

Looking back up at Qui Gon, she could tell he wanted to taunt her more. ?Well, if you can?t handle the climb?hey!?

His tease was cut short as Tahl reached up and aggressively tickled his midsection, including the unprotected flesh under his arms. Screaming in tortured delight, Qui Gon tried to pull free of her reach. As she brought her arm down to switch to her closer hand, Qui Gon brought his head up in an attempt to swing upright. Both of them heard the loud crack as elbow met nose, and Qui Gon collapsed against the ladder, his breath hissing as he banged the back of his head on a metal rung. Qui Gon?s hands protectively encased his throbbing nose, the back of his head could wait.

The shaft was entirely too quiet until a miserable groan burst forth from Qui Gon?s gut.

?Oh no.? Tahl wasn?t sure what she should do.

A trickle of blood escaped the temple of fingers surrounding his nose, and Tahl gasped.

?We need to get you down, quickly.?

?Well, somebody got hurt, didn?t they?? Tahl tried very hard to keep her ire from showing and bit back her smart remark; he was bleeding after all.

?I?m sorry, Qui Gon. I didn?t mean to hit you.?

?But you

 

Oh, my. That was...(wanders off, trying to think of appropriate response - returns after re-re-reading fic).

Sigh. Beautiful.

And all to see a sunset too. Poor, kind-hearted Qui. I suppose he got his reward, though

This just keeps getting better and better!

 

This was adorable. But Tahl should know better than to tickle in the midst of a rescue! Naughty her. Good job.

Yes, this is the best challenge ever....

 

Ahhh!!! Loved it! Truly! How sweeeet! hehehehe and yep that's Qui all right all for a sunset hehehe a lil romantic friendship there even if romance wasn't even intentional hehehe great job!


Man too many to catch up with! Wow... this challenge did spark a bunch. Overall you guys are rocking!!

 

Um...I'm in something of a quandary. I've cooked up another fic for the 'Broken Nose' challenge (I know, I know ) - and it's turned out to be slightly...different.

Should I post it, or shouldn't I?

 

Princess_A are you crazy??!! OF COURSE you should post it!! post is soon! please??

 

Post it, you should!

 

Plus Princess, they don't all have to be funny or sweet. If it's a bit different, all to the better!

 

Princess_A - You can't make a statement like that and not post. I'm too curious now.

SV - That was great!

 

yeah, different is good!

 

Heh, heh, Cool! This was a cute story, Sarka! Your writing abilities are improving in leaps and bounds. You did a good job characterizing a child. They do odd things at odd times, inexperienced at considering consequences, acting for the moment.

The sunset touch was very, very nice. Bravo. I'm not sure If I'll get my broken nose challenge done...or started!

 

Tahl kissing Qui-Gon. That's soooooo sweet.

 

Argh. You asked for it.

There *is* a nose, the nose is Qui-Gon's, and it does get broken...you'll know the details when you're done reading.

Apologies for the length of it though. It practically...flew off my fingers - and as you know, I have no control over Obi, Qui or the Force.

************

A duel to remember...

"Oh, Force."

Obi-Wan stared, as blood spurted from Qui-Gon's nose. The master had dropped his sabre, and was holding his fingers to the damaged tissue, wincing. "Oh, force. How could he - how dare he..." Voices were murmuring, rising in intensity, confused, anxious, outraged.

And then Obi-Wan was running towards his master, heedless of shocked Jedi knights clustering around the salle....

**********


Seventy-two standard hours ago...

**

"He did what?!"

Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi halted in a half-crouch, in the middle of a complicated sabre excercise, his light-sabre high above the ground, at an extra-ordinary angle from his body. His concentration flickered for a second -

- and opposite him, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn stepped calmly to his left and swung his sabre in a graceful arc, flicking the apprentice's weapon away. The blue blade rose into the air for a brief moment, and landed onto the training-mat with an oddly satisfying thump.

Master and apprentice stared at the fallen weapon for a second - then, Obi-Wan bent to pick it up.

"I ought to thank the Force, I suppose, that that lapse in concentration didn't occur on a mission," commented the master, as he de-activated his own sabre.

Colour touched the face of the twenty-two year old; he stood up with a sigh. "I apologize, master. That was a serious mistake - one that I shouldn't have committed." He looked up, eyes twinkling. "On the other hand, Masters rarely tell their padawans that they're going to indulge in a duel with a fellow knight in mid-kata...what was I supposed to make of it?"

"That one should never lower one's defences, no matter what the provocation? And I would rather you didn't use the word 'duel', padawan."

"Kindly enlighten me, then, about a word used to describe an activity involving light sabres and combat, based on a long, unresolved conflict between two members of the Order."

Master Jinn sighed. "You have a certain way of expressing yourself, padawan, that is..." A grin surfaced. "You, of all, people, must know that there is no conflict, between myself and Knight Moranis, as such. Call it a healthy sense of competition, if you will."

Obi-Wan arched a delicate eye-brow. "Indeed. Am I to understand that the Council is of the same opinion?"

Qui-Gon threw him a look that was at once appreciative and amused. "Padawan, do you know that you sound remarkably like Master Windu, on occasion?" Ah, that was calculated to irritate...

...and Obi-Wan knew it. His face broke into a smile, as they trudged along the training salle, towards the benches lining the room. "I'm learning to recognize provocation, Master. I repeat - does the Council approve of this....excercise of indulging in a healthy bout of light-sabre knock-ups?"

Qui-Gon sat down on the bench, chuckling. "Much too lengthy, my padawan - you had better call it a duel. I suppose it is very little else," he mused. "My only consolation is that it was forced on me - Knight Moranis told Council Member Poof that he wished to...er...indulge in a test of endurance. Whether he wished to test his own or mine - was left unsaid."

Obi-Wan sat up straight, bristling with indignation. "I do *not* believe this. Knight Moranis knows your reputation as anyone else, in the Order -"

"Aside from the fact that I acquit myself creditably, as far as light sabres go -"

"Modesty is a virtue, master - but sometimes, truth must be acknowledged."

Qui-Gon felt a brief flicker of pride and delight - and cleared his throat. "Done. I acknowledge your loyalty, padawan, but..."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Councilor Poof is...partial to Knight Moranis, isn't he?"

Clever, Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon

 

Princess, that was very cute. I loved that he had a fake nose that could be 'broken' on top of his already broken nose. The Council really needs to give a good talking-to to Moranis. He needs a few lessons in anger management.

Great job. You should write more!

 

A fake nose

I think Moranis needs help.

 

So many good new ones!!

Princess_A That was wonderful! A fake nose! Most original!

SarkaVrae Awwwww that was so cute!! Poor Qui and all he wanted was to show her the sunset.

 

Princess_A--that was great! you did a wonderful job telling the story, and I'm still in love with the Obi Wan/Qui Gon relationship you create in your stories! There is such a depth and affection to their comments! it makes me happy to see them together in your stories
very, very good!

 

*Snrk!* that was great! hehehehehe for the sake of easing the Knight's 'rising' emotions *snrk* hehehehe that's so funny! Poor Obi... I can only imagine Yoda's reaction as well! hehehe

Great work! Man I'm digging these nose stories hehehe

 

That was adorable, Princess. I think that you do a great job with characterizations

 

Well, this is the best I can do just now. I may do another in a day or two.

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Laughter is the Best Medicine?

Mace looked up to see what had caused his Master's short bark of laughter. He blinked four times before deciding that he really did see Master Tahl walking toward them in clothes that he had only ever seen in the scary sections of Coruscant. The areas where the society mavens lived.

She was walking along on shoes that had a heel whose height was slightly more than the width of his master's hand, and whose cross section where it touched the floor was smaller than the stylus Mace was using to take the notes his master had been giving him. The morning light filtering through the rotunda made her movements look a bit like a hoverbird's sudden motions. But that wouldn't have been enough to make his master laugh.

Qui-Gon soon gave the reason for his laughter. "You better hope there aren't any Force sensitives at that party, Tahl. The way you're drawing on the Force to keep your balance, you'd make anyone who isn't Force Blind know you're doing something."

Mace felt a flutter of irritation at himself that he had not seen how much Master Tahl was drawing on the Force. But it was true that her attire was most disconcerting.

Master Tahl had nearly reached their seats in the rotunda now. "I've tried believe me. Without it, well, see for yourself."

Mace felt the sudden drop in how much Force energy she was drawing toward herself. And then he saw her start to wobble, before she had even tried to take a further step. His master was chucking again but Mace was concentrating on leaping forward to catch Master Tahl. His master was closer, and reached for her also. There was a collision between all three, and suddenly Mace lost his balance when Master Tahl's elbow went into his side.

"Owww." The complaint was made by a baritone and not a soprano. Mace looked over from his spot on the floor to see his master sitting three tiles away holding his nose, blood streaming out from under his hand.

"I tink you broke my node." Qui-Gon said to Tahl before tilting his head back and motioning to Mace to help Master Tahl up from where she had landed, apparently uninjured.

~~~

Qui-Gon had told Mace to wait in the rotunda and go over the notes he had taken while Qui-Gon went off to the healers to get his nose set. Mace waited twice as long as he had thought necessary before heading off to see why his master had not yet returned. They were supposed to be finishing the planning for a mission they were to begin that evening.

As he approached the healers spire, he passed the dining hall. A lovely smell was seeping out around the doors. Just as he was trying to decide if it would be considered within the spirit of his master's instructions to have a quick bite to eat, he hear a familiar laugh.

Pleased to be able to eat and check on his master in one go, Mace bounded up to the door to the dining hall and pushed it open quickly to get it out of the way so he could find Master Qui-Gon.

The door swung freely at first but then hit an obstruction. Which said "Owwwww!" in a familar tone.

Mace stopped short and closed his eyes. But the combination of mortification and fear was not enough to overcome his hope and curiosity so his eyes fluttered open again a moment later.

His master was looking cross eyed at his own nose. Which was already swelling again. And bleeding, though not quite as profusely as it had been earlier in the rotunda.

"I tink you broke my node again. I chust had tat fixed." Master Qui-Gon said to Mace as he placed the napkin full of ice handed to him by the knight he had been talking with up to his face.

~~~

Mace loitered outside the entrance to the Healer's spire. His master had been very clear that Mace was not to accompany him back to the Healers. But Mace couldn't just go back to studying. He hadn't managed to apologize enough yet.

The lift shusched down and the doors opened to emit Master Qui-Gon. His nose looked perfectly normal. He smiled at Mace's int