A Night to (Almost) Remember

Prequel to Lions, Tigers, and Padawans, Oh My!. A fundraising bar crawl? Only Jemmiah could arrange something like that.

Note: This is a group fic written mostly by Jemmiah, with a little help from (in order of posting): Sybelle, Jedi Kylenn, HealerLeona, Wampasmak, Lilith Demodae, LadyJedith, Krelo Rei'ch, Jedi_Daphne, and mouse2. The original thread can be found at theforce.net.

Disclaimer: Qui-gon Jinn, Obi-wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Yoda, Depa Bilaba and the universe they live in belong to George Lucas. They are respectfully borrowed with no intent to profit thereby.


~~~~~~~


Dex remained so still and silent for a while that if it hadn't have been for the pulsing vein in his neck Krelo would have sworn he had died.

"I'm sorry you had to hear it that way." Lilith said in a quieter voice than she usually used. "It's not a nice thing to have to experience, I'm sure."

The taller of the two women stood up. "Krelo, if you need me just give me a wave, huh?" she half smiled, sensing the need for Dex to talk to her friend alone. "I'll be over with the others. Looks like they've got something cooked up."

"Sure, Lil."

The pair of them watched as Lilith sauntered over to rejoin the group; eyes both trained upon her back but their mind ever so much focused on other matters.

Matters that were proving very painful to discuss.

"Like Lilith says, I am very�"

"Sorry?" Dex supplied. "So you've already said. And I appreciate it. Can't have been easy to come to me with this information."

"I didn't want to," Krelo admitted. "But everyone thought it was for the best�"

"Everyone?" Dex said, then inhaled sharply. "And who are they?"

Krelo kept her eyes glued to the floor. "I should think that most of the masters know by now. And maybe some of the padawans. How much I really wouldn't like to say."

"So," Dex persisted doggedly, "I am in fact the last person to know about this whole damned affair."

"Dex, it wasn't like that!" Krelo tried to keep her voice low to avoid people from hearing what she was saying. "We knew how badly this would hurt you! We know you dote on Kryztan. It's only natural; he's your padawan! But Jemmiah was so upset and insisted that it was hushed up�it didn't work out as you can tell."

Dex closed his eyes, wishing the nightmare away, hoping to wake up in another place and time and knowing that he would not. "How do I face her, after what my padawan's done?" he replied with his hands over his face.

"She doesn't hold it against you, Dex. She knows that it was Kryztan and not�"

"When a padawan is at fault it reflects upon the master also." Dex was having none of it.

"You are punishing yourself for something that wasn't your fault. The blame lies with that apprentice of yours and not at your door."

"Krelo, I don't know what to think! I don't know what to do." He almost begged her. "What do I say to everyone, knowing that they've all heard what's happened? How can I even speak to Qui-Gon?"

"Shhh, calm down." She placed a warm hand on his arm. "Everything will work out for the best in the end. You have to believe that."

"And what is the best?" Dex asked bitterly. "Do I keep him on? Try and correct him? Is he even worth trying to help? Will the council let me even if I wanted to?"

Krelo looked at the distress in his eyes and wanted to weep, even though she was not readily given to crying. "They won't hear anything from me," Krelo said firmly.

"They won't have to." Dex stated. "Enough people know. Depa will say something for sure, or Mace�"

"Not unless you want to," she replied. "They'll give you a chance to�"

"Turn him in myself. I know." Berlingside took another long drink, pausing to wipe his lips. "I can't think straight and I don't know what to do."

Krelo nodded, understanding. "Sleep on it, then." She said quietly. "Don't choose now. But there's one thing you MUST do."

"Speak to him." Dex felt almost fearful at the prospect.

"Let him tell you for himself. Judge him before you decide what to do."

Dex rolled the glass between his palms, thinking. "Am I a bad master, do you think?" he asked Krelo.

"No!" Krelo answered. "Don't even consider that."

"But maybe if I had been stricter with him. Like Qui-Gon. He has no problems with Obi-Wan�"

"If you believe that Obi-Wan is the perfect padawan then think again. Everyone has faults. Nobody is flawless. That goes for Qui-Gon himself, not just his apprentice."

"Then maybe I could have spotted sooner what he was like," he said sadly.

"Maybe Qui-Gon was lucky that this time the force chose him a padawan who complemented him so well. Just as you have not been lucky."

"Xanatos," Dex said the word as if it were a curse. "I won't think that Kryztan is like that."

He turned to Krelo earnestly, taking her hand again. "I saw what happened to Qui-Gon when Xanatos turned and I tried my damnedest to help him through it all. I wasn't particularly useful and I watched as he drifted further and further away from all his friends. Shutting everyone out. Taking as many missions away from the temple as he could and each time having to return to an empty life and a wretched existence of self-torment. I understand it, believe me I do. But I won't let myself go down that path, whatever happens. I'm going to help my padawan over this if I can. If I can't, well at least I'll have tried. But the council have got to allow me that chance."

Krelo nodded, expecting nothing else. "You could have a fight on your hands," she spoke finally.

"Have you ever known a Corellian that would shirk a good fight?" he smiled.

Krelo regarded him silently for a moment, wondering if he completely understood the enormity of the struggle ahead of him. "I know that's not something you would ever do." She squeezed his hand. "And that Qui-Gon had a very good friend in you all those years ago, even if he was to upset to appreciate it then."

"Thank you." He smiled.

"What for? Telling the truth?"

"The truth." He shook his head. "If only my padawan had told me that from the start."

He stared her in the face.

"A broken heart can soon be mended." He whispered. "Broken trust is a much more difficult thing to repair."

*******

"Right." Mace stood up. "I am Captain no.1"

"And I am Captain no.2" Lilith followed suite, much to Jemmiah's delight and Qui-Gon's chagrin. "OK, Master Windu. King of the ticklish legs�you can go first."

Mace looked around him. "I pick An-Paj," he said.

"Jemmiah," said Lilith with a wink at Qui-Gon.

"Leona." An-Paj grinned.

"Obi-Wan." Jemmy laughed at her boyfriend.

"Gethin," Leona suggested.

"Meri," Kenobi said at Jemmiah's request.

"Simeon." Healer Territ smoothed back his long hair.

"Spider." Meri chuckled to herself.

"Tanni."

"Letina."

"Master Jinn," the Togorian purred.

"Ha ha! Bad luck, Master!" Obi-Wan laughed. "We're on opposite teams after all!"

"Jay."

"Krelo. Where is she?" Qui-Gon frowned.

"She'll be along in a moment," Lilith supplied.

"Griff."

"I'll chose on behalf of Krelo." Qui-Gon glanced about him. "Depa."

"What a surprise," mumbled Sal-Fina.

"Rela."

"Nope, sorry." Rela waved her hands about. "Not drinking."

"Ok, er�Kylenn!"

"Far."

"Zac." Kylenn chose swiftly.

"Garos."

"Bai."

"Padawan? It's your choice."

"Hmmm?"

"It's your choi�nevermind. Sybelle, come and join our group."

"Master Ashdal."

"Well�I suppose someone has to. Ambianca."

"Dex, are you sitting this one out?"

"I think it's safe to assume that," Lilith muttered. "Keep on."

"Dimallie, then."

"Damn. Sal-Fina."

"Junine." Dimallie didn't have much of a choice.

Jemmiah sat back with an extremely satisfied expression on her face. "It's just the same as with a selection of chocolates," she said wisely.

"How's that?" Obi-Wan asked.

She grinned. "All the nuts are left to the end."

Lilith immediately took charge and organized a small group to shove several tables end to end so that the two teams could face each other as they drank, letting everyone see just who was ahead of whom. When the tables were lined up and the chairs arranged to her liking, Lilith waved everybody to their places and the bartender moved quickly to begin setting out the glasses, which were slopping over with alcoholic libations of a potent nature.

The Corellian knew that she could knock them back without even wincing, after all she�d done this sort of thing frequently in the past, but a few members of each team were going to have trouble just getting their hands on the glasses, let alone quaffing the contents. Lilith fervently wished that she could have drafted Krelo and Dex onto her team. Four Corellians right off the bat would have given them a nice long lead they could use to help out the less steady teammates. The bleached blond amazon sighed with regret. She couldn�t have either of them because poor Dex had chosen his first padawan poorly.

Everyone sat down in the order they were picked and they waited while Meri set up the holocam to record the proceedings, then took her seat. With a last sorrowful look and a squeeze of Dex�s hand, Krelo finally wandered over to take her seat. Lilith and Mace nodded to the big Wookiee standing at the head of the table, indicating their readiness.

With a loud growl, the Wookiee�s large hand slammed down on the table, making the glasses jump. Lilith, expecting it, snatched her first glass right out of the air and tossed the liquor back easily; of course, being stone sober might have helped a bit. Mace, with typical Jedi reflexes, had managed to catch his first glass before it bounced, but the alcohol already in his bloodstream had messed with his coordination and it took him a tad longer than the smuggler to get his drink to his mouth and gulp it down with a wince.

Bang . . . bang . Bang . . .bang .Bang.

Lilith got hers done and Jemmiah took up the race just as Mace was attempting to swallow his last drink, and the race was on in earnest.

Rela sat up at the bar watching the race begin. She missed drinking, but she also knew that she was better off this way.

//Yeah, just keep telling yourself that girl. Maybe someday you�ll believe it,// she told herself sarcastically.

As the race continued Rela reached on the other side of the bar and grabbed a handful of fruit. �Hey Red! This ain�t no buffet!� the bartender shouted.

Rela slowly looked up and gazed evenly at him. �Don�t...ever...call...me...Red. I DON�T like it.�

�Sounds like there�s a story behind that!� someone sitting at the bar shouted.

�I would rather put your cigarra out in my eye than tell you about it.� Rela quipped back.

�Oh! This one�s sassy! I betcha I can tame her!� another patron yelled.

�Sorry Tramm. I think Henny might have something to say about that.� Rela laughed as she went back to munching on the fruit she snagged.

�Oh, Rela it�s only you. Why didn�t you say something?�

�Because I didn�t feel like it, and what do you mean it�s ONLY me?�

�Well we just thought that you were some...Nevermind.� he quickly finished after getting a dirty look from Rela.

�Oh, I feel pretty!� she bit out.

�Don�t take it personally it�s just that...Well you�re Rela. Kinda like one of the guys.�

�Thanks.� she said dryly as she started on a lime.

�Hey! Can you still do that trick?� the bartender asked.

�What trick?�

�The one with the cherry stem.�

�Yeah, that�s a good one!� Tramm shouted.

Rela just nodded and tapped the top of the bar.

�Yes! I�ve got twenty credits here that say you can�t do it in five minutes.�

�You�re on!� Rela agreed. �Any more takers?�

A few more shouts and a pile of credits later, a crowd had formed around Rela. She reached back over the bar and grabbed a cherry and quickly ate it. Holding the cherry stem up in her fingers she glanced around.

�Ready?�

�READY!�

Rela popped the cherry stem in her mouth, and the crowd let up a cheer.

You got five minutes girl!� Tramm shouted.

Three minutes and forty-five seconds later Rela got a worried look on her face.

�HA! You can�t do it!� Tramm laughed.

�No, I�m just worried that you can�t afford to loose.�

With that Rela stuck out her tongue showing everyone the cherry stem tied in a knot.

*******

Dex recalled the past few minutes as if in a dream.

Krelo had ruffled the still gelled back hair gently as she had stood up to take her place with the others. "If you need to talk, you know where I am." She had smiled. "I have to get back to our alcoholic buddies." Then her face became serious again. "Speak to him, Dex. It's only going to prolong the misery if you don't."

Dex had nodded slowly and for the first time since hearing of his padawan's disgrace risked a glance at the boy. He was sitting propping up the bar as if he had not a care in the world, sipping his drink and looking on as the others clowned about, with a feigned indifference�

Berlingside knew him better.

The beating would have hurt, yes, but the shunning would be even more painful. For Kryztan always liked to be the center of attention, the leading attraction in whatever was going on at the time. To be completely ignored by those who knew the truth of the matter would pain him greatly.

And deservedly so.

Even Dex knew that blinded by his love for Kryztan as he was, nothing could repair the damage that had been done tonight. He'd have to speak to Qui-Gon. And both Obi-Wan and Jemmiah.

But first of all there was somebody else to speak to.

Dex approached Kryztan quietly and carefully; taking in the boy's sharp but handsome features as he knocked back yet another glass of brandy. How many was that now? Berlingside had lost count, only he knew that it was a fair few.

"Not joining in the festivities?" Dex said so softly that Kryztan jumped when he realized that his master was standing by his shoulder.

"N-no, master. It's not really my thing."

"Is that so?" Dex listened carefully. "I did wonder why you weren't taking part, if you don't mind my asking, master." Kryztan swirled his brandy round his mouth for a moment. "You might well ask, padawan. I felt I had other things to think about and that the game might�divert me a little."

"Probably for the best." Kryztan said with a grunt. "There's too much hilarity over there."

"You do surprise me. I thought this sort of occasion was exactly what you enjoyed best. You know, a little wine�a little laughter." Dex stared directly at Kryztan. "Women�"

Kryztan paled but said nothing.

"So, have you had a bit of a falling out with anyone. Other than Obi-Wan?" He asked casually, letting the emotion bleed out of his voice.

"No, master. What makes you say that?"

"Then I would be wrong in thinking that you aren't speaking to them?" He indicated the group that was lining up into their groups.

"I don't know what makes you think that master." Kryztan began to grow uncomfortable.

"Or is it that they aren't speaking to you?"

When Kryztan didn't reply, Dex kept right on at him. "Something you want to tell me, Padawan?"

"No, master."

"I see." Dex nodded. "Shall I go and ask Obi-Wan what he thinks about that?"

"Obi-Wan doesn�t know what he's talking about." Kryztan said hotly. "He's just jealous�"

"Of you?" Dex asked. "And why would that be? Because you are younger? Because you're better looking?"

"Yes!" snapped Kryztan.

"Yet he's the one with the pretty girl hanging on his arm, isn't he?" Dex remarked.

"She doesn't belong with him."

"And she certainly doesn't belong with you!" Dex grabbed Kryztan by the arm and marched him out the side exit and into the street, making sure that none of the other Jedi saw them leave. As they got outside, Dex gave the padawan a slight shove.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he shouted.

"I didn't do anything!" Kryztan replied shakily.

"But you would have done, if Lilith and Griff hadn't come by at that moment. Can't you see that what you did was wrong?"

"She's a flirt and a tease. I thought it would be a bit of a joke�I didn't think she'd mind."

"But she DID mind!" Dex turned away. "If you could only hear yourself, Kryztan. What has happened to you? What am I supposed to say to Qui-Gon? You've assaulted the person he's come to regard as his daughter!"

"Qui-Gon doesn't matter!" Kryztan blurted out, suddenly realizing that he was on shaky ground.

"Like Jemmiah didn't matter? Did you even stop to think how she must have felt?"

"Master," Kryztan had never seen the mild mannered Dex so infuriated, "You've been out with hundreds of women before. You're not exactly an angel yourself�"

"But I've never had to drug them!" Dex lowered his voice dangerously. "What you did was evil. There's no two ways about it Kryztan. The Council aren't going to see it in another light either."

"T-the Council?" stammered Kryztan in alarm. "Who's going to tell them?"

Dex couldn't look him in the eye. "I am," he replied finally.

Kryztan appeared utterly frozen with shock.

"I can't let this go." Dex muttered to the pavement. "I've thought about this over and over and I can't come up with a different answer. You're going to have to go before the Council. And unless you give me a good reason to plead your cause you are going to do it alone."

"Master, don't abandon me!" Kryztan was horrified. "Look, I know I was wrong. I've had it beaten into me on two different occasions today. I just couldn't help what I did�"

"Of course you could!" Dex began to get angry. "You should have shown a little self control! If your intention was to win her from Kenobi I'd say you have failed enormously. Do you think she'll even look at you now?"

"I'm sorry!" Kryztan wept. "I don't know�I get these strange notions in my head sometimes. I try to ignore them, really I do. I've been following her everywhere for the last few months. She looks at everyone except for me and it's driving me crazy!"

"That's no excuse!"

"Don't take me before the Council, master. I beg you! They will send me away!"

"I should think they will." Dex agreed coldly. "You deserve no less."

"But what will become of me?"

"Have you ever had a conversation that hasn't revolved around you? Can you imagine the uphill struggle you are going to face if you are allowed to stay on?" Berlingside watched as his padawan wiped away the tears that were falling freely down his bruised face. "If you think this is just a one day protest you can think again! You are going to face that every day until you eventually pass your trials. That's if you are allowed to take them."

"But it's her fault!" Kryztan sobbed. "She's not even a jedi and she lives in the temple! She shouldn't even be there�she's a distraction to so many of the male padawans. Why doesn't the council get rid of her?"

Dex was both worried and angered by the response. Worried because he feared there might be a grain of truth to what his padawan was saying and angered because it was an easy excuse for Kryztan to use to make himself appear in a better light.

"That girl," he said in a trembling voice, "stays at the temple because she is legally the custodial ward of one of the masters in the temple. Jedi or non-Jedi, that's not an excuse. She has ever right to remain within our confines. Frankly Kryztan, this obsession with Jemmiah has become destructive. It's cost you two good friends and countless others who might once have included you as such. It's going to cost you at the very least a probationary period of Sith knows how many years and a black mark against your name that will last all your life. It might very well cost your existence as you know it."

He placed his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Master, I don't want to leave you." Kryztan cried. "You're the only family I have. Don't turn me away!"

"You should have thought of all that before you decided to do what you did." Dex hung his head and groaned.

"I know it was bad! That's why I didn't want Master Jinn to tell you�I didn't want you to know because I knew it would hurt you. That's why I let him hit me."

Dex's head snapped up. "Qui-Gon hit you?" he asked sharply.

"He was going to take me before the Council. But then he said to spare you the pain he wouldn't do it, and he hit me instead."

A dark look filtered over Berlingside's face that wasn't lost on Harkley even in the night sky. "Is that right?" he growled. "Well, I can fight my own battles. I don't need protected from the truth and I do not need Qui-Gon wading in with his fists."

Dex forced himself to calm down, breathing deeply as Kryztan spoke. "I don't want to leave, master. This is the only thing that I know. I'm a good student. I like to work�this is the first time I've ever done anything like this."

"If I find out that you are lying to me," Dex said quietly. "I will pack your bags myself."

He looked at the fair-haired young man. "Dry your eyes," he said abruptly. "I won't abandon you now. Not after all the years I've put into your welfare. But you ARE going before the council. You had just better pray that I can convince them you have some small merit left."

"Thank you, master." Kryztan bowed slightly.

"But you have caused me no end of trouble and pain this day and I do not want to see it repeated. Do you understand? I need you to promise me that if you are allowed to stay on you will stay far away from both Jemmiah and Obi-Wan."

Kryztan exhaled a sigh of relief. "Yes, master."

"Good." Berlingside felt himself breathe again. "Don't ever let me down again, Padawan. Because one day you will meet someone who will cause you as much grief as you have just caused me," he broke off suddenly. "And you will remember this day and realize what it is to hurt."

*******

Krelo watched the progression of drinkers coming down the line and smiled. She was very good at games like this. If only she'd been on Lilith's team. She looked across the table at Griff and saluted him. He was better at drinking than smuggling, even Lil knew that. But nothing beats a Corellian.

The third glass left Tanni's furry hand and Jinn's first was already at his lips. The small shot glass hammered down onto the table, swiping up another one right after that. Qui-Gon's eyes were screwed shut, tears welling out from under the lids as he downed his second. Jay's second glass hit the table just a half second before Jinn's third, but Krelo's drink was already in the back of her throat, the glass hitting the table, with the second one well on it's way. You didn't need the Force to play speed games, just the ability to take liquor the equivalent of liquid fire without flinching. Just up and down. Swallowing was optional.

Her third glass hit home but Griff was only downing his first. Krelo got up from that table and sauntered over to the bar.

"Where're you going," Lilith called after her.

"After Fire Brandy," Krelo thumped her head with a knuckle, "I need a chaser. You want one too?"

Lilith chuckled. She had never realized how much of a lush Krelo really was, but then, after all that had happened to the young Knight, she was entitled to it.

Krelo picked up the two glasses of "Old Jack" the bartender hand just poured and rejoined Dex. She handed him a glass, taking the unoccupied hand in her free one. He sniffed the liquid and sighed. "You never forget, do you?"

"After that night at the Temple Festival? I was retching for the next week. I'd never experience alcohol poisoning before that. How could I possibly forget your favorite brand of whisky? An-Paj just about gave me up for dead."

"You're lucky your master taught you that trick with speeding up you metabolism, otherwise you might not have been able to stomach anything stronger than grape juice after that," he laughed weakly.

Her smile faded just a bit. "Yes, my master. Very wise man." She sighed, eyes clouded over.

Dex gave her hand a little squeeze. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up. I know it must still hurt."

"As much as finding out that your padawan isn't what you thought he was?" Her leaf green eyes hardened. "At least you have a chance to make things better."

Dex pulled Krelo into his arm and hugged her fiercely, she returning the grasp with equal fervor. "I just wish it hadn't been me," he mumbled into her shoulder. "Maybe then I'd have been able to keep my illusions."

*******

"Ben," hissed Jemmy as she whispered into his ear. "What the heck's wrong with Master Jinn?"

"I can't see anything wrong with him." Obi-Wan frowned as he took in the familiar shape of his master, wiping the tears from his eyes.

Those drinks had evidently been a little too strong for his taste. "He seems fine to me."

"If his tunic gets any further open he is going to banned from this cantina!" Jemmiah prompted him to look again.

Obi-Wan stared for a bit at Qui-Gon before deciding that Jemmy was imagining problems that weren't there. The tunic was open a fair amount, he conceded, but plenty of people were not exactly looking their best at this late stage in proceedings. Depa was looking somewhat disheveled. Mace looked unsteady and Fin-Tial was completely wasted�

"He's just relaxing." Kenobi remarked.

"Maybe," Jemmiah agreed, "but what's Sal-Fina's excuse?"

When Obi-Wan turned to Sal-Fina he was fairly horrified to see that she was showing a considerable amount of cleavage.

"We might, just might, have a problem," he admitted.

"The same stuff that we drunk?"

"Sith, I hope not." Obi-Wan blanched at the thought. "We've run out of soap�"

Jemmy aimed a kick at him. "What do we do?"

"Keep an eye on them." Obi-Wan said. "Not much else we can do."

"Fine. You watch Sal-Fina and I'll watch Master Jinn!" Jemmiah grinned turning back to the action.

"No, wait a moment." Junine was saying crossly. "I'm not going at the end."

"Coward!" Meri pointed.

"Someone else can go last!" Junine huffed. "I'm not taking the blame if we lose."

"Look, I'll go last." Zac grinned at her. "That way I get to flirt with the beautiful lady at the end."

Jemmiah looked at him, aghast. "Did watching those strippers damage your eyesight?" she asked in astonishment as Zac swapped with Junine and sat opposite Sal-Fina.

"No." Zac replied, adding out the corner of his mouth, "the view's quite impressive this time, though."

"See, I told you there's something funny going on!" Jemmiah nudged her boyfriend. "Look, Ambianca's at it too!"

"Just don't stare!" Obi-Wan gawked.

"What do you think YOU are doing!" Jemmiah replied. "Anyhow, it�s not as if she has a lot to stare at."

"I know." He grinned. "I'd sooner cast my eyes over you."

[Padawan. Stop staring at the girls!] Qui-Gon chided.

Depa had managed surprisingly well, all things considered and definitely had the edge on Kylenn. The padawan had knocked back the first two drinks at a fair lick but number three had proved to be a little too much too soon.

The good news from Lilith's team was that Biwo was still cold and shaky from the fountain incident, and his trembling hands had fumbled in the effort of getting the glass up to his mouth. As his third glass was waveringly making its way up to his lips, the lugubrious Junine was about to start her second. Inspite of the fact that she didn't really drink, Junine if anything held their advantage before passing over to Bai.

And then passing out on the floor.

Jemmy had waited and waited for this moment. She had her fair share of feminine intuition and she could tell who the weakest link in the teams was. In her opinion, both of them would be reaching for their drinks in just a moment or two.

Bai was not a renowned drinker. He was an astute and quiet person with a tendency to get flustered if things suddenly deviated from how he perceived they should be. The thought of everybody staring at him whilst he tried his hardest to swallow the burning liquid would mostly likely bring him out in a giant rash.

Hmiol didn't drink at all, not as far as Jemmy knew.

If Bai was quiet and astute, Hmiol was downright�dull.

Give the boy his dues, he was certainly trying his best, Jemmy smiled as she watched him wait for his master to slam the third glass down on the surface. He'd come out of his shell a tiny amount during the fantastical events of the evening. Now they'd get to see what he was made of.

Hmiol's face was one of intense concentration as Biwo drained the last of the liquid. And then suddenly there was that blasted Wookiee friend of Jemmiah's growling something from behind him, making the hair on his back stand on end...

"She said she hopes your team will win because you are her favorite. And if you get really drunk she might have to help carry you home!" Jemmiah explained with a leer.

Any residual drunkenness from his hooch-driven exploits had suddenly vanished into thin air and Hmiol sat up like he'd been shocked. It just totally wrecked his concentration. When the glass thumped down he almost missed his cue. And then when he had reached for his glass he all but spilled it over the table surface, amidst the groans of his teammates. It was all working out in favor of Lilith's team.

Like Jemmiah had known it would.

"Gods, it's warm in here." Purred Sal-Fina with a wink in Qui-Gon's direction that Leona did not fail to miss. "Don't you find it warm, Padawan?"

"Yes, master. I suppose it's all the drinking we've been doing," Ambianca replied.

"Or the excitement." Sal-Fina cast another meaningful glance under her eyebrows at her ex-lover.

Ambianca began to get ready for her big moment, but stopped long enough to pull at her tunic top and widen the opening.

"She's doing it again!" Jemmy hissed at Obi-Wan.

"Whoever did this thing had better start running now, coz when my master sobers up enough to catch them�" Kenobi left the threat to hang in the air.

Bai slammed down the last of his drinks and Vernice gulped the first of them down as if she'd been fed on the stuff during her cr�che days. The second one soon followed the same way.

Then Bai rather put everyone off by vomiting through his fingers.

"Pay up, Jodi!" Abran held his hand out to receive his cash. "I said he'd be the next to upchuck."

Sybelle had seemingly taken lessons from Griff in how to down alcohol in one go for although her face seemed to take on an unnaturally dangerous shade of red she was only one glass behind her new opponent, who was:

Dimallie.

"This'll be good." Meri leaned over to Obi-Wan. "Airhead versus Fluff Brain."

"Come on, Dim!" Jemmiah called anxiously. "Remember what the cr�che masters taught you. You put your hand round the glass and then you bring the glass up to your mouth�no, that's your chin! Aim a little higher up! Now tilt your head back�no, wait. Open your mouth first. That's it!"

Dimallie screwed up her eyes and wrinkled her nose as the strong liquor threatened to strip the lining of her throat away.

"Now do the same with the others! Hurry it up, we don't want that booby prize, believe me!"

"Trying�" Dimallie gasped, aware that Ambianca was also struggling.

"Here, most of that went down her neck!" Simeon protested. "That doesn't count!"

"Shut up, Simeon!" growled Meri and Jemmy together.

"Come on, Dim!" Letina encouraged her friend. "You can do it!"

Dimallie picked up the third glass and felt as if the contents were running straight from her mouth to her toes.

Bang! She slammed down the last glass and Zac moved in for the finishing blow.

Ambianca smacked her glass so hard off the table that it cracked.

"I never thought I'd hear the day when I'd actually be shouting for Sal-Fina." Qui-Gon shook his head.

"You shout it." Mace hiccuped gently. "I c-cant even sssssssaaaaaay it!"

Whack! V'Aladee flung the glass down heavily, lightening fast reflexes aiding him in his quest to be victorious over Sal-Fina.

Bang! Sal-Fina's glass went down barely seconds later.

Smack! Zac closed his eyes as he swallowed the potent Corellian drink. He could write a good ode about this night, he was certain�

Clang! Sal-Fina was snapping at his heels.

Zac and Sal-Fina virtually picked up the last glass simultaneously, almost draining the alcohol at the same rate.

Then Zac shouted out: "Hey, Master Falmar, your tunic's open!"

As she bent down in shock, Zac drained the glass of its contents and threw it down triumphantly on the table in front of Mace.

"The winners!" he declared.

"Cheat!" Windu pointed at him.

"How? Can I help it if you have two of the vainest women in the temple on your team?" Zac was being congratulated by Flint and appeared momentarily lost in huge Wookiee arms.

"I hereby declare that Lilith's team is the winner. We will applaud the runners up for their brave but misguided attempt to beat us." Jemmy smirked as she made her announcement. "And the losers don't go away empty handed."

"Sorry?" Mace asked.

Jemmiah stood up, woefully small against the Wookiee's hulking frame. Rubbing her hands in glee, Jemmy turned to Flint. "Hey, pal. Go fetch us the booby prize, would ya?"

*******

Krelo allowed herself to be held for a few more minutes before she finally broke the hug. She never really had been one for public displays of affection. She took another sip of her whisky and winced as it burned a path down her throat. Dex reached out a hand to trace a finger along her jawline.

"You know, you never really told me about what happened. Why?"

"You didn't need to know. No one did."

"Kre, when someone . . . well, does what you did, it usually gets out. But for some reason, the only information that I was privy to is extremely vague and unhelpful." He cupped her chin, lifting it so that he could look her in the eyes. "Can you help dispel some of the more "interesting" of the rumors? You know I won't tell any one."

She plunked he glass on the table and sighed deeply. The pain knot in her belly was growing quickly, making her suddenly want to vomit. She closed her eyes and concentrated on relaxing her body, ignoring all it's demands and impulses, till there was nothing but a blessed null. //Another of your gifts of knowledge, you demented sarlak.// A gentle smile graced her full lips at the memory.

"You must be able to put aside everything that distracts you, anything that may deter you from your mission. Hunger, sleep, thirst . . . those are all secondary to your ultimate goal. You are your own worst enemy. Only -you- can betray you."

//Yah, until you, my dear master, committed the ultimate betrayal.//

"I really don't want to talk about it right now."

"Kre, it needs to be said. You need to get it off your chest. It's eating you up inside. I can feel it, and you're usually one of the ones that I can't read." He took both her hands in his, rubbing the delicate fingers with his thumb. "I know that Master Yoda and Master Jinn know, but why won't you tell me? Please, Kre, for my own piece of mind, let me in."

"It's not important. Just let it go for now."

Dex snorted rudely. "Not important? Krelo, when you have to kill your master, something is definitely wrong and I'm not going to let it go when I care about you."

Lilith bounded up and plunked her hands on Krelo's shoulders. "You lost! Come and claim your prize!"

"Oh really?" Krelo looked up at her tall friend and grinned. "And who was it that finally ended our torment?"

"Zac suckered Sal-Fina and hammered his last one down while she was distracted." She smiled wistfully. "My kinda boy."

Krelo cast a waning smile at Dex and started to scoot her way out of the booth, giving Lilith's hand a squeeze as she stood. "I'd better go see what Jemmy has in store for us then. I'll be back Dexie.

Lilith slid into the booth, her eyes trailing Krelo's back as she joined the rest of the drunken reprobates. "You know, you're going to have to get her really plastered to tell you that story. It's the only way I got it out of her."

Dex stared at her. "She told you?"

"Of course. I'm the one that got her out of that mess. I hauled her butt off Coruscant and away from the teeming hordes of Sith that were hunting her at that time. Don't think that I didn't need or want an explanation of why a Jedi woman is suddenly at the hatch of my ship, banging on it and screaming for me to help her. Dang right, I heard the story." Lilith picked up the glass that Krelo had left, sniffed it gingerly and then downed the contents in one gulp. "Once we hit the hyper barrier, I demanded an explanation." She sighed and slammed the glass on the table with a resounding thunk. "Didn't get it till we reached Corellia."

Dex looked a little green and gulped. Krelo, running from a herd of Sith. It wasn't a pleasant image. "Do you think you could tell me what happened?"

Lilith fixed the handsome master with a sad smile and patted his cheek. "That's none of my business. Don't worry, she'll tell you everything when she's ready, and not any time sooner." With that, the smuggler stood up and walked away, leaving the Jedi Master to his thoughts.

Jemmiah waited patiently until Krelo had returned to her place alongside her teammates.

"HA HA!" Rela clapped at Ambianca's misery. "You lost big time, airhead!"

"We did not lose." Ambianca retorted, struggling to keep her calm. "We were runners up!"

"Or also-rans." Jemmiah gloated as Flint returned from the bar with a mystery object under a cloth cradled carefully in her arms.

Qui-Gon exchanged looks with Mace. "What is it?" Windu mumbled as if facing a torture session.

"I don't know," the tall master shuddered, missing the protection that his short beard had offered, "but knowing Jemmiah it won't be good."

"Jodi!" whispered Jay Abran urgently. "Who's going to be next on the sick list?"

"Fifty credits says�" Mullicar glanced round him like a giant swamp eel stalking its prey, "Junine."

"I'll go with Simeon." Abran smiled at the unwell looking apprentice healer. "Again."

Hmiol watched the Wookiee anxiously, hanging as far back in his seat as he could possibly get away with. The giant being's blue eyes flickered with amusement at the display.

"Grrrrrowwwaaarrrrrarrrrarrrrowwoooooow!" Flint laughed.

"W-what was that?" Hmiol asked.

"She said you can run but you can't hide!" Jemmy grinned her obvious amusement.

"I can't even run!" Hmiol closed his eyes, hoping to wake up in his bed.

Flint placed the object on the table and slowly drew away the cloth, revealing: A very ordinary and somewhat dusty looking bottle.

Qui-Gon breathed a sigh of relief. "Is that it?" he asked.

Jemmiah shoved a fresh glass in the direction of everybody as she began to explain. "Let me tell you a little story," she replied.

"If it's the one about the mamma Gundark and the papa Gundark and the baby Gundark and a bowl of porridge, I've already heard it." Jay smiled.

"Men!" sniffed Jemmiah. "You're all the same."

"They only wear different faces so you can tell 'em apart!" chorused Meri and Rela.

"I can always tell Obi-Wan apart." Jemmy winked. "He's the one in the bandages!"

"Thank you," Kenobi growled.

Jemmiah saw she had everyone's attention and continued with her story. "Many, many years ago on Corellia there was a certain amount of�shall we say, unrest in the way that the planet was governed. The population was split in it's opinion over the right to govern itself by an elected body of people representing the wishes of the common man, or to have a figurehead monarchy like it used to do in the old days. Most people were all for sticking with the democratic process but there were a few who could see the potential advancement and power that a puppet monarchy would give them. And so they tried to bring back the descendants of the last rulers by way of a mini revolt."

"If you'll forgive me for saying this," Jodi scrunched up his freckled face, "your story hasn't been terribly amusing thus far."

"It's not s'posed to be funny." Jemmiah shot back. "This is a relevant history lesson, from your home planet no less!"

"Go on." Griff sounded interested. "What happened?"

"The revolt collapsed and all the ringleaders, including the pretender to the throne were done away with." Jemmiah continued. "It was a small but bloody massacre and a total victory for the forces of democracy. No further uprisings were ever heard of again on the planet. Some of the minor rebels managed to hitch rides out with smugglers and the like. They called it "The Purge of Corellia."

"Sounds delightful." Zac mumbled.

"This bottle," Jemmy pointed at the dark glass, "escaped with one of the rebels who were smuggled out. It's s'posed to be one of the very bottles that the pretender was found with when they took him away."

Everyone stared at the inconspicuous bottle and felt a collective shiver going up and down their spine.

"So?"

"Nobody has dared to open it. The owner of this cantina wanted to sell it as an historical curiosity but everyone feels that it's cursed, and he's too scared to simply throw it away. See," Jemmy bent forwards and said in a hushed voice, "It's said to be haunted."

There was a three-second silence and then Mace interrupted it by slow clapping. "Very good." He spoke sarcastically. "Love the ghost story, Jemmiah. You should spend less time at those drama classes, you know. Almost had me going for a while."

"It's true!" Jemmiah protested.

"Yeah, right. Are you seriously telling me," Mace shook his head, "that everyone thinks that if they touch a drop of this stuff that some spectral apparition is going to haunt them for the rest of their lives? That this pretender to the throne of Corellia is out there right now, searching for the uncorked bottle? The vintage that got away?"

"Mock if you want." Jemmiah said defensively. "It happens to be true. This bottle is directly connected with the purge. The owner has had this sitting in a glass case for more years than he can remember but he wants rid of it because he thinks it brings bad luck. So, I said we'd use it as our prize for the losing team."

"Oh, great!" Simeon looked at An-Paj. "Just what we need. A group haunting! I'll be too afraid to go into the storage cupboards again incase the King of Corellia is sitting in there demanding the return of his favorite tipple."

"What kind of alcohol is it?" Qui-Gon asked dubiously.

"I dunno. Some kind of wine, I think." Jemmy shrugged. "But you won't know until you've tried it."

Krelo exchanged a distinctly unimpressed glance with Vernice. "Well, I suppose if everyone else does then it would be OK," she replied eventually. "But Sith knows what the wine is going to be like after all this time. Quite unpalatable, I should think."

"Give it a go, coward!" Lilith grinned.

"If you're so brave, YOU have a taste!" the knight replied.

"Uh-uh. Your team lost. MY team was brilliant." She placed her arm over Obi-Wan and Jemmy's shoulders. "It's your turn to suffer."

"Something feels wrong about this, Qui." Windu looked unsettled.

"You're just scared," Jemmiah chanted.

"We are not!" Leona said in an unsettling brave voice.

"Yes we are," Gethin muttered beside her.

"Prove it," said Spider. "Take a drink."

"OK, fine," Leona said.

"Are you mad?" Mace asked.

"Perhaps she's right. Maybe you ARE scared," the healer insisted.

"I am NOT scared." Mace glared.

"I'm game." Qui-Gon stepped in. "You see Tangles, ghost stories are exactly that. Just stories. There's nothing there to frighten any of us."

"I'm not scared," Tanni purred.

"I am." Simeon swallowed. "But if everyone else is�"

Hmiol stared in surprise at Cates. If he were going to do it then he'd be darned if he would look bad in comparison. "Me too," he said, holding his throbbing head.

Jemmiah looked round at each person in the vanquished team as one by one they all gave in. They'd swallowed the whole of that purge story no problems. Well, it was partly true� "Flint?" Jemmy grinned. "Would you care to do the honors or shall I?"

"HRRRROWWWWWWAAARR!" Flint remarked with another toothy grin, picking up the bottle and carefully removing the seal.

"Urgh!" An-Paj sniffed as the dark, almost black looking alcohol was poured into the glass before him. "That does NOT smell pleasant."

"Is this drinkable?" Mace peered at the substance that looked more akin to Corelli liquorice than wine. "It looks like it's been fermenting in a sewer for fifty years."

The Wookiee poured a small quantity into each glass, stopping for a short moment by Hmiol. Jemmy noticed that Flint had dutifully poured less into the padawan's glass than anyone else.

"Go on then." Jemmiah grinned. "Cheers, and bottoms up!"

Qui-Gon got the glass half way to his lips before casting a surreptitious look at everyone else who was watching his every move.

"Why are you all staring?" He glared. "Don't wait for me!"

"Let's all do it together," Leona suggested.

"Good idea," Krelo agreed. "That way we can all suffer at the same time."

Rela snickered. "OK. On the count of three and you all take a drink. Ready? One, two�THREE!"

Suddenly motivated by the unexpected show of solidarity amongst the group of Jedi, each member of the losing team took a mouthful of the foul looking drink.

"AARRRGGHHH!" Simeon spat his straight back out, covering Obi-Wan's bandaged arms, "that is revolting!"

Hmiol had wisely only taken a sip. That had been more than enough for him.

"It's pure vinegar!" yelped Leona in disgust after she spat the stuff back in the glass.

"No wonder the wanna-be King died!" Simeon gagged.

"I'm not drinking anymore of this!" Sal-Fina put her hand to her mouth. "You did this on purpose you little Sith-Weasel!"

Jemmiah shook her head. "Look, I'm telling you�"

"Oh, I feel ILL!" Sybelle groaned.

"The story about the bottle is true!" Jemmy finished.

"That was one hell of a booby prize." Mace moaned outloud, catching the smug looks on the winning team opposite.

"I've died and gone to hell." Gethin closed his eyes.

Qui-Gon made straight for the decanter of water that was lying nearby.

"Hey, Jemmy," Obi-Wan whispered in her ear. "Was that story true?"

"Well�" Jemmiah tried to hide the satisfied smirk at the corners of her face. "Up to a point."

"What point?" he sighed.

"The bottle story is true. The owner does have it but he keeps it locked away in his cellar. The one in the cabinet is for display only. Every now and again he dares the foolhardy to risk drinking the contents and once they have he simply gets out another bottle from his supplies and replaces the empty one in the case."

"Replaces?" Obi-Wan frowned. "What with?"

"Cheap Corelli Liquorina. It's distilled from liquorice, which explains the black color, and mixed with fermented prune juice."

Kenobi's eyes widened. "Please tell me you are joking!" he begged with a muted laugh.

"Fraid not." Jemmiah lowered her long eyelashes and confided, "Why do you think it was called the purge of Corellia?"

"I never want to drink anything like that ever again," Mace growled.

Qui-Gon's innards burned ominously. "Carry on like this and you won't get the chance," he gasped as Dex approached him from the direction of the bar.

"Qui-Gon, can I have a word?" he asked coolly.

Jinn opened his mouth to reply and then suddenly felt that there was something else he had to go do more urgently. "Later, Dex. Much later!" he said as he dashed towards the fresher.

Rela walked up to Leona. "You wanna see my trick with the cherry stems?" she asked. She was answered by a swarm of dark robes all pushing past her and stampeding in the same direction that Qui-Gon had gone. Rela watched the dust settle and sighed. "I'll take that as a no." she said.

Robes fluttered as their occupants ran towards the freshers, elbowing their friends aside in their urgency.

Krelo kicked her feet up onto the table and took another sip, rolling it around in her mouth, getting a real feel for the liquor.

"Hmmmm . . . not all that bad. Not good mind you. Tastes a bit like speeder fuel, truthfully." She downed the contents of her glass. Jemmy, Lilith, and a few others watching her in utter disgust. Mace looked on in horror as she picked up the bottle and took a good long smell of it. She smiled and poured herself another glass, causing a few of the onlookers to hastily cover their mouths and join the lines at the freshers. She looked around her. "What? What's wrong?"

Lilith looked like she was about to be violently sick. "Kre, you're disgusting."

"Nah. My mother used to tell me that I had a poly-tanium stomach. I could live off of bugs and sewer water and be perfectly happy." She took another sip. "She also said that I has no sense of taste." She grinned at her friend. "So, what's next on the itinerary?"

"I suggest we retire to the bar and toast our victory with something more palatable while we wait for the other half of our troupe to deal with their loss," Lilith said with satisfaction, corking the dark bottle. "Come on Kre," the large blonde's head tilting once toward the rather somber-faced Corellian Master.

In an instant Dex was being escorted to the bar, sandwiched between the two Amazonian women.

Perching herself on Obi-Wan's lap, Jemmiah nuzzled his neck in teasing fashion, taking an occasional playful nip as he tried unsuccessfully to defend himself.

"Do you mind if I keep this?" a voice interrupted their solitary game. Turning, Jemmiah was surprised to see the Master Healer standing at the table, the dusky bottle of wine in hand.

"Don't tell me you want more too?" the young Corellian asked with a distasteful glare.

"Oh no." An-Paj chuckled. "My physiology may grant me a certain tolerance to a small amount of this potent spirit but I may have future use for this."

She shrugged indifferently as the blue-toned healer situated the bottle into a snug pocket in the folds of his robe.

"Must be thinking of its medical qualities." Obi-Wan told his girlfriend knowingly.

"That too" An-Paj stated, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "what I can really use it for is to ferret out the vrelt that's indulging rather liberally in the infirmary's medicinal alcohol."