Qui-Gon pressed the button next to the doorway. Moments later a voice answered, "Who is it?"

He shifted, speaking into the receiver. "Master Jinn."

"One moment please."

After several minutes, the door to Mulania’s chamber slid open. She greeted him with the smallest of nods, and gestured for him to enter. A humorless expression drew lines across her forehead, her gold-colored skin pinching. "Master Yoda informs me you’ll be teaching classes for the remainder of the term." Her eyes were trained on him, and her gaze made Qui-Gon feel as if he was a padawan again.

Qui-Gon maintained his calm countenance, and nodded in response. "He feels I am needed more at the Temple than on missions right now. I hope I can be of assistance to you and the other Teachers."

"We shall see." Mulania’s eyebrow raised in contempt, clearly unaffected by his choice of words. She cleared her throat as she moved to a plastiglass table, organizing some papers. "I suppose our work must seem rather mundane in contrast to your usual schedule of gallivanting across the galaxy from one planet to the next--"

"Teacher Mulania," he interjected gently, "I hardly think your calling mundane. You and the other Teachers have a gift, and you use it well. The Temple would be lax to recognize the importance of your place here." Unconsciously straightening his robes, Qui-Gon did not drop his gaze. "I have no desire to disrupt you or your students, but Master Yoda feels this is my place right now."

Mulania opened her mouth to speak, but instead paused and closed it. She gathered together a large pack of papers, writing a few numbers on the top of the first sheet. She looked at Qui-Gon, her expression slightly less frosty. "One of our best teachers is due to have a child any day now, and she will not teach for the rest of term. You will fill her position." Handing Qui-Gon the stack, she continued, "She teaches two Entry level classes, general humanities and history, and she also teaches one of the Fifth level classes, Politics I. Do you think you can handle those?"

Before Qui-Gon could answer, she gave him a barely noticeable smirk. "I’m sure your extensive knowledge of negotiation, which you just so cleverly employed in your glorification of the teaching position, will be an aid to you in dealing with these children."

Surprised at the feelings of irritation that suddenly prickled along the back of his neck, Qui-Gon attempted to quell his mild frustration at the woman. "It’s been my experience with children that one always has to use every tool one has."

Mulania remained unruffled, her tone indifferent. "I had forgotten your Padawan experience. Alla spent a term here under my instruction years ago; she was very bright. It must have been hard to follow that experience with your. . .second padawan."

Although his mind bristled with the teacher’s offensive words, Qui-Gon took a small breath, and he forced a calm expression onto his face. "Is this all the information you have for me, Mulania?"

The Teacher gave him a curt nod, and followed him to the door. "One more thing, Master Jinn."

Qui-Gon turned to face her, still trying to subdue his feelings of animosity.

"It has not gone unnoticed that Obi-Wan Kenobi is in the younger classes you will be teaching. I am well aware of his attachment to you, but you must understand that a number of Masters have already contacted the Council on his behalf. Within the next year or so he will undoubtedly by among the first chosen. You are his teacher, not his Master, Master Jinn, and we would all appreciate it if you kept that in mind."

***

Holding tight to a thick packet of instructions, Qui-Gon made his way uncertainly down the freshly painted corridor. Although the Creche fire had taken place over a year ago, the Temple had only recently finished its renovations to the Children’s Wing, and since Qui-Gon had been on missions during much of that time, he was completely unfamiliar with the new layout. Almost bumping his head as he passed through a doorway clearly not built to house his formidable height, he kept track of the numbers beside the classrooms.

Although his exchange with Mulania had occurred several hours ago, he could not shake his residual enmity. Even an hour of meditation had only lessened his feelings; Qui-Gon wondered if it was wise for him to instruct the future Jedi while filled with such negative emotion. Sighing, he walked at a slower pace than usual towards room 135, where he would teach Politics. He had already reviewed Teacher Kiven’s syllabus, and he was familiar with the planets and eras they were dealing with. Still, the thought of teaching was rather intimidating; he hadn’t led a class since his pre-Knighthood days. Walking into the classroom, he noticed one of his pupils was already sitting in a desk towards the back. Straightening up, Qui-Gon moved quickly to his desk in the front of the room. Without looking up, he spoke as he set down his papers. "What’s your name?"

A mocking, high-pitched voice issued from the back of the room. "I’m sure you’ve never heard of me; my name is Bals-A-Plenti."

Surprised by the student’s answer, Qui-Gon looked up, and then swore aloud. "I don’t believe it." He broke into profuse laughter, tears spilling out of the sides of his eyes. "Bals-A-Plenti. You’re a sick man."

The figure rose from his seat and clapped Qui-Gon on the shoulder. "I learned from the sickest, right?"

The two men embraced quickly, both laughing and pounding on the other’s back. "Bel-San, how long has it been?" Qui-Gon asked, brushing at his laughter-blurred vision.

Cocking his head to one side, the other Jedi gave him a grin. "Just long enough for the Council to forget my last reprimand for hacking into their systems."

"What are you doing here?"

Bel-San chuckled. "The better question is, what are you doing here, my friend? I thought you were busy getting robbed or something."

"Thanks for your sympathy," Qui-Gon scoffed behind a smirk.

The other Jedi pulled his shoulder-length curly hair back from his face, momentarily growing serious. "It’s good to have you back in one piece."

"So you’re a teacher here?" Qui-Gon asked, stroking his beard. "I had no idea hiring policies had grown so lax."

The other Jedi gave him a narrow-eyed glare, but then nodded. "It’s nice to have at least one part of the Council’s Nightmare back in the Temple. I’ve been the only one here permanently for so long."

Qui-Gon laughed at the mention of their old name; the CN had been the title for their unofficial group as padawans. "I’m sure Yoda sleeps better at night with the rest of us gone."

A tone sounded off in the hallway, and Bel-San moved to the doorway. "Your students cometh," he quipped. "We have to meet and relive the glory days. Can we get together for dinner?"

"Sure. I’ll meet you in the Senior Commons," Qui-Gon said, watching a group of young preteens saunter into his classroom.

Ben-San gave Qui-Gon an auspicious grin before strolling out into the hallway. "Have fun, Jinn. Play nice with the kids."

***

Qui-Gon rubbed his temples with his fingertips. "No, Bila, the Force did not make you throw that block at Reeft. Apologize to him at once, and then go back to your seat and meditate on how to better control your anger."

The large Eithurian boy’s face was drawn, but he nodded. "Yes, Master Jinn." He turned to the other child momentarily before moving to his seat. "Sorry, Reeft."

Sighing, Qui-Gon turned to Reeft. "Are you all right?"

The boy merely nodded, looking over to where Obi-Wan and some other children waited for him. "Go back and play with your friends," Qui-Gon said, and then watched as the child rejoined his group. Letting out a long breath, he surveyed the room; twenty-two children aged five or younger played noisily, and he was in charge of them all. It was more daunting than the most frustrating negotiations he’d ever headed. Checking his chrono, he sighed with relief. As soon as recess ended, he only had to teach one more hour of history and then his day came to an end. It had been an exhausting day; Politics I with the fifth years, and now two sessions with the Entry levels. Reaching out for the Force, he felt a calming presence inside him instantly. Although the Healers had cared for his wound with the utmost of their abilities, he knew that his injury had been far worse than he originally thought. His side was still healing, and though he was the last Jedi to complain of physical pain, he would appreciate the rest that was soon coming. Willing his body to accept the pain as part of healing, he felt the aching diminish slightly.

"Everyone," he called out cheerfully as he could manage, "please find your seats. We have one more lesson before the day ends."

Although the children were in training to be Jedi, they were only five, and a ripple of protest came up from the group as they trudged back to their seats. Qui-Gon sensed their discontent, and he sympathized inwardly; the transition from one teacher to another was never easy.

"Who can tell me what planet you’ve been studying in history?"

Twenty-two blank stares met his question, until a small Calamarian girl raised her hand hesitantly.

"Yes, Bant?" Qui-Gon felt a tiny surge of satisfaction; the girl was one of Obi-Wan’s friends, and he’d heard her name before. It was one of the few names he could recall from the class roster.

"We’re studying Corcusant, Master Jinn."

He nodded in approval. "When was Corcusant founded? Can anyone tell me?"

A voice came up from the back. "A long time ago!"

Qui-Gon did not allow himself to laugh, despite the smile tugging at his lips. "Well, that’s true, but perhaps we can get a bit more specific. And perhaps we can raise our hands," he added, giving the vocal student a pointed look.

A young boy from Aldoraan raised his hand. "1480?"

"You’re close. Can someone help him out?"

Reeft raised his hand. "1486, Standard Era," he answered confidently.

"Very good. Does anyone know who founded the original city?"

Obi-Wan raised his hand, waving it wildly.

The Jedi Master leaned back on his desk, trying not to appear amused by the child’s enthusiasm. "Yes, Obi-Wan?"

His voice came slowly, but steadily. "It was...Jon-Leon Barris. He was a scientist."

Suddenly Bila spoke up loudly. "That’s wrong. On Eithur, everyone knows Halpa Curso founded Corcusant. He was Eithurian too!"

"No, it was not!" Obi-Wan piped up, clearly embarrassed at being challenged in front of Qui-Gon.

"Yeah, Bila!" Reeft shouted, "You think Eithurians founded the galaxy!"

"I do not!" the boy shouted back, getting out of his seat.

Completely appalled at how quickly the situation had gotten out of hand, Qui-Gon sent out a Force wave that shocked the room to silence. "I think we’ve had enough of a history lesson for today. If you learned anything, I hope that you’ve learned that when more than one person is talking, no one can be heard. Your assignment is to read the next entry in the datasheet I gave you. You will remain in your seats with your heads down until the end of class."

Qui-Gon heard a voice grumble, "Teacher Kiven never made us put our heads down."

"Does anyone have something to say?" he asked sternly, watching heads drop to their desks like stones. Sighing silently as he looked out over the sea of tiny forms, he eased himself into the chair at his desk. For the first time in his life, he actually wished he was overseeing a Hutt negotiation. That would have been easy.

"Qui-Gon! Qui-Gon, do you have a minute?" a voice whispered from the hall, beckoning him outside.

Qui-Gon walked quietly to the classroom door, smiling slightly when he saw the speaker. "La’Re. Class is almost over; what can I do for you?"

"I’m sorry to bother you." She peeked inside, and then gave Qui-Gon a knowing look. "I can see they behaved well for your first day."

"It’ll take time," Qui-Gon said mildly, feigning indifference to the disappointing first start.

"Listen, I usually meet with Obi-Wan after class on cycle days for individual dream-training, but I have a quick meeting right now that can’t be avoided. Could you bring him up to the East Tower Commons in about half an hour?"

"Certainly. We’ll see you soon."

Several minutes later, the class ended as the hallway tone sounded, and a somber-looking group of Entry level students filed out into the corridor. As the small boy passed through the door, Qui-Gon said, "Obi-Wan?"

Giving a nervous glance to his friends, Obi-Wan walked back into the empty room. "Yes, Master Qui-Gon?"

"Master La’Re can’t meet you in your usual place today. She asked if I could take you to meet her on the other side of the Temple for your lessons with her."

"Oh," Obi-Wan said tentatively, a small wave of relief crossing his face.

Qui-Gon gathered up his papers into a disheveled pile. "Would you like to head over to the Tower now? We could enjoy the view until Master La’Re arrives."

Obi-Wan gave him a tiny smile, and nodded. "Yes, Master Qui-Gon."

As the two walked side by side down the corridor, Qui-Gon couldn’t help but smile as the boy struggled to match his stride to the tall Jedi’s. Slowing his pace slightly, he felt a catch in his right side; this had been his first day back completely back on his feet, and he knew it had taken its toll. "Would you mind if we took the turbolift? I want to make sure we get there on time."

Obi-Wan looked slightly doubtful at Qui-Gon’s reasoning, but the boy nodded. "There’s one down here."

Following the child down the hallway to the left, they pressed the button and waited for the next lift to arrive. The doors slid open, and both stepped inside. Qui-Gon programmed the lift to take them to the Eastern Tower, and he felt the engines engage beneath his feet.

They stood in silence for several minutes before the boy finally opened his mouth. "Master Qui-Gon?"

"Yes, Obi-Wan?"

"Are you mad at me?"

Qui-Gon was perplexed. "Mad? Why should I be mad?"

"Because you yelled at us and made us put our heads down, and you never said I had the right answer and Bila yelled at me and you looked really mad," he explained, fidgeting with his hands as he stared at the floor.

"It was a hard first day," Qui-Gon admitted, lifting the child’s chin with his hand. "But I’m not mad. You were right, and Bila spoke out of turn. Of course, arguing back at him didn’t accomplish much, but you learned that today. It was a good lesson. I hope that our classes to come can be more civilized, but no, I’m not mad at you, or anyone in the class."

Obi-Wan met his gaze, and said quietly, "I’m glad you’re not mad."

Qui-Gon gave a quiet chuckle, and he mussed the boy’s hair. "Believe me, you’d know it if I was mad."

As he spoke, he felt the floor beneath them lurch, and Qui-Gon readjusted his footing to keep from falling. The entire chamber began to shake, and the gears ground to a halt. Immediately reaching for his commlink, Qui-Gon nearly swore in front of the child when he realized he’d left it in his chambers.

"What’s happening?" Obi-Wan asked, fright evident in his voice.

Qui-Gon held out his arms to steady himself. "I’ll call Central Controls. They’ll know what’s wrong." He pressed the comm button on the inside wall. A beep ensued, followed by a voice.

"Can I help?"

"This is Master Qui-Gon Jinn. I’m in turbolift CC-14, and we’re stopped."

"Oh, that’s the one that went down last week. They just installed it a few weeks ago, and it’s been giving us a lot of trouble."

"Can you get us moving again?"

The voice sighed. "It’s going to take awhile. Most of the crew is fixing a large water leak in the Gardens. It’ll be at least an hour or two before we can send someone over."

Qui-Gon felt his voice edge on exasperation. "I’ve got a five-year-old in here!"

"I’m sorry; we’ll do the best we can."

The Jedi Master sighed, releasing the comm button. "It looks like you won’t be meeting with La’Re today."

Obi-Wan nodded, sinking slowly to the floor, tucking his knees against his body. A moment later, the lights above them flickered and died, shorting out completely.

"If this day gets any better, they’ll be serving Yoda’s Surprise in the cafeteria," Qui-Gon said sarcastically, getting a tiny laugh out of the boy. He could feel waves of fear emanating from the child, and he followed the waves until he found where Obi-Wan sat by the wall. "Are you all right, Obi-Wan?"

"Yes," came the quiet response, sounding even smaller in the penetrating darkness of the lift.

Finding his place next to the child, he slid down the wall into a sitting position. "I’m sorry this happened; I know La’Re will be sad not to see you today." He felt a shiver run through the boy’s body as he sat next to him. "Are you cold, Obi-Wan?"

"A little."

Letting out a pent-up breath, Qui-Gon sighed as he reached an arm around the small child. Obi-Wan leaned against him, but suddenly pulled back. "Isn’t that where you got hurt?"

"No, that’s on the other side. You’re fine," he soothed.

Obi-Wan rested his head on the Jedi’s ribs and finally relaxed. "So, is this the first time you’ve ever been stuck in a turbolift?" Qui-Gon asked, trying to think of something to say. He had forgotten how hard it could be to converse with a scared child.

Obi-Wan nodded, but said nothing. They sat in silence for several minutes as Qui-Gon racked his brain in search of a topic, but to no avail. Finally the boy’s voice broke the quiet. "Master Qui-Gon?"

Relieved, Qui-Gon said, "Yes, Obi-Wan?"

"What’s that noise?"

Suddenly on edge, the Jedi Master trained his ears. He listened intently, but he heard nothing amiss in the darkness of the lift. "What noise?"

The noise. In you."

Momentarily confused, Qui-Gon chuckled as he suddenly realized what Obi-Wan was referring to. "Oh, that’s my heart beating."

Obi-Wan was quiet for a moment more, and then he answered, "You must have a very big one. It makes a lot of noise."

The Jedi laughed again, releasing the tension that had built inside him. They weren’t in the best of situations, but they were safe for the moment and would be rescued in due time.

"Master Qui-Gon?"

"Yes, Obi-Wan?"

"Were you ever afraid of the dark?"

Qui-Gon paused to smooth a hand over the boy’s head before he answered. "When I was little..."

"A very long time ago," Obi-Wan chimed in, nudging against him.

"Yes, well, when I was little, I used to be afraid to go to sleep at night, because it was so dark in our room in the Temple." Qui-Gon paused, smiling as he thought of his old Master. "But Master Yoda told me sometimes the dark helps us to see things we can’t see during the day. Even though we might feel alone in the dark, we never truly are."