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.


~~~~~~~


"That was somewhat awful." Qui-Gon used his Jedi powers to stop his stomach from ridding itself of the foul liquid he had just partaken of.

"Ohhhh, she's done it this time!" Mace winced as his intestines began to gargle ominously; hand clutching at the basin attached to the wall. "I hope you're not going to let her get away with this!"

"I can't exactly say anything to her, when she knows about that�incident."

"What incident?" Mace moaned.

"The sports day incident, you know, with Obi-Wan and the�"

"Laxatives," Windu managed a small grin.

"This is probably her idea of revenge," Qui-Gon replied, feeling decidedly queasy.

Simeon stood by the basin, rinsing his mouth out with water to take away the taste although had a feeling that it was more likely that his teeth would drop out through exposure to that stuff�

"You okay, Cates?" Windu asked, a hand clutched to his middle.

"I'm fine." Simeon nodded. "I spat mine out. Nothing wrong with me that a bucket of mouthwash won't cure in time. I can't see any girls wanting to run up and kiss me though."

"Can't see that happening anyway," Tanni growled, his tongue lolling out an unhealthy black color.

"Thanks, pal! Next time you're suffering from parasitic hair loss just let me know and�"

The large Togorian offered him a gentle swat with his paw, which Simeon ducked at the last moment.

Dex waited patiently by the open doorway as Simeon, Tanni, Gethin, Biwo and Hmiol slithered out the fresher room, feeling as if their distended stomachs had completely swallowed up their legs.

"What's this? A mass evacuation?" He smiled thinly.

"Will you choose your words more carefully," Mace groaned before heading back to the bar. He turned round to rally the flagging group of Jedi. "C'mon guys," he said unenthusiastically, "let's party."

The doors slid shut with a gentle whooshing sound, leaving Qui-Gon and Dex together.

"Not with Krelo?" asked Qui-Gon carefully.

"I managed to escape for a moment." Berlingside leaned heavily against the wall.

"Don't tell me you've broken up already." Jinn tutted. "That would be a new record. Even for you."

"That's not what I meant." Dex suddenly felt rather smothered and confined in his tunic top and tried to widen the neck a little. "They seem to be determined to mother me. Everyone does."

"Who is everyone?"

"Well, Krelo for starters. And Lilith Demodae."

Qui-Gon snorted.

"You don't care much for Lilith, do you?" Dex remarked observantly. "Why is that?"

"I wouldn't say that," Jinn denied the allegation, "It's just that she seems to think that she knows what's best for Jemmiah. I spent the best part of a year raising that girl and the following five years looking out for her welfare. I do not intend to see all that time and effort thrown away on�"

"A smuggler," Dex stated.

"Partly. But Lilith is hardly an ideal role model. What gives her the right to inflict her ideas on other people�"

"Precisely." Dex agreed. "No right at all. Just like you had no right to inflict your punishment on my padawan."

For one of the few times in his life, Qui-Gon was genuinely stunned.

"Did you think I wouldn't find out?" Dex folded his arms.

"He deserved it," Qui-Gon said bleakly.

"That wasn't for you to say!" Dex snapped. "Who gave you the right to decide what I shouldn't be told?"

"I did it because I knew the effect this would have on you," the tall Jedi answered his friend. "Dex, betrayal hurts. I know how it feels and it's not pleasant. I didn't want you to go through all that."

"You HIT my padawan," Dex repeated.

"He was lucky that was all he got." Qui-Gon began to feel annoyed. "Try stepping into my boots. How would you feel if our roles were reversed? Would you like it then?"

Dex considered the statement in silence, watching as Qui-Gon tried to defend himself. "There's so much I could have done to your padawan. SHOULD have done, but in the end I decided that I would give him the benefit of the doubt. I told him I would be watching him, making sure he stayed well away from her. I could have had him taken before the council and should this incident ever get back to them they are going to demand an explanation as to why I didn't inform them. Keeping information like this a secret is as bad as giving a padawan a chastising beating."

"You had no authority to hit him." Dex mumbled. "I should have been the one to administer punishment. But you never said."

Qui-Gon held up his hands. "If my behavior is so reprehensible to you then I do apologize," Jinn responded. "But please accept that the intentions behind it all were good and meant for the best."

"I accept your apology," Dex replied. "Now, it seems that I need you to accept mine."

"Yours?"

Berlingside finally allowed himself to make eye contact with his friend and when he did he knew that it was a wretched and guilty face he displayed to Qui-Gon. "My padawan�" Dex stammered slightly, "I have to apologize for what he did."

"It's not your fault," Qui-Gon said in a mild rebuke. "The blame lies with Kryztan only."

"But he IS my padawan," Dex gulped. "I should bear the brunt of the blame. I raised him. Taught him everything I know�"

"But not that." Qui-Gon said in a sad tone. "We can only train our padawans to the best of our ability. We can't make them follow the code. If they chose to deviate from the light path, or err deliberately then there is little we can do except hope that we can somehow rectify their behavior."

"So you think there is hope?" Dex asked.

Qui-Gon looked confused. "Hope for what?"

"I�I am taking him before the Council." Dex hung his head. "I feel like I am betraying him."

"He's betrayed himself," Jinn replied. "That's a lesson it took me many, many hard years to learn. If it weren't for the support of my friends I might still be learning it now."

Dex sighed.

"I've done some stupid things in my time, Qui. Things I'll never forgive myself for. But this�" he broke off dazedly, "I still find it hard to believe that he would do this. I know, you're busy telling yourself that I'm a fool for wanting to think the best in him still, after what has happened. But he's my padawan. I can't turn my back on him."

"Dex�"Qui-Gon shook his head.

"He might not be worth it. But I need to give myself that one more chance. The council will decide his fate and I will go along with whatever they decide."

"It might not turn out the way you would wish it," Qui-Gon said softly.

"I know."

Dex stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment. "I used to be young like Kryztan, once," he said.

"We all were," Qui-Gon grumbled. "But we never did anything as bad as he has done. We're not talking about some minor misdemeanor; we are talking about a serious assault. And I would tell you of the things he said to Jemmiah but I feel that were you to know you might not be so keen to champion his cause before the council."

"Could I have prevented this?" Dex wondered. "I knew about his feelings for Jemmiah. I didn't think he'd take it this far. I almost encouraged him. I taught him to feel he shouldn't think himself inferior to anyone else. A little competition, like when we were kids."

He turned back to Qui-Gon. "You're wondering, aren't you? Wondering how I can justify protecting someone who tried to do what he did to a sixteen year old girl?" Dex shook his head. "I don't know the answer. I just want back the boy I once knew. He's still there, somewhere. And I'll fight tooth and nail to find him. A true friend would support me on this�"

Qui-Gon saw a mixture of desperation and hope in Dex's eyes. "What he did disgusts me, even now," he replied levelly.

"I see." Dex nodded, disappointed.

"What you are attempting to do fills me with admiration. I wish you all the luck in the world, my friend." Qui-Gon pulled Dex into a quick embrace. "I will not cease to be your friend because your padawan his transgressed the rules."

He offered a smile to Dex, who surprisingly seemed rather moved by the unusually open display of emotion from his friend. "Now go out there and allow yourself to be mothered by those two overly Corellian females propping up the bar."

Dex tugged subconsciously at his tunic again, and actually managed a laugh. "I'd save you the tall blonde one but I think Sal-Fina has put you off women of that description."

"There's certainly no mistaking Sal-Fina for Captain Demodae," Qui-Gon retorted. "Although both are quite capable of frying you with a look from their eyes. No, I prefer something a little more�"

"Short?" Dex finished.

"Comforting," replied Qui-Gon. "Now, scram!"

Dex let his grin fade to a smile, but a sincere one all the same. "Thank you," he said simply.

*******

Sybelle exited the fresher and carefully made her way over to where her amused and almost-sympathetic boyfriend was lounging. Kylenn, who was feeling woozy again, was seated next to him and Dimallie flanked her, head down, on the right trying desperately to keep the room spinning in only one direction. Sybelle sat down next to Griff and leaned up against his shoulder. Dimallie lifted her head, blinked a few times and groaned. "Uuuugh, why did I agree to do something this stupid?"

"Admit it. You came along because you knew Simeon was going," Kylenn wearily quipped.

"Sorta like how you did this because of Jay?" Sybelle and Imri exchanged guilty-as-charged looks and giggled. Ignoring them, the healer apprentice continued, "I could be at the temple right now curled up with a trashy holo-book and a cup of hot tea...even changing Quirida-Xac's sheets would be preferable."

Sybelle responded, "What are you complaining about? At least you were spared the horror of drinking the haunted prune-juice of death! You're just going to feel lousy for one night. I'll probably wake up tomorrow only to discover my skin has permanently turned green."

"I don't think that's so bad," the smuggler grinned, "I think you'll look good in green; it brings out the red highlights in your eyes."

"Careful, Cupcake, or else I'll puke 'highlights' all over your tunic!"

Rendar spotted a few of the guys headed towards the back of the cantina. Not one to pass up an opportunity to win some money he hastily got up from the table. "You just sit here and rest up for a bit. I'm going to hook up with some the others for a few rounds of cards, alright?" He pecked his girlfriend on the cheek and zigzagged his way around the tables to one of the darker corners of the room. Zac was talking to the leader of a seated group of gamblers with Jodi, Gethin and now Griff standing behind. Sybelle could see him gesture to his friends, as the grizzled leader looked them over. Zac then pulled out a pouch obviously filled with credits. The leader quickly nodded and motioned for his cohorts to move over and let Griff and the Jedi sit down.

Sybelle shook her head and grumbled. "It seems like the only way to keep his attention would be to dress up like a giant credit chip." She turned back around and saw a trio of shotglasses spinning in midair in front of her friend. "Ky, what are you doing?"

"I still feel pretty lousy, although I can't match up with poor Dimallie." The healer was now passed out again with her face buried in her arms. "I'm trying a concentration exercise to try to clear my head a little. The idea is to get perfect juggling pattern going with some small objects and maintain it while there are distractions going on around you. Master Yaddle would have me do this, seemingly for hours, when I was first apprenticed. You want to try?"

"No thanks. My control over the Force is a little wobbly at present. Knowing me I'll just end up breaking a window."

*******

Garos had exited the fresher with the others but hadn't made it very far. He stood hunched over against the wall a couple meters down from the door still trying to regain his balance and get the thick taste out of his mouth. He slowly looked up at Jemmiah and her crowd along with some of the regular pub patrons cheering on an earnest arm-wrestling match between Tanni and Spider with Rela serving as referee. Flint glanced up and, making eye contact with her precious buttercup, winked and blew Hmiol a kiss. Feeling sick all over again he ran back into the fresher.

*******

"GO-GO-GO!! C'mon, Spider! You can win this one!" Jemmiah gleefully yelled as the two combatants struggled to get the advantage. The match had held even for several minutes but it appeared Spider was beginning to tire while Tanni had barely broken a glisten on his fur.

"Don't let me down, Tanni!" Simeon cheered from the other side of the "ring." "I've got 100 credits riding on this one and I'm not loosing to a Wookiee!"

"HHWWRRooorrrooWWRRGGH!!"

"What'd she say?"

"She says not to worry. If you lose, she'll give you a biiiiiiig consolation hug to make you feel all better." Cates blanched.

"Hey, don't turn up your nose, " Jay teased, "Flint's the best offer you've had all night!"

Rela chimed in, "Flint's the best offer he's had his entire life!"

"I thought her heart belonged to Dull-boy?"

"Hggrorrrggghggher!" Simeon looked to Jemmiah for a translation.

"She says, she's more than enough woman for everyone!"

The battle continued and credits changed back and forth between hands. Spider had regained some ground and at one point looked like she could win, but fell back again and nearly was at the point of being pinned. Tanni, now with a full sheen of sweat on his coat, had broken a confident grin while his opponent was gritting her teeth in a last-ditch effort to pull out a miracle win. The spectators leaned forward in anticipation...

"And...and...it's..."

A fist slammed down on the table.

"...TANNI!" Spider collapsed in defeat as cheers went up and the Togorian received congratulatory hugs and slaps on the back. He exchanged a salutary high-five with Spider for being a worthy opponent and both got up to let the next contenders have a go.

"Are you sure you don't want to try for a match, Obi-Wan?" Simeon grinned as Kenobi shot him a dark glance.

"You've always said you could beat me with both arms tied behind your back..." Ben kicked out and tried to boot Cates in the shin. Simeon jumped back, just barely avoiding Kenobi's foot. He laughed as he waved off to the others and headed towards the table to join Sybelle, Kylenn and the unconscious Dimallie.

"I'm exhausted," Spider moaned, rubbing her aching arm. "Never wrestling with a Togorian again, that's for damn sure."

"You did well." Jemmy patted her consolingly on the back.

"We could do with some music in here!" Rela tutted, trying to ignore the stares and nudges and whistles of some of the gamblers in the far corners of the cantina that were aimed in her direction.

"You sticking with that hand, Suul?" asked one of the humans in the midst of a game of pandella.

"Hmm?" The young man asked, bringing his attention back to the game.

"I asked if you were sticking with that hand. Sheesh, I don't know what's up with you, kid. You're not concentrating."

"I don't normally frequent these types of places."

"Garbage. I know what you're like." The older man, with a days worth of beard showing on his chin observed his young companion. "You're a chip off the old block�"

"Don't keep saying that. If I've heard it once I've heard it a thousand times. I am NOTHING like him, got that�oh, she's nice!"

The twenty something year old raised his eyes to the robust looking blonde sitting in the corner. "See? Told you. Just like your�"

"Shut it Welks, I don't want to hear it."

"Oh, come on." Welks examined his hand of cards as if they were somehow miraculously going to change by the power of thought. "You've done nothing but ogle the women in here since you came in."

"That is an outrageous and scandalous lie." Suul smiled. "Does she look like she's alone to you?"

"If she is, she won't be for long." Welks muttered. "This place is a market for flesh of all kinds at this time of night."

"Yeah?" Suul flashed a boyish lop sided smile. "I'm almost glad I let you talk me into this now. And I'm sticking with my hand."

"You don't want to change your mind?"

"Nope. Once a Corellian's set on something they usually never back down. Pay up, Welks."

"You haven't even seen my hand."

"I can tell by the way your bleating like a Nerf at a slaughterhouse that you've lost. Pay up."

Welks dug into his pocket. "Don't suppose you'd take my note?"

"Whoever heard of a Corellian accepting a note of credit from a gambler? I'd get laughed out the system!" Suul felt his smile widen cockily as the credits were duly distributed into the palm of his hand.

"You're mother would be ashamed of you."

"Well, she ain't here." The young man grinned. "Another game?"

"Why not. I haven't got anything to lose. Literally."

Welks looked from Suul to the new object of his affection, the little red headed lady who was arguing with a tall Wookiee as to what music to play over the system.

"Not bad." Suul leaned on his hand, watching. "A bit small for my taste. Still, good things always come in small packages. Lively though. Have to be a bit careful."

"Given up on the previous one?"

"Ahhh, life's too short. Plenty more fish in the sea."

"You're a rogue." Welks started to deal the cards.

"But loveable."

Suul stared at the party of men, women and youngsters in the long brown robes. "Is there some kind of religious ceremony going on and we weren't told? Coz if it is I think they've picked the wrong place."

"They're Jedi, as you well know."

"Not all of them." Suul let his eye dwell on the tall frame of Captain Demodae. "That's a smuggler if ever I saw one. Corellian too, by the look of things."

"Getting home sick?" Welks asked, before adding; "I'll take another card."

"Maybe." Suul shrugged.

"Missing mama?"

"Shut up about my mother. Can I help it if she's a control freak? Made my food, tidied up after me. Picked out my clothes for more years than I care to admit." He stopped to examine his hand. "I'd still be wearing socks up to my knees if she had her way."

"Picked you out a nice looking wife?" Welks chuckled.

Suul shook his head in annoyance.

"That's not funny. It's not as if she hasn't tried either. I want some kind of life before I ever get hitched. But she's determined to make me settle down with some suitably well bred Corellian lady."

"Oh, she's done the "Must be Corellian" routine, has she?" Welks grinned.

"Too right. One of these days I'm just going to turn up with a girl on my arm and introduce her as my wife. That'll take the smile off her face."

Welks watched the petite figure of Rela Quinn as she managed to persuade the Wookiee to come round to her choice of dance music. "Not this one, then?"

"Hmm. No, I don't think so."

"What about the one with the wild hair?"

"Are you kidding? Have you seen that tattoo on her shoulder? I'd be afraid to get into bed!"

"Then how about�"

"Hold your fire Welks, I've seen the one you were about to mention."

Suul sat and watched as the girl cruelly tried to tickle the poor young man she was sitting upon. With his bandaged arms he didn't seem to have much of a chance of escaping her onslaught. Then again, he didn't look too unhappy.

"Bet I can get her to dance with me," Suul mumbled.

"Bet you can't!"

"How much?" The young man's eyes lit up.

"You are wasting your time. She looks rather, er�attached."

"Perhaps." Suul admitted. "Still, I'll take that bet."

Welks laughed openly. "You are out of your depth!"

"She's the prettiest girl in here."

"True," the older man conceded. "But in a bar full of unapproachable Jedi, one backstreet floozy, an elderly female Twi'lek, Legless Molly, the little red-haired creature and the scrap metal dealers nightmare there isn't much of a contest."

"I like the redhead," Suul protested. "So what if you need a magnifying glass to find her. I like a challenge!"

"Prizing this one away from her Jedi boy will prove more of a challenge, though. Isn't that what you were thinking?"

"Absolutely."

The hammering beat of the music suddenly cut in and caused one or two of the Jedi to clutch convulsively at their skulls. "Amateur drinkers, the lot of them." Suul knocked back his glass of whisky and continued to watch and wait.

*******

"I dare you." Jay replied with a tone that suggested the smugness he was feeling.

"No."

"You won't be able to."

"I could if I wanted�" Simeon protested.

"Rubbish," proclaimed Zac.

"I COULD!" Simeon repeated. "I just don't think it's very gentlemanly of us to wager in such a way. But there's something else. Haven't you noticed how unsettled the locals are? After those arm wrestling bouts they're after blood!"

"Simeon, when will you learn?" Abran put on his best friendly lecturing voice. "If you want something in this life you have to make it happen. You don't sit back and hope that it will come to you. Now, if you want the blonde in the corner then you have to go up to her and ask her to dance."

"She looks as if she's been stood up," Jodi commented.

"There speaks the voice of experience," Zac replied.

"She looks fed up to me!" Simeon gulped nervously.

"You won't do it, will you? You are such a coward!" Jay baited his fellow padawan.

Simeon shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "How much?"

"I bet you 30 credits that you won't ask her out. And if you do and you succeed then I'll add a further 100 credits on to what I owe you. I can't say fairer than that."

"And what about you?" Obi-Wan approached from behind with Jemmy by his side. "What's in it for Simeon?"

Cates looked round the room. "I bet he won't get that one to dance with him�that one over there by the table near the wall," he grinned.

"Deal!� Abran shook his hand.

"What about you, Obi?" Jodi winked. "Who are you going to ask?"

"I'm not asking anyone." Kenobi nodded at his arms.

"Don't let that stop you!" Zac responded. "That's y our bet for the evening. You have to ask any of the ladies in the cantina outwith our party for a dance."

"I don't know." Obi-Wan looked uncertainly at Jemmy.

"Oh, go on!" She smiled. "I don't mind. There's not much in the way of rivals in here, so I think I'm quite safe."

Simeon took a long, long swig of his ale and then straightened up his tunic top. "Wish me luck," he said nervously before striding purposefully across the room.

"That's you lost 30 credits already, Jay." Zac smirked.

"I didn't think he'd have the guts," Abran admitted. "I'm impressed. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating."

*******

Simeon hovered anxiously for a moment by the big blonde's booth by the far wall, not at all certain how best to proceed. "E-excuse me." He felt his hands shake slightly.

The blonde began to turn to him, eyeing him incredulously. "If you're trying to convert me then you're wasting your time."

"Eh? No, that's not it.." Simeon swallowed, hoping he didn't appear as scared as he felt. "It's just that I wondered if you'd like to dance?"

"You're the fifth one whose tried to pick me up this evening," growled the blonde woman. "Why don't you leave me alone?"

Simeon looked startled. "No, I'm not like that. Really."

"Sure." She sniffed.

"It's just that you looked kinda sad and I wondered if you wanted a dance, nothing else. I wouldn't try anything. I'm a Jedi." He said, trying not to think of Kryztan whilst he said the words.

The woman looked faintly astonished. "I didn't think Jedi drank in cantinas," she stated.

"Oh, yes!" Simeon breathed. "Well, some of us. The padawans at any rate."

"Padawhats?"

"We're the guys who look like we've lost an argument with a particularly sharp and dangerous razor," Simeon explained.

The blonde girl looked intrigued. "Well, one dance wouldn't hurt I s'pose. But that's it!" she warned as she stood up and made her way to the floor at the back.

Abran's mouth dropped open.

"You lost!" Obi-Wan said in delight as Simeon made a discreet thumbs up sign.

"Darn it," Jay cursed. "That means I have to chat up that one over there."

Closing his eyes, Abran moved himself towards the lady sitting by the table. He got as close as he could without wanting to intimidate her but near enough so that the old Abran charm could work at its best. She was a fair bit older than he normally went for.

What the heck.

"Excuse me." Jay coughed, only to be met by two mutinous looking grey eyes.

"What is it sonny?" growled the middle aged woman.

"Would you like to dance with me?" He let his shining white teeth flash at her.

The distrusting eyes turned rapidly to fury. "Is that some kind of sick joke, you sorry looking vrelts ass?" hissed the woman, throwing back the table to reveal�

Two leg stumps.

Sith! He hadn't noticed the repulsar chair she was sat on�

"I can crouch down, if that's any help." Jay leaned over to look at the space where the missing limbs should have been. "Don't let it bother you, I really like short women�"

That was the last thing Jay remembered before hitting the floor.

*******

"Whoops!" Obi-Wan remarked. "That appears to have gone down well."

"So does Jay." Jemmy remarked dryly. "Anyhow, it's your turn now."

"Pardon?"

"You. Pick a woman to dance with not amongst our group."

Obi-Wan stared helplessly around him. "Do I have to?" he wheedled.

"Yup!" Jemmy smiled. "What's wrong with the Twi'lek?"

"She's about three hundred! That sort of age difference is insurmountable!"

"Oh, go on!" Jemmy prompted. "One dance! To collect your bet with Jay�"

Obi-Wan groaned and forced his legs to take him towards the Twi'lek. As soon as he left her he noticed that a tall young Corellian looking individual was out of his seat and over by his girlfriend's side.

Talk about vultures!

"Er�" Obi-Wan began.

"Yes I do! Let's dance!" The Twi'lek said in broken basic, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him onto the dance floor.

"I'm not sure that this is such a good idea," Kenobi began.

"Dance, please!" The Twi'lek grinned, revealing to Obi-Wan a set of very yellow teeth with several missing spaces. She began to twirl round and round with perhaps not the same grace as she might once have had in her younger days and at one point Obi-Wan could swear he heard her back crack.

It was only when she started doing rather suggestive things with her brain tails that Obi-Wan began to feel alarmed.

*******

Jemmiah watched as Simeon made his way back to the bar in triumph, stopping to collect his winnings from a dazed Jay.

"Your boyfriend seems to be enjoying himself."

"Not as much as she is." Jemmy grinned. "The locals don't seem to mind a bit of strife either!"

"Don't worry about them." He replied. "They are a bit rough it's true. They just like to bet on things. Fights included." He stuck his hand out. "Name's Suul."

"You have a first name?" Jemmiah asked.

"Call me�Jo."

"Uh-huh." Jemmy took that in. "And what brings you over here?"

"To learn your name."

Both Corellians tried to take the measure of the other but got nowhere fast. "Jemmiah," she introduced herself.

"Well, Jemmiah." Jonas smiled lopsidedly for her benefit. "Something tells me we're going to become good friends�"

*******

"Master Yoda, I've been thinking." Alex remarked. "I really don't want to judge this�"

"A coward I did not think you," Yoda replied sagely.

"But there's only three people here! You, me and Padawan Leishu!"

"A problem I do not see," Yoda answered. "Win you will not. Judge you shall."

"Yes, no offence to either of you two." Padawan Leishu stepped forward. "But I could have been out on this crawl whatsit with Meri and Jem. I stayed to give some support to this event."

Sula looked round, eyes taking in the empty chairs just as Yoda had not an hour earlier and promptly wished that she had let Meri persuade her. The atmosphere was as dead as a frozen Tauntaun�

"And I'm sure it does you great credit," Alex stared at the black haired young lady, "only I think the event is in danger of becoming farcical with only two competitors."

"It already IS farcical." Sula sighed. "But for the sake of form I think we ought to continue. Show them that we don't need vast crowds to enjoy ourselves. Even if we are lying," she added.

Alex felt the gazes of both Padawan Leishu and Master Yoda fall upon him and held his hands up in resignation. "Fine!" he said disbelievingly. "If you want to go on with this hopeless charade then by all means do it. I just can't see the point, that's all."

"Master Yoda, do you wish to go first?" Sula asked.

Yoda declined politely with a shake of the head. "First you may go. Learn something of the competition I face, hmm?" he chuckled.

Sula shrugged and walked towards the makeshift stage.

*******

"OK," the young padawan said to himself as he strained his Jedi enhanced vision to the limits, "I know it's here�"

The temple gardens at night was not a place that nine year old Olrin particularly wanted to be and yet here he was, away from the watchful eyes of his master, prowling about like a common criminal. This sort of escapade would have been more in Toms' line. He missed the cheeky Corellian boy very much and could only hope that someone would pick him soon as a padawan so that he could see him some more. But Toms was still an initiate and he was�

Prowling round the gardens at an hour the Gods wouldn't stay up for.

He wasn't clumsy or careless although he knew many padawans who were. He worked hard to please his master. Too hard, in fact.

That was the problem.

In his eagerness to show himself capable of a task Olrin, or Rin as he preferred, sometimes got carried away and did not perform the tasks quite as he should have done. This was one such occasion. Knight Trista had drawn his attention away from what he was doing, telling him to put away the fork and hand trowels.

Guess who had mislaid the trowels.

A gardener, one possessing the force or otherwise, never treated tools as if they were just "things" or mere objects. They were an extension of him or herself, like a hand or a foot. That's what the master always told him.

All the time.

It was "scrape that mud off, Olrin," or "We don't want rust on the handle, clean it properly, Olrin," or "that hoe is not to be used as a lightsabre, Olrin! You'll have someone's eye out with that!"

Olrin had looked round. There was nobody in sight. "Only if their eyes were on stalks master, and stretched half way round Coruscant," he had said.

"Don't be cheeky," the padawan had been warned.

Another time, his master had said something even more stupid. "People and rakes have a lot in common, Olrin."

"How is that, Master?"

"If you leave them idle they just sit gathering moss."

"But I thought rakes were supposed to gather moss."

Pause.

"Clean that hoe properly, Padawan. And stop answering back," his master had mumbled.

Well, now he was going to get it BIG time if he couldn't locate those tools he'd laid out on the lawn earlier this morning. His dark eyes scanned the area. He recognized the tree. Yes, he remembered that one very well because he'd disturbed one of the older padawans in the middle of a passionate clinch with a young lady.

"Close your eyes, Olrin," his master had said, before sending the guilty looking pair away with a stern rebuke about misuse of the temple gardens.

Rin considered himself to be a pleasant, quiet sort of boy. He didn't look for trouble in any shape or form. Could he help it if it had decided to look for him?

The tree, complete with scuffmarks on the grass underneath it, had been the last place he remembered leaving the trowel. Who said that being a temple gardener was the cushiest job going? Some of the more invasive weeds were a nightmare to get rid of. And to be honest, the thought of killing any living thing purely because it didn't fit in didn't sit well with him.

"Surely the weeds have a right to life too, Master?" Olrin's eyes had questioned.

"Well�if they make their homes in the temple gardens then they're fair game as far as I'm concerned," his master replied.

"But the plants are OK?"

"Of course!"

"But weeds are just plants that grow where you don't want them."

"Correct."

Silence.

"There was a massacre on Talmar last week."

"I heard about that."

"The innocent protesters were killed because they were where the government didn't want them. And that's not right."

"Olrin?"

"Yes, Master?"

"Shovel that manure."

The tools must be somewhere around here, he thought desperately as he tried to focus. Where could they be? He shuffled in the dark, pulling the robe tighter around him even though it wasn't particularly cold. Mind you, ever since he had been subjected to that ghastly padawan haircut it had felt so cool and light that he wondered initially if his head would float away�

Wait a moment. He distinctly remembered the smell of that lilac bush.

Searching now on his hands and knees, Rin thought of Toms once again. Yes, he did miss all the joking and clowning around. But he brightened at the thought of not missing that awful Isadora creature�

Suddenly his hand came into contact with the missing trowels.

Success!

He wiped them carefully on the edge of his robe and prepared to sneak them back in his pockets. He couldn't lock them away now; he'd have to hope that when he was sent to fetch them in the morning he could make it look like he'd put them away in the first place. His master would be soooooo unhappy if he found out that�

"OLRIN!"

Rin whipped round as if he'd been stung. "What do you think you are doing out here at this time of night."

Olrin thought quickly. "Checking for weeds, Master?" he said hopefully.

*******

Had anyone been present in the temple gardens other than a few slugs and fork-tailed stingers they would have seen the poor padawan being lead away by his short and as yet fledgling braid, but there was nobody there.

Nobody left to see the rake that Olrin had left behind in the grass�

*******

Jonas tried to keep his eyes on the several things happening at once all round the cantina but couldn't quite seem to manage it.

He was aware that the dark haired padawan at the bar was winking lustily at the busty blonde who had returned to her seat. She was now blowing kisses back at him. Well, the young man had certainly managed to do what nobody else had managed that night�maybe it was some kind of mind trick.

The one who had been floored by Legless Molly was propped up not far from his friend with a large amount of ice on his cheek and seemed content to scowl at the relative triumph his companion had enjoyed. The red-haired whirlwind and the neon spider girl were dancing quite happily to the turbulent swell of the drum music. Unlike the jedi boy who was desperately trying to avoid getting touched up by the amorous Twi'lek.

"He your boyfriend?" Jonas asked Jemmiah casually.

"Uh-huh." She nodded, a smile playing on her lips.

"He's a Jedi."

Jemmiah threw her head back and laughed in delight. "That's very observant!" she grinned. "What gave it away? The rat tail hair cut or the overlarge brown dressing gown?"

"Stop that," he chuckled.

"What?"

"Making fun of me. What I actually meant was; how come a Jedi hooks up with someone like you?"

"Someone like me?"

"Normal," Jonas replied.

Jemmy snorted. "I'll take that as a complement, shall I?" "Look, I don't pretend to know much about Jedi types but it seems pretty clear to me that you and the boy wonder seem kinda close. So I was wondering how that happened."

"We grew up together," Jemmiah replied.

"That's unusual for starters."

"I'm a unique girl."

"So it would appear." Jonas chewed his lip.

"Are you flirting with me, by any chance?" Jemmiah cut straight to the point.

"Maybe." Jonas put on an innocent expression that had Jemmy covering up her laugh.

"Good. Aren't you going to ask me to dance?"

The question caught Jonas by surprise. "Well�yes. I guess."

"That is why you came over, wasn't it?" she sucked on the lime of her drink and dropped into the empty glass. "Your friend bet you that you couldn't get me to dance with you, right?"

"What makes you think that?"

"You're Corellian. I don't know much but I do know we Corellians are universally good at two things; Flirting and gambling."

"No fooling you." Jonas seemed impressed. "But you know, Corellians are good at other things too."

"Yes, well." Jemmy almost blushed. "I'm not sure my, er�guardian for want of a better word would approve of my knowing of such things."

Jonas scanned the bar. "Which is he?"

"The one without the beard." She replied without preamble.

"But�" the frown on Suul's face grew even further, "none of them have beards."

"Yes, but which of them definitely doesn't have a beard?"

Her choice of words puzzled Jonas until he did a quick reappraisal of everyone in a Jedi robe. There was one in particular who seemed quite agitated and rubbed his large hands over his chin in an absent fashion.

"The big, tall one with the long hair and the nose that looks as if the vrelts have been reshaping it." He nodded at Qui-Gon.

"Hey!" Jemmy warned him. "Pick on someone your own size before you start throwing insults around."

"Quite right." Jonas grimaced towards the back where several card games had sprung into life. "This place can get nasty, so I'm told."

He could see Welks just out the corner of his vision making rather insinuating gestures but they didn't seem to offend the young lady at all. Instead, she waved back at the man. "Looks like he'll be buying the next round." She grinned at Suul. "If you still want to dance, that is?"

"I'd be honored," he replied with a small dip of the head.

As Jemmiah followed him over to the dance floor she spared her poor Ben an agonized glance as he tried his best to wriggle away from the Twi'lek's increasingly suggestive moves. "I'm not that kind of Jedi, ma'am!" he was insisting.

"Who are you kidding?" Jemmy hollered across.

Obi-Wan looked at Jemmiah, and then at the stranger. "I see you found someone to ask," he mumbled.

"Matter of fact, I asked her," the deep, rumbling voice of the mystery man replied. "I didn't think you'd mind because you seemed to be having such a good time."

"Good?" Obi-Wan gasped. "I'd sooner trade places with Hmiol and dance with Flint!"

"It can be arranged," Jemmiah said dryly. "Obi-Wan, meet Jonas."

Kenobi nodded brusquely in response and Suul could tell he wasn't too impressed. Jealous, probably. "Look, you've got no need to feel threatened," Jonas remarked as he deliberately slid his hands round Jemmiah's waist. "I know I'm dancing with your girl but jealousy isn't the best way to�"

"I am NOT jealous." Kenobi smiled thinly.

"Why not?" Jemmiah asked, disappointed.

"Because you want me to be."

"I've been found out, Jo." Jemmiah smiled at the tall Corellian.

The intimate use of the stranger's name was the final straw for Obi-Wan and he determined not to let Jemmy's teasing get the better of him as she had known it would.

He responded in kind by pressing himself as close to the Twi'lek as he could. "What do you think you're doing, Ben?" Jemmy laughed.

"Enjoying myself," he said through gritted teeth.

"I didn't know you like older women?" she smirked as she twirled about in the Corellian's arms. "I thought it was school girls that were your kind of thing!"

"Maybe he's hankering after a mother figure." Suul let his eyes wander over the Twi'lek. "Or grandmother figure, as seems much more likely."

"Vuulim look after Jedi, yes?" The Twi'lek ran her brain tail up across Kenobi's chest.

"By the gods, your luck's in tonight!" grinned Suul with a wink. "How can you pass up an offer like that?"

"Ben?"

"What?"

"I think you've just been propositioned by a listed monument!"

"In that case I'm in no hurry to do any exploratory work in the foundations�" Obi-Wan gulped hard as the Twi'lek pinched his rear with her talon like nails, bringing tears to his eyes.

"Look," Suul offered as he spun Jemmiah to the left, "I speak a little of the language. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"Would you?" Obi-Wan immediately decided that he liked the stranger after all and that his initial assessment was altogether too harsh.

Jonas cleared his throat. Obi-Wan didn't know quite what he'd said but he was fairly certain it hadn't put off the collection of old bones that was groping his bottom.

"Would you like to tell me," he squeaked, "what precisely you asked her?"

"I asked her if they were her own teeth." Jonas smiled. "They are, so you've got nothing to worry about."

Kenobi felt almost sick at the thought.

"Jedi like to show Vuulim the Force?" the Twi'lek asked coyly.

"My midiclorians are on strike." He shook his head rigorously. "And for starters, my wife wouldn't like it."

"What is wife?" Vuulim frowned.

"My bond-partner. My life mate. My�"

"You two are married?" Jonas looked aghast.

"Long story." Jemmiah grumbled.

The Twi'lek didn't look very impressed.

"What did she say?" Obi-Wan backed away at the tirade of seeming curses that streamed from the old woman's mouth.

"She said that as you asked about her having her own teeth, she wants to ask if you have got your own�er, I'd better not repeat that, actually." Jonas rolled his eyes. "Because she says that if you do, she's got a small fruit knife in her pocket and you won't have 'em for much longer�"

"This is the point in the story where the rough, tough Jedi hero runs and hides under his master�s robe for the next twenty minutes," Obi-Wan retreated rapidly.

"You coward!" Jemmy laughed.

"You heard her!" Kenobi panicked. "She's got a fruit knife! And she's NOT getting to peel my oranges, that's for darn sure!"

*******

"Jodi?" Griff prodded.

"I'm thinking..." Mullicar regarded his hand one last time, shook his head and slapped the cards facedown on the table. "Forget it. I'm out." All eyes then fell on Zac.

"I see your 200 credits," he paused for effect, "and raise you 400 more." The motley crew of humans, Calamari and assorted others exchanged shifty glances as V'Aladee tossed his coins into the pot in the center of the table. He leaned back and cocked his head at his one remaining opponent, a female Toydarian named Gurth who, by the weathered look of her, must have started gambling long before his master was even born.

"600 credits, eh? So confident are you with your hand-a?" She narrowed her eyes at the young Jedi. "600 credits! And I raise you 600 more! Heh!"

"Very well," Zac calmly stated and matched with 1200 of his own. "I call. Let's see what you have." Gurth shifted uncomfortably for a moment - eliciting a smirk from the Jedi - but then grinned fiendishly as she laid her cards out on the table and announced her hand.

"Emperor's flush!"

Eyebrows around the table shot up as Zac's jaw dropped; she had the best hand possible - a one-in-a million chance in the world of Outer Rim-style poker. "Well, young-a one, by the look on your adorable face," V'Aladee flinched at that remark, "I can tell your hand-a is a loser - let's see!" Grumbling under his breath he disgustedly threw down his cards.

"A Corellian Straight-a!" He had an excellent hand - one that can be beaten only by an Emperor's Flush. "Very good-a, but not-a good enough if you want to keep-a your credits safe from old Gurthie!" The victor wrapped her spindly arms around the pile of credits and pulled them into a snifter-shaped canister that sat next to her seat.

Unseen by everyone, she dropped a few "bonus" cards into her pouch.

"Neeko, it's-a your turn to deal-a." A middle-aged man in a dirty orange flight suit and with a week's worth of beard stubble collected the cards, shuffled, and began doling them out to the players in turn. He stopped as he reached Jodi and regarded the sandy-haired padawan with a look that couldn't - by even a Hutt's definition - be considered friendly.

"Perhaps ya boys," he emphasized the last word, "would prefer a game more to yer abilities?" Gethin sighed; preparing to shrug off the next in a string of jabs that had been aimed at his party. "How about a round of 'Opee Go-Fish'? I'll even spot ya 50 points and ya can put yer losses on yer daddy's milk tab - if ya even have a daddy!" The other regulars snorted and laughed.

"Perhaps I don't know exactly who my father is, "Jodi responded pointedly, "but at least I can narrow the candidates down to fewer than six planets." The look on Neeko's face suddenly dropped as his cohorts oooo-ed and whistled the upstart's retort.

One could almost see the steam come out of his ears as the spacer vented, "Ya can say all ya want about me, but don't ya say nuttin' about the virtue of my mother!"

"Take it easy. It's not my fault your mother is, shall we say, 'well-traveled.'" More jeers from the peanut gallery.

"Hey cool it, Mullicar," Griff cautioned, "these are people you do NOT want any trouble with." Jodi opened his mouth for a response when Griff quickly added, "let it go." Reluctantly the Jedi backed down. The grizzled spacer eyed Jodi venomously for a moment and then resumed the deal.

"Keep three, trade two, two on the table and nuttin' wild. 50 to start." The players tossed in their credits and fanned open their new hands. Rugg, a young but keenly intelligent Calamari was about to discard his two throwaways when a ruckus at the front of the bar caught everyone's attention.

Three massive figures had burst through the front door, nearly taking it off its hinges, and stormed over towards the bar. The first slammed its fist down and bellowed for a drink. The two others upended a nearby table clearing it of its drinks - and occupants - sending everyone within a two-table radius scurrying for safety. The shortest of the three stood a full head over Flint and virtually dwarfed Qui-Gon. He sat down on the barstool, pulled out a vicious looking dagger and proceeded to sharpen one of his three cranial horns.

Several of the gamblers scrunched down in their seats trying to look as invisible as possible while Nolar, the lone Zabrak of the group, grabbed his credit pouch and dashed out the back door. Gurth mused on his hasty departure, "Hmmm, he must-a owe them some-a money. Heh! If I had known, I could have offered him-a 'special protection - for a small fee of course!"

"Special protection?" Rugg asked suspiciously.

"Yeh, I would-a waited another 15 minutes before ratting him out!" She immediately let out a loud whistle, successfully getting the attention of the thug seated at the bar, and pointed at the back door. He picked up on the cue, ran through the cantina, mowing down everything and everyone in his path, and crashed through the rear exit.

"I suspect Nolar's life expectancy has just been reduced to minutes," stated Rugg solemnly.

Neeko spoke up, "Why did ya do that, Gurth? Nolar's a valuable player; he made me more money than almost the rest of ya combined!"

The Toydarian snorted, "Heh, he owed me-a money too!"

The behemoth rushed through the bar; banging into the table Krelo and a few other's had settled themselves at. Drinks, glasses, and table went flying as various people ducked and stumbled out of the way. Krelo lifted her hand, utilizing the Force to upright a few cups and refill them, mid-fall, and eased them slowly back onto the table that Lilith had tilted back into place, allowing the already empty ones to fall to the ground.

"You know," the bleached blonde regarded her red headed friend with a grin, " you folks are handy to have around every once in a while." She picked up her glass and took a sip. "Although, you're usually more trouble than your worth."

Krelo observed a look of mock hurt from Leona, who was seated across from the amazon, nursing a Corellian screwdriver. "I'd like to think that we're less trouble than most people."

"At least I can narrow it down to within six planets," drifted over the music.

Lilith did her best to smother a giggle. "You were saying, healer?" Leona glanced over her shoulder at the table of gamblers and the threatening looks from one of them towards Jodi, and she took a long drink.

Qui-Gon was watching the few dancers, particularly the one that had his hands all over Jemmiah. The thought that his padawan might be in peril had thoroughly eluded him. Krelo followed his gaze and laid a soothing hand on his shoulder.

"Don't do anything rash, my friend. You'll only succeed in undoing everything that you've worked so hard to rebuild. Let her have her fun."

"I don't see why you shepherd her so much," Lilith muttered over the lip of her glass. "She's a big girl, perfectly capable of making up her own mind about things. She doesn't need anyone following her and telling her when she's messed up."

Jinn glared at the offending woman. "Maybe so, but I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't encourage her. She's already got enough bad influences in her life without you adding to it."

Krelo shook her head. She was really going to have to keep the two of them separated for the rest of the night. She wasn't even really sure why the master had taken a seat at the table that Lilith had most obviously made herself quite at home at. She glanced at Leona and automatically knew why. The two Jedi were all but puppydog eyeing each other. She suddenly felt a wave of nausea at the sheer cuteness of it all.

"Well, I'm gonna go work off some nervous energy. I suggest that the rest of you do the same." She stood, shrugging off the large outer robe that she'd been wearing over her sleeveless shirt and fitted trous all night and offered her hand to Dex, seated at the table next to theirs. "Would you care to dance, my lord?"

"What should I wear tomorrow?" Leona asked as she sidled up to Qui-Gon.

"Hmm?" he asked distractedly, still staring at Jemmiah and her new dancing partner.

"Our meal?" the healer reminded gently. She hoped she wasn't looking disappointed. "You hadn't forgotten, had you? You don't want to call it off?"

Qui-Gon shook his head. "Not in the least," he replied adamantly. "As for what you should wear, I shouldn't think anyone would think less of you for wearing your jedi robes. Especially seeing as the dress is somewhat worse for an eventful evening, shall we say?"

"That's one way of looking at it," Leona remarked with a smile.

Jemmiah watched them as she twisted round on the dance floor.

"If he takes her hand I think I'll be sick." The Corellian girl remarked caustically over Jonas' shoulder.

"You never said you were married," he sounded slightly put out.

"I'm not." Jemmy answered, still gazing at the tall jedi and the petite healer. "He is, you know! He's going to�yes! There he goes, holding her hand and looking incredibly stupid."

"But your Jedi boy said that�" he paused as a thought struck him. "I see! He made it up to get the Twi'lek off his back."

"No, he meant what he said," Jemmiah replied, pointing at Jay Abran. "Our friend the ice pack king set us up and got us hitched by a Gurolian priest."

Suul laughed raucously. "That sure was stupid!" he grinned.

"What, and you've never done anything stupid I suppose," Jemmiah snapped.

"Whoa, hold on! I wasn't having a go at you�"

"It sure as heck sounded like it," she replied. "If you'll excuse me, I've kind of gone off this dance."

"Wait a second!" Jonas looked amazed.

"I'm sure if you search hard enough you'll find another girl to gamble on. I'm told there's an over excited Twi'lek who knows how to show you a good time." She frowned at him. "She even has her own teeth. But watch out for that fruit knife."

"I'm sure I can cope with a knife wielding Twi'lek," he replied, hands on hips.

"Who said anything about the Twi'lek?" Jemmy breathed before walking over to rejoin her friends at the bar.

Jonas watched, puzzled as she disappeared in the direction of her nervous looking boyfriend. He'd never understand women if it took his entire life. This one was a mere slip of a girl and rather flighty by the look of things. But he had enjoyed the dancing�

He returned to his gambling partner still shaking his head.

"Ohhh, come on. What did you say to this one that made her spit in your face?"

"She did not spit in my face," Jonas replied brusquely.

"Seems to have made an impression!" Welks stirred. "Is this the one that makes mama's dreams come true of a big Corellian wedding?"

"Leave it out, Welks. She's only a kid," Jonas said uncomfortably.

"Why have you gone red?" he gloated.

"I am NOT red. It's just all that dancing. I'm a little out of puff, that's all."

Welks nodded.

"Yeah, I've heard younger women can have that effect."

"Shut up."

"Oh, she HAS bewitched you!"

"I'm too old to be bewitched."

"You're only twenty three for stars sake!"

"I'm a realist."

Welks swallowed a mouthful of his drink, pulling a disgusted face at the now warm alcohol. "So?"

"So what?"

"When are you going to see her again?" He grinned at the thought of having some information he could use over the kid.

"I'm not." Jonas kept his eyes low but still managed to follow the antics of the jedi as they ordered yet another round of drinks.

"Why not? You looked like you were getting on so well."

"I'll let this one go." Jonas looked at the clearly revived Obi-Wan in the tight and playful embrace of his girlfriend. "Well, for the time being anyway."

"You're back to your plenty more fish in the sea routine?" Welks smiled at the obvious embarrassment he was causing his friend.

"Something like that. But the thing with fish is that you toss them back in and let 'em grow." Jonas stared directly at the young girl.

"Then you reel them in."