Author: Chaos
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Qui-gon and Obi-wan and the universe they come from, along with their vehicle and all their luggage belong to George Lucas exclusively. They are respectfully borrowed with no intent to profit thereby or infringe on the copyright thereof.



Section 5

Debrah was standing in the kitchen making sandwiches when they finally came in. Obi-wan zeroed in on the food and came to stand next to her to see what she was making. Both men could feel her tense up almost instantly. She gave him a gentle shove away and pushed her shower damp hair behind one ear. �Personal space. Remember, Obi?�

�Sorry,� he replied, but to her he didn�t sound all that contrite. Brat, she thought.

�Yeah, well, I hope neither of you is allergic to tuna because that�s what�s for lunch. To drink we have juice or water. I threw out the milk because it was spoiled.� The blond woman neatly sliced each sandwich in half on the diagonal and began dropping them on plates. �I know it�s still a little early for lunch, but we ate breakfast so early, I didn�t think either of you would mind. Especially you, Obi.� She wagged a finger at him, �I remember how much my brothers used to eat when they were your age.�

Debrah went to the cupboard to get glasses for them. �Oh, Obi-wan. I got my computer set up a little while ago. It�s got some pretty cool games on it, if you�re interested. I know there isn�t a whole lot to do around here.�

�A computer?� The surprise in his tone made her turn around.

�Yeah, it�s got a Celeron processor and over 64 Meg of RAM.� She watched his face carefully, unsure of why she suddenly felt his answer was important. �I�ve got it over-clocked to about 300 megahertz. Only one of my flight-simulator games lags a little. The rest just zip right along.�

�Voice interface or manual?� he asked, interest peaking in his eyes.

The look she shot him was suspicion mingled with confusion. Sure, it was just one more strange thing about these two, but it was stranger than usual. �What do you mean, voice interface? Not even the state of the art stuff has voice interface yet. We�re working on it, but there are a few points we�re hanging up on.�

�Oh,� he covered rather smoothly, but she could practically hear his brain searching for a plausible answer. �Well, I mean, I�ve heard about some of the advances being made and I was hoping . . .� he trailed off. Disbelief was written plainly on the woman�s face. Debrah was a non-confrontational sort by nature, going out of her way to avoid arguments, but this just didn�t sit right and she�d dealt with far too much in the past few weeks to put up with anymore without blowing off a little steam first.

Confusion and frustration swirled within her and the tiny knot of paranoia that lurked at the back of her brain dipped it�s fingers into the pool, muddying the emotional waters still further. The potent mixture hit critical mass and Debrah�s temper, which came rarely and never lasted long, flared up and settled into a low burn.

Those green eyes blazed with suspicion and not a little anger. �I assumed, from the way you were dressed and the way you talked that you two were some sort of cloistered monks.� Debrah�s analytical mind began to connect the dots, all the little discrepancies and inconsistencies that she�d encountered and passed off. �But there�s no way that even monks wouldn�t know what cars are,� she was ticking points off on her fingers again. �Or what country they live in, or what state they live in, or that we have states. You should also know how to read. And there is no way on God�s green Earth that a monk would know about voice interfaces on computers, let alone expect a personal computer to have one.� She looked back and forth between the two men, anger and frustration snapping in her eyes and making her voice harsh.

�Are you going to tell me just what the heck is going on? Because you guys aren�t monks, that much is clear. And you aren�t from around here, either.� Within herself Debrah made a private bet that they were IRA, but she was willing to accept almost anything at that point. �I�m going to give you just ten seconds to start explaining before I call the cops.� She gave a high piercing whistle and the tortoise-shell cat, which had been in the kitchen from the instant the first can of tuna was opened, trotted over and sat at her feet. �Koshka, if they move, bite �em.� The cat dropped into a crouch and waited, her yellow-green eyes locked in a baleful stare at the two men.

Qui-gon�s hand came up in a slight waving motion and he spoke calmly. �There is no need to call the authorities.�

For just a single moment Debrah softened. She remembered her earlier feelings of trust about these men and how she should help them. But then she felt something push against her mind and reacted with typical Reimers stubbornness. Her lips tightened into a thin line as she pushed right back. �One . . . two . . . three.� Debrah raised her eyebrows at them as she began counting.

�You are correct.� Qui-gon finally said. �We are not from around here and we are not monks. We are, in fact, not from this world at all.�

�Sure,� Debrah snorted in disbelief. She�d been willing to accept almost anything. That most definitely fell into the �not gonna go there� category. �Pull the other one.�

�The other what?� Obi-wan asked, still eyeing the cat as it stared right back at him.

�Our transport incurred some damage to vital equipment and we are stranded here until we can effect repairs.� Qui-gon�s blue eyes gazed straight at her as if to try and impress upon her very mind that he was actually telling the truth. �That is why we were standing in the middle of the roadway in Nevada. We were looking for a settlement where we might buy the parts we need to make our repairs. However, I am now afraid that your current level of technology might not be advanced enough to help us.�

Debrah shook her head at him, anger draining away nearly as quickly as it had come. It had vented and was now gone. It was being replaced with patent disbelief laced liberally with amusement. �First you ask me to believe this ridiculous story and then you tell me that my whole planet is inferior to your own. That�s a great way to win friends and influence people.�

�I did not mean to offend, I was simply stating the facts as they are.�

�I still don�t believe a word of it.�

�Why not?�

�Think about it. There are stories of UFOs and alien abductions in every tabloid and low-rate news rag on the shelf and there isn�t a shred of truth to any of them.� Hunger had won over fighting, not that is was a fair contest anyway since Debrah hadn�t wanted a confrontation to begin with, so she finished getting the glasses as she talked. �Any intelligent life out there would prove its superior intelligence by not having anything to do with us. We war against each other, some nations starve while others have enough food that they actually pay their farmers not to produce at capacity.� She got a pitcher out of the fridge and began moving the whole affair into the dining room. �We spy on and sabotage each other, we don�t have one single major land mass that even speaks the same language all the way across it.�

She arranged plates and filled glasses at the table and then sat down. �We can continue this discussion while we eat. You can stand there if you want to,� she stated when they just looked at her, �But, I�m hungry.� The young man eyed Koshka and then looked a question at his host. He�d had experience in the past with more innocuous looking creatures that were disconcertingly vicious.

�Kosh, lunch.� She made little kissing noises and held out a bit of tuna. The cat raced over to delicately nibble the tidbit from the woman�s fingers. �Don�t worry about the cat, Obi. She knows her name, she knows �bite� and she knows �no� and that�s about the extent of it.� The men slowly sat down and began eating their own lunch. Debrah took a big bite out of her sandwich and chewed a moment before talking around the food.

�There�s only been one instance in our entire history that indicates that there might be life out there within reach of our planet and that contact was well over fifty years ago. If someone was going to approach us I think that they would have done so by now. Don�t you?� She swallowed her mouthful and waited for someone to dispute her words.

�Yes,� Qui-gon replied. �I would think so, if that was their intention. But, all of that aside, our story is true.�

�Yeah? Prove it.�

*******

The underground workstations were a scene of frantic activity. The lost trace was hanging over all their heads. The Powers That Be wanted answers and wanted them right this instant. The various techs were glued to their consoles, praying that they�d find the missing ship before something went wrong. There wasn�t much else that they could do.

�Sir,� one brave soul stood in that stone office and faced their immediate superior. �We have satellite photos of all the cars that passed through the projected target area during the estimated window of time. There are quite a few. It will take a little time to track them all down, if indeed we can.� Bradley knew that this wouldn�t satisfy the Boss, but he was lucky they had managed that much. The satellites had all been pointing the wrong way and turning them had thrown off all the schedules across the board. Other agencies would be having kittens right about now and would be breathing down their necks if there was any way for them to find out who had done it.

There wasn�t, of course, but Bradley knew how important timing and information could be to delicate sting operations and the like. He used to work for the CIA and had seen many an operation go belly up from bad timing. The sort of thing that emergencies like this generated.

�You can and you will!� The suited man�s words were punctuated by the thump of his fist striking the spotless surface of the desk. �We need to keep a lid on this and we can�t afford to have even a single alien wandering around loose. We need to locate and contain it or them before contact can be made.� There was a desperate sort of intensity in the suited man�s voice. �Find it. Now!�

*******

Debrah decided later on that asking them to �prove it� was not the smartest thing she had ever done, but she was an engineer by mind set as well as training. Proof, actual tangible evidence that something was or wasn�t so was what she thrived on. Without proof there wasn�t a whole lot anyone could do to convince her. They convinced her alright. They also nearly started a forest fire and came that close to killing one of her neighbor�s dogs. The small blaze was put out quickly with a garden hose and the dog escaped injury by less than a finger�s width when the tree came crashing down, but all in all there was no harm done and she believed after that.

�If you guys had told me those things produce heat as a by-product I would have had the hose ready and waiting.� She chastised them as they trooped back into the house. �In a month or so that brush out there will just be so much dry tinder waiting for some idiot to get careless. We�ve had some bad fires up here in the past.�

A gleam came into those green eyes and they latched onto the lightsabre once more hanging on Qui-gon�s belt. �Hey, I couldn�t convince you to let me open one of those up and take a look inside, could I?�

�I do not think that would be wise.�

Her face fell a little, but Debrah was used to reactions like that when she asked to take things apart. �So, this Jedi order that you belong to, what exactly is it all about?�

�The Jedi are an order of beings who can access and use the Force. We travel throughout the galaxy seeking out students, mediating disputes, acting as ambassadors . . .�

�Putting out political brush fires, stroking egos, and generally making a nuisance of ourselves.� Obi-wan finished for his master.

The older man bent a stern gaze on his apprentice and the young man bowed his head contritely. Debrah couldn�t help but smile as she began to wash the lunch dishes. Obi-wan reminded her more and more of her little brother as time went on. �Sounds like you lead pretty busy lives. I imagine that getting stranded somewhere might actually come as a welcome vacation.�

�As it turns out we were on retreat when we were attacked and forced into hyperspace to escape.�

�Hyperspace?� Green eyes lit up at the word. They now had her undivided attention. She turned from the sink to face them. �You have the capability to travel at hyper-light velocities?�

�We do.�

�But how was the infinite mass barrier overcome?� she asked excitedly. �It was theorized that at the speed of light, the mass of an object would effectively become infinite and that it would therefore not be capable of carrying with it enough fuel to keep it moving.� Debrah looked eagerly back and forth between the two of them.

�Obi-wan?� The Jedi turned to his apprentice.

�I am uncertain, Master. The theory behind it was phased out of elementary education more than fifty years ago. They decided that only the engineers who work on developing bigger, faster hyperdrives needed to bother with it.� The young man shrugged at Debrah. �Sorry.�

�Well, Master Jinn,� There was an unmistakable eagerness and anticipation in her voice. �You mentioned that you were unsure about current technology being able patch up your little problem. I just happen to be an engineer and I would certainly be willing to take a look and see if I can jury-rig some kind of fix for you.�

Qui-gon tipped his head slightly and appeared to think about it, but Obi-wan had no such reservations. �Master, picked up by an engineer. What are the odds?�

�Hah,� Debrah retorted as she scrubbed at the tuna bowl. �Pretty lousy. I was probably the only engineer within a hundred and fifty miles. There�s absolutely nothing out there where I picked you boys up. Of course, that�s probably why you chose to stash your ship out there.�

�You are correct about our reasoning.� The tall man nodded once as if to affirm his own decision. �It was the will of the Force that you came to our aid.� He said it with an air of solemnity.

�What is this �force� you guys keep talking about? Is it some kind of higher power or something?�

�Of a sort. The Force is where a Jedi gets his direction and strength. It is generated by all living things and connects us all together. The Force flows strangely here and we had difficulty re-attuning to it. It is a relief to find others who can and do use it.�

�Oh, who have you met around here who uses it?�

From behind her came that deep, smooth voice in that exquisite accent. �You.�

The cup she had been rinsing clattered around the bottom of the sink. �Me?� she squeaked out, grabbing the glass again and scrubbing much more vigorously than the orange juice residue in the bottom warranted.

�Yes. We could sense you using it during the sparring match. You were using it to anticipate our attacks and blocks.�

�No-no, that�s just s-spacial awareness and good timing.� she stammered out with a kind of desperation. Being different, being able to fix things no one else could, managing to avoid ambushes by the school bullies and the like had gotten her into all sorts of trouble growing up and the last thing she wanted now was to find out that she was different in yet another way. �That�s just proper training and paying attention to what your opponent is doing. There�s nothing mystical about that.�

�Spacial awareness?� Obi-wan asked.

�Yeah, being aware of what�s going on around you without having to actually be looking. I was really good at it before I left for college. I had to consciously turn it off, though. There were just too many people around all the time and it made me edgy and nervous. So I had to learn to tune it out.� Debrah snatched a towel from the drawer to her right and tossed it at the young man. �Here, dry these things off so we can put them away.�

�There is nothing wrong with using the Force, Debrah. With proper training you can use it to sense the emotions and intentions of others. You can enhance your senses to pick up things you wouldn�t normally be able to and you can lend extra strength to your muscles. It is a great ally and tool.� The master paused before making his offer. �I would be willing to teach you while we are here.�

There was only silence to answer him. �It would be the least we can do to repay you for your kindness and assistance.�

The blond woman sighed deeply. �Well, it�s not like I had all that active a social life to begin with. Most people think I�m kind of creepy already.� She shrugged her shoulders in resignation and wiped the back of a damp wrist across her forehead. �Ok, I�m game. If you haven�t got anything better to do, and goodness knows that I don�t, we can start as soon as Obi-wan is done drying dishes.�

They started by seating her in the middle of the mats out on the deck and having her try and sense where they were. That actually proved to be rather easy for Debrah. She�d been doing it since she�d earned her green belt and that had been over eight years ago. She was rusty at it, but with the two Jedi to help her she was soon pinpointing their position and movements.

�Very, good. It took Obi-wan three days to get this far.�

Debrah opened her eyes and glanced at the young man. He had a pained expression on his face. She�d have reassured him that she was only progressing this fast because of prior experience, but then she remembered all the flack he�d been giving her since he arrived and decided to let him stew for a while. If Obi-wan was going to act like a little brother, she was going to treat him like one. Actually, that made things much easier for her, since she�d never been very good at socializing with anyone outside her family or her small circle of friends.

�What next?� she asked.

�Intent I think. You ought to have a pretty good grasp on that since you seemed to know during the sparring when it was just a feint or when it was a real attack.� And Qui-gon was right. She did have a good grasp of it. It pays to be a little paranoid sometimes. From danger sense, they moved on to sensing the emotions of others, but that was much more difficult for her and became even more difficult with any sort of distance.

�If I�d known you two for more than twenty-four hours, I could probably do this.� she finally burst out in frustration. �I�m really good at reading my family and friends, even without the Force to help me.�

�Rarely is it someone you know that you need to be aware of,� Qui-gon chided her. � But, do not worry, it will come with practice and effort.� He smiled at her. �You have come very far for only a few hours of training.�

�Well, I don�t know about you guys, but I�m beat. Let�s go inside and I can give you the grand tour. I�ll explain everything to you so that you know what the heck everything is. If you have any questions, just ask.� Debrah levered herself up off the mat and headed back into the house, Jedi in tow. They had barely crossed the kitchen when the phone began to ring.

�Is that some sort of alarm?� Kenobi asked in a startled tone.

�No, that�s the phone. That�s how we communicate over long distances.�

�Oh, a comlink.�

The blond shrugged and snatched the handset off the recharger and held it to her ear. �Hello? Sara? How�d you get this number?� Her voice was filled with pleased surprise and she waved for the Jedi to do whatever they wanted for a few moments. Debrah leaned against the breakfast bar, her elbows resting on the smooth tile surface and stared into space while she listened to her friend.

�Hey, I�m sorry I dumped the whole Caldera thing on you like that, but what with finals and the funeral and all, I just couldn�t keep up with it.� Portia came by and rubbed against her ankle, so Debrah absently angled one leg out. The small cat crawled up the proffered limb, across the woman�s back and sprawled along the back of her shoulders. �Cool, I knew you�d understand. I�ll let you know as soon as things calm down enough for me to start doing it again.

�Hmm? Oh, yeah I remember him. He what? Oh goodness. What was he thinking?

�Hey, listen, I would absolutely love to chat with you for a while, but I have guests. Just some relatives from out of town. My uncle Maben and his son. They�re my mom�s cousins twice removed or something. Anyway they missed the funeral and stopped by to keep me company for a while. It�s kinda lonely in this big old house.

�Yeah, you should hear them talk, they have the greatest accents. Uh huh, from the old country. Jim�s Irish, but Ben grew up in Scotland. Yeah. Hey, e-mail me. I�ll let you know how things are going. Okay, bye.�

Debrah dropped the handset back onto the stand and turned back to her guests. As she straightened, the black cat across her back shifted to perch casually on her left shoulder.

�Who are Jim and Ben?� Qui-gon asked.

�You two. I had to think of something on the fly and those names are close enough to your real ones that you shouldn�t have a problem.�

�So you just lied to your friend?� Obi was smirking again.

�Yup. And I�d do it again in heart beat if it keeps you, me and her out of trouble. I�m going to make a point of telling that same lie to several of my neighbors as well. I need to tell Diane that she doesn�t have to feed the cats anymore, anyway.� She led the two men out to the garage. �Qui, you are James Maben, Jim for short, and you�re from Ireland. It was the closest I could think of for your accent. And Obi, you�re Benjamin, Ben for short, and you�re Qui�s son. You grew up in Scotland, which accounts for your accent. Since that sort of thing is actually pretty common we shouldn�t have a problem.�

Leave it to the older fellow to pick up on the possible aspect of danger. �What sort of trouble could any of us get into?� he asked after she�d pointed out everything that might be of value in the garage.

�If someone from the government found out who you were? All sorts. First, they�d lock me up for not turning you in. Then, they�d want to take apart your ship to find out how it all works. They�d grill the two of you for every bit of knowledge they think they can get out of you and then they�d probably dissect you to see if you really are human or just look it.� Debrah glanced at them out of the corner of her eye. �You are human, aren�t you?�

�Certainly, though many of our colleagues are not. What kind of government do you have that helping strangers is illegal?�

�A representative Democracy, but it�s the shadow governments that you have to worry about, not the legitimate one. Anyway, it�s not exactly illegal to help a stranger, it�s just that there are some very powerful people high up in the chain of command that have decided it�s best for us to think that we are alone in the universe.� She stepped back into the house and gestured as they passed through the laundry room.

�Okay, enough doom saying. That�s the washer, the dryer, for washing clothes. That�s the bathroom, family room, kitchen. You know that around there is the dining room, then there�s the living room. That�s the entry hall. Tucked under the stairs there, that�s the cubby-hole. It�s mostly full of toys for my nephews. . . .�

After the tour, Debrah sat them down at the table with a pencil and some paper and wrote out the Terran numbering system and alphabet for them. The black cat watched the whole proceedings with an air of studied disinterest. �I suppose it�s lucky for us all that you guys speak English.�

�Actually we speak Basic, and we�re awfully glad that you do too.� Obi-wan remarked. A wadded ball of paper bounced off his forehead.

�Ok, so simple conversation won�t be problem for you guys, but current politics, sports, that sort of thing you should avoid because I don�t have the time to try and tell you guys about it and you really don�t want know. I live here and I don�t want to know. The easiest way to get around that, should it come up is to say you don�t pay much attention to what�s going on and leave it at that.� Both men nodded.

�Right,� she continued. �Hopefully we can get your ship fixed fast enough that you won�t have to worry about being able to read, but I ought to show you some of the basics, danger signs and the like.� The woman proceeded to draw out stop signs, danger symbols of various sorts, road signs, anything she could think of that they might need to know. �Not that I intend to let you guys run the risk of wandering around in public by yourselves, but you never know what might happen.�

�A wise way to look at things.�

�Good. Now, what shall we make for dinner?�




Section 6