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MISSION OF JUSTICE: Part 9

By MasterHawke, 1999

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DISCLAIMER:Master Lucas owns the boys, I own the girls, and so on and so forth, we all know the drill. RATING:Back to PG.

Thoughts from MasterHawke: This is the last installment of MISSION OF JUSTICE -- But never fear.......You haven't seen the last of Jedi Master Shan-Dowe Kwai....After all, she is 5OO years old, that's alot of stories to be told....And then again, Shan-Dowe and Qui-Gon have a destiny to fulfill.....Only the Force knows where it will lead the two of them in the future...............

CORUSCANT -- JEDI TEMPLE Living Quarters

Shan turned as she awoke slowly, and her hand found flesh beside her. She opened her eyes to find Qui-Gon smiling at her, <What's so amusing, love?>

<I can't believe what we did.> Qui-Gon grinned as he brushed her hair out of his face.

She arched an eyebrow, "Are you worried about what the Council will say?"

Qui-Gon laughed softly, "When have I ever been worried about what the Council would do to me?"

"We are two of a kind, aren't we?" Shan snuggled closer to him. "So what is the problem?"

"I was just wondering how we were going to get back to my room without everyone in the Temple knowing what is going on."

"We'll think of something, love."

Shan grinned, "While you think of something, I'm going for a shower." She stood and walked into the bathroom.

Qui-Gon smiled as he stood and wrapped the sheet around his body, he walked over to the door, opened it cautiously, and glanced out into the hallway, and grinned when he saw a small box sitting there. He picked it up and returned to the bedroom. He opened the box and picked up the folded paper, `Master, I thought the two of you could use some clothes, Obi-Wan`. He wandered into the bathroom grinning from ear to ear, "We had a visitor last night."

"And who was that?" Shan asked over the sound of the shower.

"Obi-Wan, he left a small box of clothes for us."

Shan turned and grinned at her lifemate, "It seems we weren't so sneaky last night."

"That, or we were a little predictable."

Two hours later the door opened and two dignified Jedi Masters walked out.

A shortway down the corridor they were not surprised to see a Jedi Knight and three Padawans waiting for them.

<Quite predictable, precious.> Qui-Gon turned to glance at Shan.

<Extremely!> Shan's voice was amused.

"Greetings, Master Qui-Gon, Master Shan-Dowe." Obi-Wan bowed as a grin spread across his face.

"Master Shan-Dowe." Keira and Deain bowed to their Master as smiles blossomed on their faces also.

Master Jinn crossed his arms and tried to frown at his former padawan, "While I appreciate the items that you dropped off this morning, I find this a little unwarranted."

Anakin glanced up at his Master, <Can I, Master?>

Obi-Wan nodded, <Go ahead, Ani.> And laughed as the young boy launched himself into Qui-Gon's arms.

The Master caught the young boy easily, "Ani, what do you think you're doing?" His voice was half scolding, and half amused.

"We were worried about you, Master Qui-Gon, and Keira and Deain were very worried about Master Kwai." The young Padawan grinned at the other Master.

Shan shook her head, "I give up, Qui." She motioned to the two girls and they ran into her arms.

Qui-Gon smiled at Obi-Wan, <Thank you, Obi-Wan.>

<You're quite welcome, Master.> Obi-Wan smiled as he hugged the tall Jedi Master.

"Is this a closed session, or can anyone join in."

Shan-Dowe knew the voice was familiar but she couldn't place it as she turned to see two cloaked and hooded figures walking towards the group, "Can I help you?" she asked cautiously.

"I know it's been fifteen years, Master Kwai." The shorter of the two figures reached up and laid her hood on her shoulders, "But everytime I was on Coruscant, you were on a mission."

Shan-Dowe's face lit up, "Morg'ia!" she laughed as her former padawan came over and hugged her. "I don't know if you've ever met Qui-Gon Jinn." Shan turned to introduce the two.

Morg'ia smiled and nodded at the tall well-built Jedi Master, "I can see why she fell in love with you, Master Jinn." She grinned as Shan stared at her. "The story is all over the Temple, Master Shan-Dowe."

"And what story is that, Morg'ia?" Shan asked curiously.

The young Master grinned, "A simple story of how you and Master Jinn went to rescue your Padawans, ended up being rescued by Jedi Kenobi and Master Tra'ske, and that the two of you are now BondMates."

<I didn't realize that we were going to be so popular, precious.> Qui-Gon's mind sparkled with amusement.

<Neither did I, love.> Shan's mind was laughing as much as her lifemate's was. She turned to glance at Qui-Gon, "I'm hungry, how about you?"

Qui-Gon nodded as he set Anakin on the floor, "Let's go create another stir, shall we?" He laid his arm across her shoulders and leaned in for a quick kiss.

They managed to keep a low profile for some of the day, but that ended as Shan sat watching Keira and Deain practicing their saber training in the main hall.

<Are you ready, precious?>

<Ready for what?>

<Exercise.>

Shan turned her head trying to spot Qui-Gon amidst the twenty or so Jedi in the room. <What are you talking about?>

<Defend yourself.>

Shan rolled off the bench as she heard the snap-hiss of an igniting lightsaber. She rolled twice, coming up with her saber lit, right leg extended in front of her, balancing on her left, blocking the downswing of a green blade she flipped back, coming up in a classic answer to the next blow.

The training floor quickly cleared as the two Masters dueled furiously. Using every inch of space available they battled back and forth across the room. Green blade sparking off of white-opal, they gave themselves to the battle. Suddenly Shan hit the mat, flat on her back she stared up at the green blade held unwavering near her throat, she swung her blade sideways, knocking the other saber aside as she jumped back to her feet. She quickly reached behind her head and pulled out her other saber, igniting it with a quick gesture she took a stance that surprised her opponent for a second. One saber was held up in the usual guard, while the other blade was held upside down in the other hand, blade pointing at the floor.

Qui-Gon attacked, swiftly pressing in, trying to find a chink in the stance that his bondmate now held, but he was met by a furious barrage of blocks and countermoves. He backed off slowly as he watched the intricate moves, gaging them, judging the exact movements.

Shan backed off and watched Qui-Gon's eyes widen as she switched off both blades, she brought one hilt in contact with her first and clicked the two together. In a movement that was eerily reminiscent of Qui-Gon's battle on Naboo, Shan held up the changed weapon as if offering it for inspection, drawing her right hand slowly back from the handle she ignited the dual saber casually as she stared at Qui-Gon. <Obi-Wan, come fight with your Master.>

<Master Shan?> the young Knight's confusion was clear.

<Come fight beside Qui-Gon, I want to show the both of you something.>

Obi-Wan shrugged out of his overrobe and came to stand beside his Master.

Shan nodded, "Begin." is was not a request, but a command.

The two Jedi advanced slowly, waiting for the attack. With flashy twists of the blade Shan advanced also, then without warning, she attacked.

Mace walked into the training room and was greeted by the awesome sight of lightsabers flashing at full strength. He stared as he recognized the combatants, *Shan is using a dual-bladed saber*, he thought, amazed by the sight of the rare lightsaber that flashed across the room, the opal-white blade bouncing off of the blue and green blades of the other two Jedi. "How long have they been doing that?" Mace turned to ask the Padawan next to him and smiled when he recognized Keira.

"Master Jinn started it thirty minutes ago." Keira stood staring at her Master in amazement, she knew that Master Shan-Dowe was a Weapons Master but that didn't diminish the amazement she felt at all.

Because of her new Bond, Shan knew every move that the Sith had used, and she used them here. Then she changed tactics slightly, flicking her wrist, she savagely bore into Obi-Wan batting the saber from his hand, she knocked him to the floor unconcious, she turned quickly and had her blade at Qui-Gon's throat. "You're both dead." Her voice emotionless as she stared at him. She straightened slowly and shut off her dual blades, disconnecting them she returned one to her belt and the other to its place between her shoulder blades. She turned to walk away but suddenly dropped and had an ignited blade back in her hands, blocking the green saber that was approaching her back.

"Never turn your back on an opponent unless you are positive that he is dead." Qui-Gon's voice was frosty with lack of feeling.

"But I knew you would do just what you did, and I was prepared."

"Touche." He saluted her with his blade as he shut it down and found himself with the warmth of a saber at his throat for the second time in less than a minute.

"Never lower your defenses against an armed assailant." Shan's voice picked up a slightly amused tone.

Qui-Gon lowered his closed shields and flooded her mind with images of them from the night before, when she flinched at the intensity of the emotions he reached out and grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest, "You must be ready for anything." He chided her softly.

Shan laughed as he twined his fingers in her long hair, she reached up and ran her fingers into his hair and pulled him into a rough kiss. <With you, my love, I never know what to expect.>

<We're attracting attention again, precious.>

<What if I say that I don't care?>

<I would normally agree with you, but Mace and Yoda are approaching.> Qui-Gon grinned as she released him reluctantly.

Master Yoda looked up at the two Jedi Masters as he approached them, "Creating a spectacle, you were. Happy are you, hmmmmm?"

Qui-Gon grimaced slightly, Master Yoda was in one of his more interesting moods, "We were practicing, Master Yoda."

Mace snorted, but he kept silent.

Shan knelt in front of the diminutive Jedi, "You wish to speak to me, Master?"

"Needs to be done, something does. Know what it is, you do." Yoda watched her with a small smile.

"I know. When?" Shan asked quietly.

"An hour, in Council chambers." Yoda turned and walked out of the room.

Mace grinned at his friend, "You never do anything by halves, do you, Qui-Gon?"

The Master shrugged as he drew Shan up by his side, "I suddenly find myself with a certain motivation for the unusual and occasional outbursts of emotion, Mace." He laid his arm across Shan's shoulder, "And I find that I like it." he grinned, "A great deal."

Mace shook his head, "Enjoy it, my friend, you deserve it." He turned and left the room.

An hour later saw Shan and Qui-Gon speaking to the Council when the Temple Guards escorted Danni T'Ure into the room.

Qui-Gon felt Shan tense when she turned to look at the man that had almost killed her, then slowly the tension ebbed from her as she approached the distraught man. "Your life is in my hands, Danni T'Ure." Her voice was calm and emotionless. "Do you have anything to say on your own behalf?"

"I love you." Danni's voice was choked with emotion. "I always have and I always will."

"Love?" Shan arched an eyebrow, "For me?" She stared at him, judging his reaction to her cool voice, "I am a Jedi, the Jedi Code states ~There is no Emotion, There is Peace~."

"I know that you are not this cold, Shan."

Her name, spoken so familiarly by this man, brought gasps from a few of the Council members.

"You feel passion for me?" Shan slowly circled Danni.

"Yes!" Danni cried out, "I do!"

"There is no Passion, There is Serenity."

"I am not an ignorant man, Shan, I know what you are and who you are."

"There is no Ignorance, There is Knowledge." Shan continued her slow circle around him.

"Then kill me now, because I cannot live without you." Danni fell to his knees.

"There is no Death, There is the Force." Shan stood in front of him once again. She knelt before him, raising his face to look at hers, "You seek death because you lust for something that was never yours to have?"

"Yes." His voice was quiet as he stared at her.

Shan reached for her lightsaber, removing it from her belt she stood and ignited the blade. Danni flinched when he heard the snap-hiss of the blade and cringed when he felt the hum of the active saber near his head. Slowly he raised his head to stare at Shan, "Kill me, I beg you, I cannot live without you."

Shan stared at him and as she did she could feel the love and warmth that Qui-Gon was sending through their Bond. She shut down the saber and hung on her belt as she knelt in front of Danni once again, "I have decided your punishment, Danni T'Ure." She reached out her right hand, beckoning to Qui-Gon, "But first, I want you to know something." She felt Qui-Gon's presence behind her and his hands now rested on her shoulders, "Because of you and your scheme to possess me, I have been changed." Shan's eyes grew slightly hard, "Look at me, Danni."

He slowly raised his eyes to stare at her face.

"You gave me my BondMate, Qui-Gon Jinn."

A look of pure horror came over Danni's face as he watched Shan-Dowe stand up.

Qui-Gon slipped his hands around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder, "I thank you, Danni, for the gift, even though it was not what you intended."

"NNNNOOOOOOO!" an anguished cry tore from Danni's throat as he launched himself at Shan.

The Jedi Master easily evaded the maddened rush, and just as easily brought Danni back to his knees, "I sentence you to life, Danni T'Ure, a punishment that will haunt you for the rest of your days. A never-ending dream of a love that was never yours." Shan nodded at the guards, who came and took a broken man from the Council chambers.

Shan turned to face Master Yoda, "Justice has been done." her voice spoke with finality as she turned and left the room.

Qui-Gon quickly followed her. <Are you okay, precious?>

<Take me home, please.> Shan's mind was disturbed. <Help me forget what I just did to that man.>

<Of course, Beloved.> Qui-Gon pulled her close to himself as she started to shake.

In the Council chambers, Mace sat staring over his steepled fingers, "It is finished then?" he asked no one in particular.

"Finished it is, learned what she needed, she did." Yoda's face was calm and serene as he also stared into air. "A destiny they have together." His voice held a slight bit of awe in it.

.........THE END.........OR IS IT JUST THE BEGINNING???????