Master Apprentice Archive At Your Side Quick search:

At Your Side

by Rogue (rogue10@hotmail.com)

Archive: Yes; Master_Apprentice, and my page. Anyone else, please ask.

Category: Hurt/Comfort, Action/Adventure, Drama, mild Romance

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: none to speak of, unless you're against Obi-owies and these are rather minor.

Spoilers: none to speak of.

Summary: The Favorite Duo (that would be Q/O) get sent to Obi's home planet to help a young woman who is taking her deceased father's place as Senator. Stuff happens.

Feedback: Yes, at rogue10@hotmail.com, off-list (i'm not on it).

Disclaimer: George Lucas owns Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and any other official Star Wars characters and place settings. Me, I own the gray clay that hatched this experiment, the computer said experiment got molded on, and the facetious sense of humor that fueled the smart-ass one-liners our boys tossed at each other throughout this thing.

Disclaimer 2: Lyrics, song, and Album of "NINE LIVES" owned by Aerosmith. "Taste of India" is also owned by Aerosmith. I had to pay homage, I really did.

Author's Note: In this story, the characters eat a dessert called Chocolate Fantasy. In reality, it's called "Tar Heel Pie," a North Carolina recipe that I've made a few times (if anyone needs a reference as to how good it is, please contact MrsHamill, who can testify as to the yumminess of it). While it's no Choco-Jedi, it's still a knock-your-socks-senseless-never-mind-off wallop of a chocolate treat. It's disgustingly simple to make, too. If anyone would care for the recipe, it can be found on my page: http://www.geocities.com/moodyblusr/roguesgallery.html

Author's Note 2: I wrote this in bits and pieces over the length of a year, and I actually finished it early in 2001, and then tried to post it. However, due to Archivist problems at Master and Apprentice ... That being said, thanks go to Glass Houses for being so kind as to tell me what to do with this puppy. And for being so nice about how it was told! ^_~ So, here it is, finally, re-worked, re-posted, and above all, finished. Sorry it took so long. I got a little behind on my TPM fics.

Obi-Wan followed the faint sense of his master's presence in his mind as it led him along the hallways of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. They had arrived back from their vacation to Qui-Gon's home planet two days ago, and the two Jedi had caught up on the latest information while waiting to find out what their newest assignment would be.

He approached a corner in the Western wing of the Temple at mid-level, down near the labs and the holodecks, which were used primarily by the Infirmary, two floors away, for physical therapy. As he approached said corner, he heard his master's voice, as well as the voice of another man.

He stopped abruptly, not at all liking what he heard in the stranger's voice.

"...now that we're caught up on the official stuff, what time would you like to meet me for dinner? The usual time, usual place?" the other man asked, his tone warm and inviting.

Qui-Gon's voice was pleasantly calm, infused with a bit of his own warmth. "No, thank you, D'metri. I'm afraid I can't."

"Oh, really?" Here the voice was a little incredulous, as well as - ridiculously, to Obi-Wan's way of thinking - a trifle possessive. "Why not? Got a hot date?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact."

Obi-Wan grinned. He knew as well as Qui-Gon did that the only thing they both had planned for the evening was a new training routine that his master felt he was ready for and then some private, personal entertainment.

"I see." The voice was a bit on the chilly side now. "So, who's my replacement? Anyone I know? Anyone as good as I was at taking your edge off?"

The padawan felt his master's discomfiture and hesitation, and chose that moment to make his entrance. Fixing a smile on his face, he rounded the corner and walked up to stand obediently and properly beside his master.

"Master, here you are! I thought I sensed you."

Qui-Gon gave him a reserved smile even as he spoke through their bond. Of course you did, scamp. You were standing two feet around the corner, listening to a private discussion.

Obi-Wan fought his blush, but lowered his eyes in atonement.

The Jedi master reached out and placed a steady hand on his padawan's shoulder, pulling him subtly closer, giving the younger man a fond smile and a caress through their training bond. Then he looked at his friend D'metri, thereby drawing Obi-Wan's attention to the man as well.

Taller than Obi-Wan by an inch, not as tall as Qui-Gon, the older man had jet-black hair and the most fascinating mixture of violet and blue eyes Obi-Wan had ever seen. His elegant, handsome face was astonishingly covered in a thin, dark gray fur, with lighter patches swirled randomly. The body was long, lean, and sensual, despite the slightly overly prominent muscular strength. D'metri was dressed in brown pants that clung to him, dark brown boots and leather jacket of the same color, and a light ecru T-shirt that fit him like a second skin. It was an outfit usually worn by Jedi operatives sent to the Outer Rim for months on end, for whatever reason their mission.

D'metri glanced down at the young padawan and did a mental double take. Wait a moment ... Jinn's new lover was ... his apprentice? The very same apprentice he'd been pining after for two years? The one D'metri knew he'd been a stand-in for? Very slowly, a pleased smile spread across his face. "Well, hello there, Obi-Wan. I finally get to meet Qui-Gon's star pupil."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows winged up to his hairline and he turned an incredulous glance on his master. "His what?"

Qui-Gon shrugged, trying hard to not look embarrassed. "So I've mentioned you a few times."

"Few times?" D'metri teased, one eyebrow raised. "Oh, come now, Qui-Gon, be realistic. Your pride in him is all I've ever heard about whenever we found time to get together."

Obi-Wan took pity on his master and kept a serene expression on his face. The highly charged amusement that flashed across their bond told Qui-Gon the truth, however.

Said Jedi master sighed and glared at his friend. "If you're through ribbing me in front of my apprentice, D'metri..."

"No, not yet, but I can wait," the other man replied, grinning. "I'll be here at the Temple for the next few weeks, thankfully."

"Oh, joy," Qui-Gon muttered. Through the training bond, he ordered, Don't say it; not one word.

Kenobi obeyed him, but he knew he was going to have some fun with his master and lover later that evening.

"Obi-Wan, go get ready for training practice," Qui-Gon ordered. "I'll meet you at the training hall in half an hour."

The padawan bowed to his master, then to D'metri, and walked away. He stopped and tucked himself up against the wall again a few feet away from the corner, however, and dampened the sense of his presence, wondering what else - if anything - the two men would have to say about him.

"So, you finally got him, huh?" D'metri asked conversationally, a grin evident in his voice.

"Yes, I finally did. Five months ago when he turned eighteen. It turns out that he's been harboring romantic inclinations towards me as well," Qui-Gon replied, smug happiness in his tone.

"Well, that's all right, then," the other man said, astonishing the eavesdropping padawan.

"Oh, really? And why is that? A few moments ago, you were becoming frostier than Hoth in deep winter to me."

"Because it's easier to accept being replaced by your one true love, Jinn, rather than because I'm no longer good enough for you."

Obi-Wan had to agree with that. However, he did not really care for the warmth in his lover's voice when the man replied, "You were always good enough, D'metri." Then the younger man melted with a smile when Qui-Gon finished with, "You just weren't Obi-Wan."

"True enough. I'm glad for you both, Qui-Gon, that you've finally gotten hold of each other." The genuine warmth in D'metri's tone made the padawan smile.

Suddenly, in his mind, he heard, Are you satisfied now? Or have you not heard enough?

Obi-Wan blushed, sent sheepish-ness along their bond to his lover, and without further ado turned and scurried off down the hall.

Qui-Gon made his farewells to D'metri and walked along the hallways toward the training hall. If anyone noticed him chuckling to himself, they didn't give any sign of it.

The Master and Apprentice team stood together in the center of the Council chamber, awaiting instructions.

Twelve Councilors stared back at them, each face silent and impassive.

"Good afternoon, Master Jinn," Mace said pleasantly, inclining his head slightly to his friend. "We have a mission for you and your padawan."

Qui-Gon replied in the same manner. "Good afternoon, Master Windu. Please, enlighten us as to our next mercy mission."

Brief smiles flickered among the Councilors and then Mace said, "Very well. You two have been chosen to go to Rinjornn. Your home planet, I believe, Obi-Wan."

"Yes, Master Windu."

The older man nodded noncommittally and resumed the mission briefing. "The Rinjornn Senator was killed recently in a speeder crash, and his daughter is not quite of age to take his place, though she has been groomed to do so. At the moment, she is being rather obstinate about it, upset as she is about her father's death. We are sending you to keep an eye on her as bodyguards, advisors, and encouragement. This will take three weeks to complete, as by then she will have come of age. Any questions?"

"I do not believe so. Any information we'll especially need to know will be forwarded to our datapads, I assume," Qui-Gon said quietly, receiving nods from the Councilors. "When do we leave?"

"Three hours."

"Then I guess we should be packing. With your permission, Masters?"

The Councilors nodded again and intoned, "May the Force be with you."

Bowing, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan strode from the room.

The two men headed down the halls to their quarters, silent as neither had very much to say. Once inside, they began packing for their lengthy mission.

"Well. From my planet to yours," Qui-Gon said, chuckling. "I wonder if there's a conspiracy afoot."

Obi-Wan grinned. "I doubt it, Master. But I do hope you'll enjoy my home planet as much as I enjoyed yours."

The two men exchanged wicked grins and heated, teasing looks, then resumed packing again.

"I'm sure I will, my Obi-Wan," the Jedi Master said, neatly stuffing a tunic into his carry-sack. "And if you want, we'll try to make time to go see your family."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a fond desire to visit my mother in hopes of getting some of her chocolate cookies out of her, would it?" the younger man said, smiling wickedly.

"I have no greater gift than to give my waist for my love," Qui-Gon said stoically, and Kenobi cracked up.

"Crap! I've been replaced by chocolate. Oh, well, had to happen sooner or later, once you got into that last holiday package my mother sent - ahhh! No, wait! Qui-Gon!" the younger Jedi yelled, leaping over the couch and facing off against the older man. "We're supposed to be packing!"

"You started it, scamp!"

"So flash the other chee - yargh! No! I meant turn! TURN the other cheek!" Obi-Wan shouted over the loud sounds of Qui-Gon's laughter at his young lover's verbal mistake.

The padawan sighed as he observed his master's hysterical laughter and then simply set about packing both their carry-sacks, knowing that he was safe from any further ambitious notions. Besides, he really enjoyed the sound of Qui-Gon's laughter, and relished the chance to listen to it while he could, knowing that the older man would be calm and reserved on their mission.

"Greetings, Attache Norste. I am Qui-Gon Jinn and this is my padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. We are the Jedi Ambassadors for Senator-to-be Kileinnie Turrow."

A woman of average height, silvery-blonde hair, and green eyes turned from a computer terminal as the two Jedi walked further into her office. She smiled at the sight of them. "Ah! Yes, Jedi Jinn and Kenobi, welcome to Rinjornn. Or should I say 'welcome home'?" she asked, smiling brightly at Obi-Wan.

The younger man smiled back and said, "'Welcome to Rinjornn' is fine, Attache Norste. I haven't been home for a year or two, and this is the first trip for my master."

"Now, why have you waited so long, I wonder? Oh, well. Hmm, so you're as much an out-of-towner as anyone else visiting here, aren't you? Ah, well, hopefully you'll have time to see the sights while you're here. And please, call me Faye; the three of us are going to be working closely together for a few weeks," the pretty woman said.

Qui-Gon smiled as well, relaxing in the easy-going atmosphere. "And we are Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, Faye. Thank you for the gracious welcome. Is Kileinnie about?"

"Oh, certainly. She's down in the garage bay, working on her speeder bike," Faye replied, glancing at her desk and picking up a notebook, thumbing through it.

The two Jedi exchanged raised eyebrows. "Speeder bike?" Kenobi echoed.

Faye put the notebook down and rifled through the other papers on her desk. "Yes, the girl is a mechanic of suitable degree. Her father indulged her learning tastes while she was growing up, so she's not exactly the stereotypical rich society girl you might have been expecting. Ah-ha! Found it!" On that triumphant note, Faye held up a piece of paper.

"Found what?" Obi-Wan asked politely.

"Part of what I was looking for, which was the information docket for you two. It contains all the information on our budding young Senator that you'll need to know: medical history, academics, weapons training, political science training, hobbies and so on. The better to understand what you've gotten yourselves into with her."

"And that's it?" Jinn asked, nodding to the paper in Faye's hand.

"This? Oh, no. It's a reminder note I wrote myself about where I put your information docket. And the answer to that is, in your rooms. I locked it into your desk ahead of time. The way things have been going on around here lately, I figured better safe than sorry. So, anyway, I suppose I'd better show you to your rooms, then point the way to the garage bay. Will that suit?" she asked.

"Just fine," Qui-Gon said, stepping back and gesturing with a calm, attractive smile for her to lead the way. As with many females when faced with Qui-Gon Jinn's charm, Faye blushed slightly and led the way out of the office after picking up two ID cards from her desk. She locked the door behind them all and then led the way through the tasteful corridors.

"Ever since Kilenu Turrow died, we've been doing our best to get Kileinnie prepped for taking his place, since that's legal here on Rinjornn - children taking over their parents' jobs due to either retirement or death - but she's rather understandably upset about doing so." Faye took them through the large housing complex of the Turrow Household and Offices as she gave a quick summary of the current situation. "She keeps putting off meetings and accepting any responsibilities. We're running out of time. Kileinnie is the best person for the job, having learned from her father. A lot better than the lead competitor, a man by the name of Walrin Hunter. His latest hair-brained idea is to get Kileinnie to marry him."

"And what is her view on that?" Qui-Gon asked.

"You can ask her, if you need a few spots of color in your life," Faye retorted. "Suffice it to say, Kileinnie isn't all that taken with the idea. Here we go."

She handed the two Jedi their ID cards. "Just use these to swipe yourselves in. I'm going to assume that you're intelligent and not too exhausted, and so can explore your rooms and figure things out for yourselves. If there's anything you're not sure of, or simply want to know, feel free to ask and I'll do what I can to help you out."

"Thank you, Faye. You are a charming and helpful aide," Qui-Gon said warmly, taking the woman's hand in both of his and smiling.

Faye blushed again and smiled. "Thank you for the kind words, Jedi Jinn. I hope you both enjoy your stay with us. Go ahead and get settled in; I'll forward directions to the garage bay to your terminal." She flashed a grin at both men and disappeared down the corridor again.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at his lover and master, then turned without a word and swiped the card, letting himself into their living quarters for the next few weeks.

Qui-Gon followed and said, "Now, what was that look for?"

"Don't you think you're laying the charm on a little too thickly?" the younger man asked as he dropped his pack onto the communal sofa in the common area and stretched.

Qui-Gon dropped his pack as well and sat down on one arm of the couch, watching his student and lover. "No, I don't. I'm using the same amount of charm I've always used. You can't tell me you're jealous about it now, when you claimed months ago that you weren't jealous at all."

Kenobi grinned and walked up to his master. He leaned in and kissed the older man, then pulled back slightly to murmur, "No, I'm not really jealous; at least, not much. I guess I like having all that warmth and attention given to me, even if I know better."

Jinn laughed and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan's waist, pulling him closer. "Thank you, love. You do wonders for my ego. Well, shall we settle in and then find our way to the garage bay?"

"By all means. I'm getting more and more curious about our new Senator-to-be."

The two Jedi wandered through the halls after quickly consulting their quarters' computer terminal. The message from Faye Norste was there, as promised, and so before long they found themselves in a garage bay. The few people who were in the large area nodded to them and Qui-Gon stretched out with his Force sense. It was unnecessary as, a few moments later, music blasted out from a nearby corner.

"I got good luck (in certain situations),
I'm feelin' like I hung the moon;
And then at times I'm so weak from lovin',
I couldn't even carry a tune..."

Obi-Wan suppressed a grin. That was actually one of his favorite songs to listen to when in the mood for a hard, fast, solitary workout. The adrenaline level the music helped him to achieve was incredible. Already, he found himself starting to like Kileinnie Turrow. Although, across the training bond, he could sense that Qui-Gon was doing his best to ignore the music. While he didn't find it offensive, it simply wasn't to his tastes. Something Obi-Wan had always kept in mind and therefore only listened to when he would be alone for a long while.

They approached the young woman in the corner. She was hunched over as she sat near the lower rear end of the speeder bike, fiddling with a bit of wiring and a soldering iron as she grumbled to herself.

A pair of narrowed gray eyes looked over a slender shoulder and narrowed further when she saw them standing there, waiting for her. She turned her head back to her speeder bike and soldered a few more wires, then leaned over and shut off the music. As Qui-Gon breathed an internal sigh of relief and Obi-Wan sighed with regret, Kileinnie got to her feet and dusted off her hands, then turned to face them.

The two Jedi looked the young woman over, inspecting her just as she was inspecting them. The seventeen-year-old girl stood an inch under Obi-Wan's height. She was dressed in a dirty, worn jumpsuit, the top half of which had been shrugged off and tied around her waist so she could work comfortably in a loose T-shirt that had gotten equally grungy from her work. Chestnut brown hair with auburn streaks in it was tied back, her bangs hanging in her face, which was not overwhelmingly beautiful, but not homely, either. She merely had a good balance of the two. Her gray eyes, which Obi-Wan could now see were more of a silvery color, were framed by thick black lashes that blinked to clear dust out of them. He stilled the urge to squirm slightly as her mouth quirked into a half-smile. For some reason, she was affecting his senses rather strongly. Considering that she was tall, long-limbed, and apparently nicely put together, he supposed he shouldn't have been too surprised.

"H'lo," Kileinnie said. "You're the Jedi I was told were coming to advise me?"

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bowed, the older man slanting a quick look at his student and lover. He wondered why his Padawan had raised minimal shields suddenly. Ignoring his subconscious' attempts to rattle him for the moment, he straightened and smiled at the young woman. "Hello, Miss Turrow. Yes, we're the Jedi advisors sent to you. I am Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and this is my student, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Kileinnie turned her gaze from the highly attractive older man in front of her to the smaller, younger man standing beside him, and her breath caught subtly. Hells Bells and spotty widgets, why hadn't anyone warned her that the Jedi would be sending a young god and an older one? Her eyes locked with the gray-blue of the younger Jedi's, and she felt herself shiver slightly. She hadn't been looking forward to this at all, but now that they were here, she found herself thinking that this probably wouldn't be such a bad time after all.

Obi-Wan stared back at the girl who was half a year younger than him and wondered why he was reacting to her as he was. He didn't like it; he loved Qui-Gon, adored his body, and so this was making him decidedly uncomfortable. He nodded a greeting to Kileinnie and said, "Hello, Miss Turrow. Pleased to meet you."

Smooth, cultured, and slightly accented. A wonderful voice, Kilennie catalogued, that blended well with the rich voice of the older man. Yup, she was definitely going to have fun. However, she wasn't about to let either of the men in front of her know it just yet. She grinned at Kenobi and said, "Same, Jedi Kenobi. Pardon me if I don't shake your hand?" Still grinning, she held up her dirty, oily hands.

He grinned back, relaxing slightly. "Not a problem. Do you need any help? I've a fair amount of experience with mechanical work."

She raised an eyebrow. "I thought Jedi involved themselves in spiritual and organic things?"

"We do, Miss Turrow, but we're not limited to it." He chose not to offer any more information, and she didn't press it.

"Well, okay, then. Actually, I've got a handle on it, but if I ever do need the help while you're here, you can bet, I'll yell for you." Then she grinned and said, "And if you're lucky, I'll be nice when I do it."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, echoed by his master, and then grinned back.

Qui-Gon chose that moment to break into the conversation. "Miss Turrow-"

She held up a hand, halting his words. With an apologetic smile, she said, "Please, Jedi Jinn, call me Kileinnie. I prefer it."

He nodded. "Very well, Kileinnie. You may call me Qui-Gon. I believe there's nothing planned for tonight except for a semi-formal dinner, so Obi-Wan and I shall tour the house and grounds if it's alright, and tomorrow we may begin our duties?"

Kileinnie stared stonily at Qui-Gon. "You know, everyone is getting kind of pushy about my taking my fath - the Senator's place in three weeks. Would it be too much to ask to be left alone for a bit to grieve before I get pushed into a job I wasn't planning to have for a dozen or so years?"

"I understand your reluctance, Kileinnie, truly I do. I won't be 'pushy' about this, as you call it, but it is my duty to help you adjust to your new position. I shall do my best to make this as comfortable and easy as possible, but I must be honest with you when I say that my concern for the Rinjornn people is motivating me strongly," the Jedi Master replied, adopting the attitude he usually took when Obi-Wan got stubborn about something.

She sighed and said, "I understand, Qui-Gon. I don't like it, but I understand. Now, if I'm not being rude, I was in the middle of something I was enjoying. While it was nice meeting you, its not often lately that I get to harass the garage techs with my music choices." She grinned, indicating the joke.

The two Jedi smiled in reply and bowed slightly. "We'll see you at dinner then, Kileinnie. Enjoy your down time," Qui-Gon answered, and he turned to leave.

Obi-Wan smiled again at Kileinnie and added, "By the way, great choice in music. Really gets the adrenaline going, doesn't it?"

She blinked in surprise. "You like that music?"

"Yes. We can talk about it sometime, if you like. Please excuse me." And with that, he turned and took his place a pace behind his master, following as the older man led the way out of the garage bay, leaving the young would-be Senator to stare after him in confused interest.

Master and Apprentice wandered down the halls, finally locating the doors that would let them outside. Once they were heading toward the garden, Qui-Gon finally spoke up. "Obi-Wan..."

"Yes, Master?" the padawan inquired.

Qui-Gon stared down at his young lover and finally nudged against Obi-Wan's shields via the training bond. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

Kenobi frowned and shrugged. "I ... nothing, really, Master. I was just taken by surprise by Kileinnie. I'm sorry, I hadn't really noticed I'd raised the shields." So saying, he let them go.

The older man did him the courtesy of not probing his thoughts, but it still worried him slightly. "That you two would have so much in common?"

"I don't know as we have too much in common, Master," the padawan hedged, giving a wry smile. "We're both Rinjornnans, we're both in the same age bracket, and apparently we have the same taste in music, but that's about it."

"You're both stubborn, too, love," Qui-Gon teased softly, chuckling when Obi-Wan blinked, then rolled his eyes with a resigned sigh. "As you get to know her better, you'll probably discover that you have more in common with her."

"I suppose so. But for now, it's probably easier and better that I regard her more as an assignment - one in need of careful handling - than as a potential friend. It could complicate things."

"How so?" Jinn was surprised. Obi-Wan rarely was reluctant to make new friends when given the opportunity to do so. What could have made the young man so wary of this one?

"It just could," the younger man replied.

"That's never stopped you from befriending 'assignments' before," Qui-Gon pointed out quietly.

"What do you want me to say, Master?" Obi-Wan burst out irritably, then grimaced and turned away to face a flowering bush in the garden they had entered a few moments before.

Jinn blinked. This was highly unusual. Walking up to the younger man, he gently placed his hands on his lover's shoulders. "Obi-Wan, tell me what's troubling you. Please?"

The padawan sighed. Finally, picking at the leaves on the bush, he said,

"When I looked at her, I ... reacted to her. In an interested sort of way."

"Ah. I see."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes as he felt Qui-Gon's hands lift from his shoulders. Oh, please, don't let him think I don't want him, he pleaded silently, then turned. He found his lover still standing behind him, looking down at him with a patient, open expression.

"I don't understand," he said softly. "How can I react to her that way when I love and want you? My feelings for you haven't lessened one whit, so why did I regard her with such interest? It doesn't make any sense."

Qui-Gon smiled. While it did his heart good to hear Obi-Wan's affirmation, he could see that this was distressing his young love. Reaching up, he gently stroked his knuckles down one smooth cheek. "Obi-Wan, this is a perfectly normal reaction. Kileinnie is a young, pretty girl with common interests. Of course you will be attracted to her. You shouldn't worry over such a basic human reaction. You worry when you would consider taking her up on any ... offers that she might give you."

The young man lifted his head quickly, his gray-blue eyes flashing hotly. "I wouldn't, Qui-Gon. I love you. I want you. You're all I need."

Passionate youth. It's been so long since I've experienced such young love from his end of things, Qui-Gon thought to himself. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed Obi-Wan's forehead. "I am glad to hear your romantic devotions, love. However, it may be that you need more than your old master. But I am not going to be foolish enough to deny us the pleasure of each other's company, not while I have you in my arms and telling me you love me."

Obi-Wan glared up at his lover. "If you call yourself old again, Qui-Gon, so help me, I'm going to maim you and whatever other pathetic life form you drag home with you next!"

Qui-Gon laughed and tapped the end of his lover's nose. Grinning, he said, "And here I thought you were a proper young Jedi. Lessons learned, I suppose. I won't be surprised, though, when she sneaks a kiss on you and you respond to it."

"I won't," he snapped, then closed his eyes. What was going on with him that he was so irritable towards his master?

"Really? I confess, I've forgotten what it was like to be a young handsome Jedi, but as I recall, I had more than my share of sneaky kisses. Most of them were quite enjoyable. The trick, my cranky love, is to decide how far you want to go with it and how diplomatic you have to be when declining." Qui-Gon chuckled as his lover sighed and then glared up at him. "What? I didn't call myself old."

"No, but you hinted at it. Trust you to find a loophole." Obi-Wan sighed again and then stepped forward, sliding his arms around his lover's waist and laying his head on Qui-Gon's chest. "I understand, I think. I just ... it was uncomfortable. I suppose I had assumed that having finally attained my heart and soul's desire, I would never react like that again."

Strong arms wrapped around him and a kiss was pressed to the top of his head. "It's a tough lesson to learn when you're a young, hormonally active young man. I was the same when I first fell in love. Yoda found it all rather amusing, actually."

"I don't want to think about you being in love with anyone other than me," the younger man growled. Then he sighed yet again and looked up, peering through his long lashes. "I know it's irrational, but I don't want to think of you with anyone else. You're mine now."

Qui-Gon grinned and leaned down to kiss the young man in his arms. "Yes, I am, love. And it may be irrational, but it's unavoidable. In truth, I don't like to think of you with anyone else, either."

"Then how can you be so accepting of this ... this..." Obi-Wan spluttered, and found his mouth captured in a deeper kiss. When his lover finally pulled back, he stared dazedly into hot blue eyes.

"Because I trust you, my love," Qui-Gon rumbled, smiling down at his lover. "I believe you when you say you love me and want me. I trust you when you say you wouldn't act on whatever fleeting attraction you might feel for anyone else. You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I do, but..." The Padawan halted that train of thought and then frowned slightly as understanding caught up with him. "You mean you've felt the same way?"

The Master nodded. "Here and there on our missions, I've found other people attractive. But I can ignore it because I compare them to you and what I feel for you. There's no contest, love. Who else do I know would tell me to stop being old and teases me and challenges me constantly? Who loves me and cooks for me and guards me and cares for me as wonderfully as you do?"

"There had better not be anyone else who does that for you other than me!" Obi-Wan declared hotly, then blushed when his lover laughed heartily. A moment later, he shrugged irritably. "Alright, alright. So being attracted to good-looking, interesting people is natural, and it's up to me to decide what to do about it. Basically, it's just a matter of taking that attraction and turning it right around back to you; to channel it into what I feel for you, like a meditation or something."

Qui-Gon smiled, proud of his scamp's understanding. "Yes, love, that's it. You're such a quick study. You really do make me very proud, you know."

"And quite possibly relieved, too?"

"That will have to wait until later, more's the pity," the older man quipped with a lecherous grin, nudging his semi-hard penis against his young lover's body.

Obi-Wan looked up, carnal promise in his beautiful eyes, then smiled and slipped away to help ease the temptation to both of them. "I have to agree with that one," he said quietly, grinning.

Qui-Gon chuckled again. "Come along, scamp. Let's continue our tour and then get back to freshen up for dinner."

Nodding, the student fell in beside his teacher and they continued their inspection of their temporary residence.

The next few days were a whirlwind of learning schedules and people's names and places. The Jedi were brought up to speed on the current status of the Rinjornn government and did their part as advisors on how to smooth out a few wrinkles here and there. Finally, things settled down enough for them to really begin their mission.

Kileinnie sat in the chair behind her father's desk in his office, feeling decidedly uncomfortable, upset, and unhappy. She was going over the latest bill to be brought through the government, which would have to be forwarded on to the Republic Senate as well. It was a courtesy gesture, to let the galactic decision-makers know what one of their member planets was up to, but also in case the Supreme Chancellor had a few ideas of his own to point out that might be beneficial.

Of course, that's probably not going to do a hell of a lot of good, Kileinnie thought sourly, if he decides to introduce the topic in a Senate meeting. Once the rest of those greedy pusbags get into it, it'll probably go downhill from there. So, best to keep it as neat as possible here on Rinjornn so there isn't anything for the others to muck with.

She looked up a few moments later when she felt someone staring at her. Master Jinn stood in the doorway. He smiled gently at her and bowed. "Good morning, Kileinnie. How are you?"

"Ready to spit nails. If you're certain you can stand being around my foul temper for a bit, you're welcome to come in and join me. Is there anything I can do for you, Qui-Gon?" the young woman answered, automatically slipping into polite Senator mode, as she had been taught to do from an early age.

"No, thank you. I sought you out in case you might need anything." He simply stood there, staring at her, waiting.

Kileinnie frowned. "Well, let's see. I need my father alive again and taking care of all these frustrating little details. I need my life back the way it was. If you're a magician, Master Jinn, I'd like to see you pull that trick."

He offered her a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Kileinnie; I am a Jedi, not a miracle worker. I can only do so much in a given situation."

"Ah. So, what would you do if the very person you depended on - assuming you depend on someone - up and died without warning, leaving you to struggle on alone, carrying a backbreaking load?"

Qui-Gon tilted his head to the side slightly and studied her. Finally, he spoke. "I do depend on someone, actually. I depend on lots of people, but Obi-Wan is my Padawan. His is the task of being there for me when I need someone to help me, and to learn what he can from the knowledge I have gathered while he gathers some of his own. He guards my life in battle, takes care of little details in general so that I don't have to, and is doing his best to learn from my teachings, making me highly proud of him in the process. Oh, and he's a marvelous cook. He is a terrific helpmate and friend, and I cannot place enough of a value on him. I suppose, if I were to lose him, I would be quite devastated." That's putting it mildly, Qui-Gon thought to himself. Were I to lose Obi-Wan, I would lose everything that made me look forward to every day of the rest of my life.

"But you would keep going because of all that Jedi junk that you've been taught. That the needs of others come before your own?" Kileinnie snapped. "You'd get right back into the swing of things, dying a little inside from hurt and loneliness, and never mind the fact that you only want to be left alone to nurse your wounds in private while the rest of the galaxy goes to any one of seven hells?"

"Yes, my 'Jedi junk' would do that for me," Qui-Gon replied. "It didn't the last time I lost a student, at least not right away. But after a bit, I realized I had to return to my life as a Jedi, for the galaxy had not stopped and waited while I was in pain. I am but one of infinite beings in a very large universe; I'm simply not special enough for everything, everywhere, to stop and take notice of me and my wishes."

She blinked. That was not precisely what she had wanted or expected to hear. "What happened? If I may be so bold," she asked quietly.

"The student before Obi-Wan turned to the Dark Side on the last mission before his upcoming Knighting. I was unable to save him. He escaped me because I was too uncertain of ending his life when we fought. I couldn't bring myself to simply cut down a person with whom I'd shared my life for so many years. And so he escaped into the galaxy. In fact, in a way, he helped bring me and Obi-Wan together at a time in my life when I'd sworn never to trust anyone again."

Kileinnie blinked again. "I can't imagine betraying someone so close to me," she murmured.

"Well, I wouldn't say Xanatos was as close to me as I was to him. But I understand what you are saying." And he left it at that.

She looked up at him for a long moment, then said, "You know, you're the first person I've run across yet who hasn't done that."

"Done what?"

"Said, 'then honor your father's memory by taking over' and blah, blah, blah," Kileinnie snorted. "It's nothing more than a trite phrase used to achieve other people's goals by playing on the feelings of the person the users are using it on." She studied him silently for a moment, then asked, "Why didn't you use it, if your goal is to help me stay in office?"

He smiled slightly. "Because it is a trite phrase used to achieve other people's goals by playing on the feelings of the person the users are using it on," he parroted, making her smile. "I try to accomplish my mission's goal by honorable means."

"Try?"

"Sometimes it becomes necessary to use less than honorable means. The dividing line is when it is and isn't necessary."

"Hmmm," she muttered to herself.

After a long, long silence, she glanced back down at the copy of the Bill in her hand. "This is so dry," Kileinnie growled.

"Pardon?" Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry. I understand it all, and I realize what the Bill is for, but it's so dry and legal-worded that I'm hard-pressed to keep from getting bored with it," she answered. "This would be a lot easier if I had my music. I can focus on anything then."

"Then why don't you try it?"

Kileinnie gaped up at the tall Jedi Master. "What?" she said.

He smiled. "If you're having a difficult time doing it this way, then why not use what you know to make it less difficult? How could it hurt?"

"But..." This was not what she had expected at all from the older man. He was the same age as many of the people she worked with and they all frowned on her in varying degrees of some of her favorite relaxation techniques. And he was a Jedi Master to boot! "But ... it hardly constitutes what a Senator is supposed to represent," she said, echoing word for word one of the staff's excuses. She chose another to add to it. "And it would distract everyone around here when they are trying their hardest to be productive for the good of the planet."

Qui-Gon looked at the young woman. He realized that, once he accomplished the job of getting her into the Senate and keeping her there, she was going to be a marvelous political leader. "Kileinnie, sometimes people need a little change in their lives to adapt to in order to prove they are as good as they claim," he said gently. "You have a personal music player, don't you? One with earphones that channel the music directly into your ears? Use that. Then no one can claim you are distracting them and you shall finish the work you need to." He smiled at her again. "This is your term as Senator, Kileinnie. Not anyone else's. Perhaps it's time the people had someone who is a little less stuffy. After all, your father wasn't quite the 'proper' image of a Senator, as I recall."

Kileinnie grinned. "No, he wasn't. He liked dance music and occasionally he'd play that in here. The others would put up with it because..." She trailed off.

"Because he was older, more experienced, and a man of strength and confidence in his own right," Qui-Gon murmured. "No one was going to tell a grown man with a family of his own and a senatorial term to serve what music he could and could not listen to. However, I'll bet he didn't have the music blasting out into the next solar system, either."

She gave him an innocent expression. "But Qui-Gon, that's the only really good way to listen to my music! The decibel level gives it its full artistic expression."

"That excuse did not work on me when Obi-Wan tried it and I doubt it will work on your staff. The chosen decibel level of you young people, I confess of my personal point of view, is enough to make a Bantha shed spontaneously in consternation."

Kileinnie laughed, slumping back in her chair. When she had calmed down a bit, she looked up at Qui-Gon with heavy lidded eyes. "You're not at all what I expected, you know. I thought the Jedi that would be sent would be stuffy, tight-lipped, no-nonsense old fogies. Zip out of four isn't bad."

"Ah, one out of four, then," Jinn quipped.

"Not even, Qui-Gon," she said. "You aren't old, and Obi-Wan is anything but, not with that ... well, never mind. Now, if you're through fishing for compliments, I'll go collect my music and get back to business."

Bowing with a small smile, the Jedi Master left the room and went in search of his apprentice.

He found Obi-Wan in the gardens, meditating. Qui-Gon stood off to one side at a distance, simply studying the outline of the man he loved. When Obi-Wan stood, shedding his robe to reveal training pants and a sleeveless training tunic, Jinn's eyes went a little darker as they traced over bare skin and shifting muscles. Eyes still closed, Kenobi took up his lightsaber and began a meditation kata; one of the physical exertion routines that relaxed Obi-Wan without tiring him out, a favorite of the padawan's. Smiling as his young lover neared the end of his kata, Qui-Gon slipped out of his robe and one layer of tunics, then took up his own lightsaber and stepped forward, aiming a strike towards his student's hip on low power.

Effortlessly, Obi-Wan blocked him, and again when Qui-Gon aimed for his ribs, and again, and again, and again.

The two of them entered into a "slow dance" of sorts. Obi-Wan kept his eyes closed, although a small smile glimmered about his mouth as he defended himself from his master's continual attacks. The two Jedi shifted with grace and controlled speed until finally, they halted a handspan from each other.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes slowly and smiled up at his lover and master. Qui-Gon caught his breath, then smiled back, his love and pride and desire burning in his eyes.

They stood quietly for a long moment and then Obi-Wan reached out with the Force and called his robe to him as he reattached his lightsaber to his belt. Using the same method, he called Qui-Gon's robe and tunic over to him and handed them to his master, waiting for the older man to dress. Then he stepped back and waited respectfully for his teacher to lead the way.

Serenely, sedately, they walked along the garden path and back into the building, moving calmly toward their quarters, their expressions neutral. Still calmly, Obi-Wan followed his master into the common room when the older man keyed the door open. A moment later, he found himself held in a crushing embrace, being kissed passionately. Their mouths meshed, twining hungrily with one another, and Obi-Wan thought that nothing, anything, anywhere in the universe, would ever taste so wonderful, so perfectly delicious, as his Qui-Gon.

They pulled the robes from each other's backs and reached to undo belts and sashes and tunics, casting them away as they kissed and kissed, tasting each other.

Jinn pulled his young lover close and stroked his lips down the soft, smooth cheek and the taut throat, nuzzling and nipping and licking here and there. He fastened his mouth to the join of neck and shoulder and sucked, marking the skin, savoring the soft passionate cry his love emitted. He stroked his hands over broad, muscular shoulders and down long, corded arms as his knees bent slowly, allowing him to kiss a trail down the muscled chest, sipping on hardened nipples, trailing his hot, wet tongue down the taut abdomen. He teased Obi-Wan's navel with his tongue, smiling slightly at the squirming and soft laughter, and then his large, graceful hands undid the ties to his lover's trousers and tugged them down to puddle about the tops of his boots, effectively trapping him.

Obi-Wan grinned down at the man kneeling before him, Qui-Gon's sensual mouth mere centimeters from his straining erection. "Oh, now that's hardly fair, Master," he murmured.

One eyebrow went up and Qui-Gon grinned back up at him. "What's fair?" he taunted. "You can't honestly mean to tell me you plan on going somewhere?" So saying, he gave one teasing lick to the head of his lover's cock.

The younger man gasped and arched forward involuntarily, his hands reaching to steady himself on Qui-Gon's head. He trembled slightly as he replied, "No ... no, can't say as I'm going somewhere. Coming is a certainty, though, it would seem."

His grin positively wicked, his dark blue eyes smoldering cobalt, the older man said, "Eventually."

Kenobi shivered and closed his eyes, leaning his head back.

Smiling, Qui-Gon leaned forward and slowly licked his way from the head down the length of the shaft to the base, kissing and nibbling slightly here and there. Moving lower, he cupped the heavy, hanging testicles and hefted them gently for better access, then leaned in and suckled on them, teasing with his tongue, enjoying the low moans Obi-Wan voiced. Giving in to his own urges, Jinn leaned up again and slowly sank his mouth down over the straining cock, sucking gently.

Obi-Wan arched forward again and cried out, his hands gripping his lover's head tightly. Biting his lip, he began to thrust carefully into the exquisite wet heat gripping his erection. Large hands settled on his hips, unobtrusively guiding him. He groaned low in his throat and moved a little faster, a little harder, the sucking pressure and teasing tongue driving him insane, and oh, fuzzy gods, he was going to explode ... "AhhhhhhhQui-Gon!" he screamed, his knees locking as he shuddered hard.

Qui-Gon removed his mouth from his lover's cock and let Obi-Wan's come cover his chest in staccato bursts, one large hand milking the younger man's cock with firm strokes, gentling as Kenobi's orgasm eased off.

A small, smug smile glimmered on Qui-Gon's mouth as he rose gracefully and leaned down to kiss the trembling mouth. Then he lifted Obi-Wan into his arms and carried the young man into Qui-Gon's bedroom and lay him down on the bed. He went about the task of further stripping his lover's boots and socks and underpants and trousers from his body. The younger man simply watched him, a tiny smile playing on his mouth. "What to do about you, now," he murmured softly, his interest rising again, though not yet expressed physically.

"Oh, don't worry, love, I have plans," Qui-Gon replied, drawing one finger through the wet, sticky mess on his own chest. He leaned down and reached between his lover's slightly spread legs and pressed the finger against the entrance to Obi-Wan's body gently, the slickened digit easing slightly inside.

Obi-Wan gasped and arched up just a bit, then eased back down, his expression turning utterly wanton and sensual. He smiled invitingly up at his lover and held out his arms to him.

Qui-Gon undressed in record time and then joined his lover, holding his body away although he leaned down and accepted the offered kiss with great enjoyment. He swiped his hand across his chest, gathering more fluid. He reached down to begin preparing his lover for his entry again. His kiss was pure seduction as he stroked gently into the young man beneath him, stretching him carefully, and Obi-Wan was beautiful in his response, arching and crying out into his mouth, his cock hardening again, his arms wrapping around Qui-Gon's shoulders.

"So good," Jinn whispered against his love's mouth as he gathered the last of the fluid on his hand. He reached down and coated his own erection as he continued. "You taste so good, my love. You are so good, so wonderful... Love you so much..."

"Yes," Obi-Wan groaned, dipping his mouth to nip and suck on his lover's throat. "Yes, Qui-Gon. Love you, want you, please, love..."

Groaning, the older man pressed forward, easing into his love's body. In one fluid stroke, he was all the way inside, seated deeply, resting in Obi-Wan's embrace. Shuddering, he pulled out, then pushed back in. Locking eyes with his lover, he increased his tempo, moving faster and harder inside as Obi-Wan gazed up at him, gasping out love words and Qui-Gon's name as he arched up to meet each movement. They arched and surged and writhed together until finally, Obi-Wan howled his pleasure, his come coating their chests and bellies, and Qui-Gon shuddered hard and plunged in deep, growling and gasping Obi-Wan's name as he spilled his seed inside his love.

A moment later, he collapsed atop the younger man, panting harshly as he attempted to regain his equilibrium. Finally, he lifted his head slowly and gazed down at the flushed, perspiring face of his lover. Obi-Wan grinned back at him tiredly and murmured, "Wonderful, my love. As always, better than ever."

Self-satisfaction evident in his smile, Qui-Gon leaned down and brushed a breathless kiss across the padawan's mouth, then rolled onto his side with a groan. The two men lay still for long moments, letting the heat and sweat evaporate. When the chill air from the air conditioning unit finally gave their bodies goose bumps, they cuddled together under the blankets, Qui-Gon stroking Obi-Wan's soft, spiky hair until the two of them fell asleep.

Faye Norste was not a happy camper, not by any means. She dashed through the halls, following leads on where either or both of the Jedi ambassadors had been spotted, so upset that she completely forgot about simply using the comlinks. Finally she saw the younger one ahead, what was his name, oh... "Jedi Kenobi!"

Obi-Wan turned and saw Norste running up to him and he frowned slightly, his Force sense tuning in to her anxiety. "Yes, Attache Norste, how may I help you?"

"That man, that dreadful man, he's come here to harass Kileinnie again!"

Faye gasped slightly, then caught hold of Obi-Wan's hand and tugged. "Come along, quickly!"

Not certain as to what was going on, the Padawan allowed himself to hurry after the woman as he sent a mental pulse along the training bond. Master, follow my Force sense; Kileinnie needs us. Turning his attention to Faye, he said, "Who is 'he'? What is he doing? Attempting to hurt her?"

She shook her head and said, "He is Walrin Hunter, and no, he's not hurting her, but he's annoying her severely, pestering her to marry him or let him have the Senatorial position or - according to him - preferably both. I'm afraid there's going to be a knock down stomp-fest if you don't diffuse the situation."

Obi-Wan finally understood the gist of Faye's ramblings and he hurried ahead to where he could hear a man's falsely soothing tones mixed in with Kileinnie's rather vociferous protests. He entered a meeting room and found the two combatants squaring off over a conference table.

Walrin Hunter was the type of man who was too used to having his own way to know when backing down was a good idea. Having met many people like this in his travels across the galaxy, Obi-Wan took one glance and then hung back and waited to see how Kileinnie would handle it. He would step in if the fight escalated beyond words.

"Now, my dear, calm down and be-" Hunter began, but the young woman cut him off.

"I'm not 'your dear', in any way, shape, or form!" Turrow stated coldly.

"You are an annoying interference who needs to be dragged out into the wilderness and lost. I've told you time and again, the answer is 'no'. What part of 'piss off' don't you understand?"

Obi-Wan's expression remained neutral, but inwardly, he was laughing. Kileinnie was, to put it mildly, a ballsy babe and it was clear that once she attained the senatorial position, she would run rings around the rest of the Senate.

Walrin's expression grew darker. He pulled himself up to his full height of 5'11" and attempted to suck in his large belly in an imposing manner. "Someone needs to learn you some manners, little girl."

"I learned them a long time ago, buster," Kileinnie informed him tartly. "I just don't need them when handling you. They'd only be wasted."

The old man's expression turned lecherous and he said tauntingly, "Oh, really? Well, just how would you 'handle' me, sweetheart?"

"Rocket launcher springs to mind," came the prompt reply. "Point blank range, preferably loaded with an incendiary payload. And I know just where I'd cram it in, too. Ever heard of a game called 'Perch and Spin', Hunter?"

Obi-Wan bit down on his lip, trying desperately to retain a grip on his laughter. The girl could sass like it was nobody's business. Later, he'd laugh himself into a hernia, but for right now, he needed to maintain the stoic Jedi facade.

Walrin shot an embarrassed, affronted glance in the Jedi's direction, his chubby face turning red with anger as he turned his gaze back on Kileinnie. A moment later, he turned and stalked for the door. Obi-Wan walked further into the room and off to the side, staying out of the way. He watched as the large, old man blustered over his shoulder at the young girl.

"Don't think you've heard the last of me, girl!" Hunter snapped. "You think you might be sitting pretty, but you're in for a world of trouble, and you're going to need me to help get you out of it. Come hell or high water, you're going to come crawling to me, and then I'll show you how to get things done and I'm going to enjoy doing it, too!"

Kileinnie's face flushed bright red and her eyes narrowed into enraged slits. Teeth baring in a silent snarl, she snatched up the briefcase she'd brought into the room with her, crammed full of notebooks and compads and other documents, and flung it with amazing accuracy towards her antagonist's head. Lifting his hand, Obi-Wan used a mild flick of Force to send the projectile winging in a curve towards him, where he caught it by its handle. Great mother of stars, this thing must weigh fifty pounds! he thought to himself, then fought down another round of hilarity when Qui-Gon walked through the door a moment later. His master's eyebrows were raised in a mildly curious expression, but the look he gave the beefy man in front of him was one Kenobi had seen used on objects placed before the older man that Qui-Gon found personally repulsive.

With a suitably courteous gesture, the tall, graceful man moved aside and walked past the quivering, shorter man, pointedly ignoring a potentially disastrous situation. The look he gave his padawan as he joined the young man, however, was enough to cause Obi-Wan to drop his eyes to the floor and bite his lip even harder to contain his laughter.

With a snort, the large man stuffed himself through the doorway and disappeared. Everyone in the room could hear him stomping down the hallway, blustering to the aide that scurried after him.

Faye turned to Kileinnie, worry in her eyes for the young girl she had helped train and raise. "Killy? Are you alright?"

"I will be once I've mounted his head on a pike!" young Turrow seethed, and plopped down in the chair she stood beside, propping her head in her hands.

Obi-Wan grinned and walked over to her, thunking the briefcase down on the table next to her. "Kileinnie, this thing weighs a ton. You could've brain damaged him."

The look she turned on him made him want to laugh again, and then he did when she snapped, "I hardly think so. I was aiming for his head, not his ass!"

Faye turned away to hide her grin and Qui-Gon smiled, walking up to stand beside his laughing padawan. "Would someone like to clue me in?" he inquired calmly.

Kileinnie blew out a loud sigh, then slumped back in her chair, glaring at the ceiling. "That was the charming Mr. Walrin Hunter, a.k.a., The Ratbag. He's the one who feels that he should have won the senatorial position when he ran for office against my father. The only reason he didn't get it is that my father had befriended a few of the influential people Walrin could have bribed, so he lost their support. So now, he figures he's got an easy shot of getting the position. The saving grace is that my father's death has tied the Senate up in knots of committee upon committee, so that by the time they pull their heads out of the Sarlacc Pit, I'll be old enough to step right into my father's shoes, which is legal. And by the time they get done voting on whether or not I'm experienced enough to pull it off, I'll have proven that I can handle it."

The Jedi nodded. Young Kileinnie had a good understanding of the internal workings of politics. This was good, since she was obviously putting it to good use.

"So why then does Mr. Hunter insist on marrying you?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Because he thinks he's the gods' gift to everybody and I should be falling down on my knees thanking any and all deities for the privilege of him even telling me I should marry him, the jerk!" she growled. "For some galaxy-forsaken reason, he's taken a shine to me, and now he won't get the idea out of his head. He's like a Rancor after prey; he just won't stop." She sighed again and rubbed her temples. "I wonder if I murdered some civilization or another in a past life," she muttered to no one in general.

The Jedi Master smiled and reached forward, resting his hand atop her head. He sent soothing pulses of Force through the young woman, easing away the migraine that had taken up residence in her head. "I highly doubt it, Kileinnie," he said quietly. "Are you alright?"

She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the relief from pain, then got to her feet, smiling wryly at him. "I feel the need to demolish something, but I've been informed that what I have in mind is somewhat on the illegal side. Other than that, though, I'm okay. I really need to work off this mad-on, though."

Obi-Wan glanced up at his master, silently asking permission, and when Qui-Gon nodded, he smiled at Kileinnie and said, "I have an idea."

She regarded the beautiful young man before her and a wicked smile played about her mouth. "Really? Do tell, are all my naughty dreams about to come true?"

"Kileinnie!" Faye gasped, aghast at what she had heard. Although, upon reflection, she supposed she shouldn't even have blinked at such a statement.

Turrow shot an apologetic glance at her friend and aide, and then turned her attention back to the Jedi.

The padawan grinned back at her. "Only if your dreams consist of grabbing your favorite music and sparring with me in a gym for an hour or two."

Oh, is that what they're calling it these days? Qui-Gon quipped along their bond, amusement highly evident in his tone.

What would you call what we do, then? Obi-Wan teased back.

Adjectives fail me, love, but rest assured, you've got me addicted, the older man laughed, and Kenobi heroically held in his own laughter, turning bright gray-blue eyes on the young woman before him.

Kileinnie had been mulling it over in her mind while the Jedi's had their discussion, and finally, she smiled and said, "Obi-Wan, it's a date. I'll meet you there in half an hour? That'll give me time to get to my rooms, change into work out clothes, hunt up a wheelbarrow to haul my music around with me, and get down to the gym."

"I'll be there with bells on," he assured her.

"Yes, but will there be anything else to go with it?" she sassed him, then grabbed up her briefcase, flashed him another mischievous grin and hurried out the door.

Attache Norste gave them an apologetic grin, a shrug, and scooted out the door after her charge.

Two seconds later, Obi-Wan was sprawled on the floor, howling with laughter as his master and lover stood over him, watching in amused wonder. When Obi-Wan finally gathered enough breath into his lungs to calm down a little bit, Jinn casually inquired, "Care to share the joke?"

Gritting his teeth to hold back his guffaws long enough, the younger man flashed the entirety of what he had heard along the bond to his master, then fell back with laughter again, curling in on himself and trying hard to regain control.

Qui-Gon sat down in a chair and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling as he chuckled. Sweet Force! he thought to himself. Thank all the fuzzy gods that gave me Obi-Wan, for without previous experience with him to fall back on, I'd probably be torn between falling on my ass with laughter or tearing my hair out until I resembled Mace. This just keeps getting better and better.

Finally, Obi-Wan calmed down and lay giggling in slight exhaustion on the floor. "Ahhhhhh..." he sighed quietly, "I needed that." Grinning, he propped himself up on his elbows. "Well, Master, I must be off. I have a date with an entertaining girl who wants to pound me into the ground like a tent peg in order to release some pent up annoyance."

"Ah, well, have fun, then," Qui-Gon announced, smiling back down at his love, standing and then helping Obi-Wan to his own feet. "When you get back, I'll be waiting with a hot bath and the massage oil to nurse your bruises and taxed muscles, for I have the feeling she intends to get in a good work out."

"Mmmm," the younger man purred, and leaned up to quickly kiss his lover.

"Can't wait. And when I'm sufficiently pandered to, you and I can have our own downtown stomp."

"My kingdom to have the energy and resiliency of my youth back," Jinn muttered, rolling his eyes slightly.

"You don't have a kingdom," Kenobi pointed out needlessly.

"Then I guess we're both going to have to put up with me as I am."

"Which makes me the luckiest scamp in the galaxy."

Pure, wicked delight in his grin, Qui-Gon gathered Obi-Wan to him for a resounding kiss, then pulled back. He turned the young man around and gave him a light smack to his rump to start him on his way. "Go along with you, you silver-tongued scamp. I'll see you later."

Grinning, Obi-Wan made his way with quick grace towards the gym.

"That was an intense workout," Kileinnie gasped as she and Obi-Wan stood back away from each other, preparing to go into their own cool down routines.

The young man grinned ruefully and nodded as he examined the beginnings of a spectacular bruise on his forearm. "You were incredibly riled up, weren't you? Master Qui-Gon is going to have a field day when he sees a few of these. It'll give him a great excuse to work on 'problem areas'."

The young woman paused and glanced at him worriedly. "I haven't gotten you in trouble, have I?"

He gave her a reassuring smile. "No, not at all; don't distress yourself about it, Kileinnie. We both did exactly what we were supposed to. You released your anger and I blocked it the way I've been trained to do. You're merely strong and quick and skilled enough to leave a mark or two ... hundred."

"How do you release your anger?" she asked, curious. "And why? Don't Jedi get mad?"

"Oh, sure, we get mad just like everyone else. We simply don't allow ourselves to hold onto it. Anger is ... a non-productive emotion, and we have a Code we follow. Anger leads to hatred, and hatred leads to suffering. If it's our job to ease the suffering in the galaxy, then we can't be party to it. As for how I release it, I meditate it away. I examine the events leading to my anger, trying to understand why I was so angry, and then let it go into the Force," Obi-Wan explained.

"So what do you use music for?"

He flashed her a teasing grin. "For listening to. That's what it's there for, Kileinnie."

She snorted and aimed a playful slap at his head, which he ducked away from. "You know what I mean. And you can call me Killy, if you want to."

"Thank you. You can shorten mine to Obi, if you want." He set the music selection that he wanted and as the haunting, adrenaline-stirring melody began, he began to move into the positions for a physical meditation kata. "I usually use the music to calm down with when I'm too hyper, too charged up with excitement. Moderation in all things, you know."

Kileinnie watched him deepen the movements as the lyrics began. In a soft voice, she sang along with it under her breath.

"God, I love the sweet taste of India,
any cat man do;
And when it mixes with the funk, my friend,
it turns into perfume.
When you are born you're afraid of the Darkness
and then you're afraid of the Light;
but I'm not afraid when I dance with my shadow..."

Without opening his eyes, which he had closed, Obi-Wan smiled at her as he shifted into another flowing position. "You've got a good voice. Do you sing much?"

"Oh, sure. I've been on the choir for years now and I just like to sing. Nothing spectacular." She continued to watch him, then grinned. "Would you teach me that? It looks relaxing as all get out."

He paused and cracked open one eye. "It looks that way, Killy, but it took me years to get it right. Sure you want to pull muscles after that grilling you put us both through?"

"Well..." She regarded him thoughtfully. "Tell me what it involves, then I'll let you know."

"This is a physical meditation kata. It involves perfect muscle control to shift with grace and fluidity from one form to another. Arms and legs - hells, your entire body - has to be held at certain degrees and a slow speed. One mistake and you start all over again. When I first began learning it, I could have sworn I would never walk comfortably again, if I could get out of bed at all. Still sure you want to try?" He had one eyebrow raised questioningly.

Kileinnie winced. "Ahhhh, um, on second thought, I think I'll pass. Thanks anyway." She turned to her own series of stretching exercises as he grinned at her, then continued his kata.

A few long moments later, as the song began nearing its end, she spoke up again. "Do you have anyone waiting for you back home, Obi?"

He stilled, then began the end of his kata. "No, I don't," he said, unsure of how to proceed with this.

"You mean you don't have anyone who loves you?" She was aghast at the thought of this beautiful young man all alone. "Surely even the Jedi have relationships."

"I do have someone who loves me, Killy," he replied quietly. "And yes, we have relationships."

"Oh." She frowned, confused. "Then is your girlfriend out on a mission of her own? When will you see her again?" And is there any chance you would spend some time with me? she wondered to herself.

Obi-Wan ended his kata and turned away to gather up a towel. He wiped his face and his neck, then looked at her. "I don't have a girlfriend."

She blinked. "But you just said... Oh." She blushed as his meaning became clear. "Um, sorry."

"Don't be; I'm not," he said, smiling at her easily.

She grinned back, then said, "Well, then, is he out on his own mission?"

"No."

She was confused again. "But if he's not waiting for you back home, and he's not on his own mission, then where..." She trailed off and her eyebrows climbed into her hairline as the conclusion came home. "Oh. It's..."

He nodded. "Yes." Nothing else needed to be said.

"But ... doesn't that make it difficult, him being both teacher and lover?"

Obi-Wan paused to think about it. "No, not usually. There have been times when either of us has wanted to be merely lovers, instead of Master and Padawan. We seem to have found a balance that works well. It can be hard sometimes, though. The lover in me will want to stay with him when I might be ordered elsewhere for whatever reason, and the Padawan in me will have no choice but to obey."

"But why, if-"

"Why obey?" He raised an eyebrow again. "If I will not obey my Master's commands, which is what I swore to do from the day he took me on as his apprentice before my thirteenth birthday, then what is the point of remaining his apprentice? It is up to me to decide with good judgement when to obey and when not to obey his orders; those decisions cannot be based primarily on my emotions. Much as I do not like it, I am his student first, his lover after that. Becoming a Jedi is what I have trained my entire life for. I want to become a Jedi Knight as much as he wants me to become one. I do love him, Kileinnie; I will not break his heart by giving up that goal simply to be his lover when, with perseverance and hard work, I can be both."

She gazed at him with respectful awe. "I don't know how you stand it, Obi," she murmured at last. "You must be made out of twisted blue steel and dynamite."

"It's not as easy as it sounds," he said, sighing. "There are times when I'm sorely tempted, but in the end, I always listen to my common sense. It's simply my good luck that my common sense sounds so much like Qui-Gon." He added a teasing grin and a wink to this statement.

"Maybe," she agreed laughing, "maybe. But I have the feeling that you can stand alone when you need to. Call me nutso, Obi, considering that I know almost nothing about the Jedi and this Force stuff, but I have the feeling you're gonna be a kick-ass Knight someday."

He gave her a gallant bow as he laughed. "And for that extravagant compliment, my lady, I thank you. Ready to head back to our respective rooms so we can get ready for dinner? I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

"I admit to the same, but unlike you extra-speedy dudes, I have to be careful when I go on a pig-out parade. After all, if I don't do it, who else is going to watch my figure for me?" Kileinnie sassed as she gathered up her music and towel and the two of them headed out of the gym.

Obi-Wan leered at her playfully. "Why, all the rest of us hormonally active beings out there with working vision and the ability to appreciate humanoid beauty."

She raised an eyebrow. "Tease. I thought you and he were an item. Does he share?"

"You can always ask him."

"No, thanks. I have no wish to be on the business end of his lightsaber."

"Really? I do." This was said with another playful leer, to which she rolled her eyes and then nudged his ribs with her elbow. He grinned and sidestepped, then continued. "Besides, he wouldn't do that."

"How do you know?"

"Well, the last time it happened-"

"No way! Somebody put the moves on you through your master?!" Kileinnie was positively aglow with delighted curiosity. She couldn't wait to hear this one.

"Yeah. I watched this guy-"

"You were there?!"

"I can tell it faster if you'll hush."

"Sheesh, excuse me, I'm sure," she drawled, then grabbed his arm and shook him. "Tell, tell! Torture is against Jedi ethics! Now, tell!"

Laughing, he shook her off and said, "So, anyway, this guy comes up to us during this embassy party. We're outside, enjoying some clean air and relative quietness, and this drunk comes up. He gives me this goofy grin and then says to Qui-Gon, 'Sir, would you mind awfully much if I borrow your pretty for a few hours? I promise, I'll bring him back in good condition. He'll be tired, but I'll be good with him! What say?' And-"

"He did not."

"As a Jedi, I cannot lie."

"Good grief. That goofball actually said that? What'd Qui-Gon do?"

"Well, he didn't much like it, either, so..."

"I'll just bet he didn't."

"So, anyway, he put on his second best scowl, the one he reserves for dealing with students in one of the communal classes who choose to be slightly dense, and then he puffed up to his full height. All broad shoulders and muscles and imposing demeanor and he..."

"What??" Killy snapped impatiently, when he lengthily paused for a dramatic moment.

"Hauled off and gave the man the dirtiest look he'd probably ever had in his life," Obi-Wan said, grinning. He chuckled when Kileinnie's jaw dropped and added, "Me, I was trying hard to keep from laughing, and there was Qui-Gon, looking at this man as though he were a pile of Bantha poodoo. I never learned his name, but the man could obviously tell he'd stepped straight into the middle of a cow-patty of some kind, because he started stammering out apologies, then declared that he had to go cut the cheese and stumbled away."

"Yeesh. So, what'd Qui-Gon do then?" she asked, laughing slightly at the mental images she was conjuring up.

"Well, the whole thing kind of soured his mood a bit. He actually became clearly possessive of me for the rest of the evening, and when we got back to our rooms, he-" Obi-Wan paused, blushing.

"Oh, go on, what next?" she prompted him.

He shook his head. "Uh-uh. You don't need to know. Never mind it's between me and Qui-Gon, but I don't need to be accused of corrupting impressionable youngsters."

Kileinnie glowered at him. "Dammit, you're just like all the rest of 'em. Nobody ever tells me the good part!"

"You'll have your own good parts some day. Here we are," he said, and she looked up to notice that they'd arrived at her rooms.

Reaching down, he lifted her hand and brushed his lips over the soft skin. "See you in an hour or so, Killy. Thanks for a good workout, I really enjoyed spending time with you."

The young woman blushed slightly as she withdrew her hand. "I'm glad you did, Obi-Wan. I'll see you at dinner. And maybe you'll have some more funny stories to tell!"

"I'll put in the word to Qui-Gon; he's a superb story teller. In fact, I may pester him to tell about the time he earned the distinct title of being the first person to say 'No' to the Prince of Halerin IV."

She blinked. "What's so important about that?"

He grinned at her. "Civilians are not allowed to own Jedi lightsabers."

Kileinnie gaped at him, then began laughing wildly. "No way!" she howled.

Obi-Wan bowed to her again. "See you at dinner, Killy." Then he turned and strode off down the halls, smiling as he sent an image of a steaming hot bath along the bond to his lover. He was quite anxious to receive the relaxing rubdown that Qui-Gon had promised, especially since it meant getting those outrageously erotic hands on him.

He grinned as he felt the quick pulse of agreement from Qui-Gon. This was definitely going to be good.

Obi-Wan walked through the door to their shared quarters and he laughed when he found himself caught up from behind and hugged tightly. A moment later, he felt a kissed pressed to the top of his head and he was turned around, his robe simultaneously pulled off his shoulders. He grinned up at the smiling face of his master, then blinked when Qui-Gon stooped before him. His lover's intention became obvious when the older man dipped his right shoulder to Obi-Wan's belly and nudged.

With a small sigh and a grin, the younger man draped himself over the shelf of his master's shoulder and then laughed when Qui-Gon stood with Obi-Wan draped over him like a sack of flour. Large hands were on his boots a moment later and they stood in the common room as Qui-Gon dealt with the straps of his young lover's boots.

"So, did you enjoy yourself, love?" Qui-Gon's deep voice rumbled from above the younger man.

Obi-Wan grinned again and he replied, "Yes, Master. Killy did her best to wipe the floor with me and is feeling much better now. Oh, by the way, I explained about why it is important for us to release our anger into the Force, and how we usually go about accomplishing that, or at least, how I do it."

"Very good, Padawan; perhaps it will give our young up-coming Senator something to consider instead of flinging heavy objects at people when she gets ticked off." One boot thunked to the floor and Qui-Gon began on the other one after pulling off the sock still on the first foot.

"Maybe, but I think she enjoys yelling. She's a good singer, so that's probably her preferred way of letting the steam vent. Oh, and she knows we're lovers, too."

Qui-Gon stilled for a long moment and then resumed pulling off the boot and sock he was working on. "I see. And she knows this because...?"

"Because she asked about my love life and I let her know that I am quite thoroughly taken. I did not come right out and tell her who my love is; I let her come to that conclusion on her own."

"Hmmm. Well, we already knew her deductive reasoning skills are very good. " The final boot and sock were off and so Qui-Gon turned and headed toward the bathroom. "Drop your lightsaber out here, love. You have this tendency to short yours out whenever you happen to get it near water."

"I do not," Obi-Wan grumbled, but did as he was asked, placing his lightsaber on a table that they passed. A moment later, they were in the bathroom and he sniffed appreciatively at the smell of fragrant hot water. "Ahhhh, that smells wonderful, love, thank you."

A chuckle rumbled through the large body he was draped over, and then Qui-Gon replied, "You're most welcome, my Obi-Wan. Now, let's get undressed and then I can bathe you, what say?"

"Sounds like a winner to me, love," Obi-Wan purred, and he quickly found himself standing upright once more.

Qui-Gon waited until his lover was steady and then proceeded to strip the younger man of his garments. Wearing only a simple tunic and pants himself, it took even less time for him to remove his own clothing. Once they were both nude, Qui-Gon hefted his student up against his chest and, smiling, stepped into the deep tub and settled them both down into the hot water.

Obi-Wan sighed, long and with relief. The hot water felt wonderful against his exhausted body. He nestled his head on his lover's broad chest and smiled. "Mmm. This feels so good. It's a shame we have to meet Kileinnie and the others for dinner in about an hour or so; I could cheerfully spend the rest of the evening cuddling against you like this."

"We do, do we?" Qui-Gon asked, soothingly petting the soft, spiky hair on Obi-Wan's head. Said head nodded against his chest and his lover's smooth, cultured voice answered, "Yes. Sorry, I forgot to mention it to you. I confess I was anxious to get my hands on you, or vice-versa."

Laughing again, Jinn bent and pressed a quick kiss to the soft hair and then lay back again in the silky water. "That's alright, love. You can be anxious to be near me all you want. You do know this means that we're going to have to forego the fooling around until later, don't you?"

Wicked blue-gray eyes peeped up at him, sparkling with a mischievous glint. "What, no quickie? I admit it's not very dignified, especially here in the bath, but..."

"Scamp," Qui-Gon admonished, tapping his finger on the end of Obi-Wan's nose. "You're too tired and wrung out to enjoy even a fast grope and fondle right now. I'd prefer to wait until you'll be far more appreciative of my efforts. So we'll combine the massage and bathing now, and then after dinner, if you're feeling more lively, we can mess up the sheets, okay?"

"Oh, alright," Kenobi said, somewhat petulant. Then he smiled and said, "Don't be surprised if Killy asks to hear about the Prince of Halerin IV tonight."

Qui-Gon groaned and let his head fall back to smack against the tiled wall. "Obi-Wan, you didn't."

"Sure did," the younger man said, chuckling. "She wanted to know if you share me-" here Obi-Wan laughed when dark blue eyes slitted open and glared at him heatedly "-and I told her she could always ask if she felt like witnessing your lightsaber skills. She declined and so I told her an edited version of what happened the last time when that drunken fool tried to proposition for me. I left out the part of what happened after we got back to our rooms. She wanted to hear more, but I told her that you were a superb storyteller and then teased her with spoilers about Halerin. Ipso facto..."

The older man let out a long-suffering sigh. "You, scamp, are going to drive me insane one of these days."

"Going to?" sassed the younger man, and then squirmed when a broad hand lifted and smacked his bare rump hard enough to leave a stinging imprint that quickly faded.

"I'm not quite there yet," Qui-Gon groused, and then he sat up and dropped a kiss onto Obi-Wan's nose. "Turn around, my love, and let me wash your back."

A contented smile graced the padawan's mouth and he practically purred as he pressed a semi-quick kiss to Qui-Gon's lips, then turned around. Sighing with his own contentment, Qui-Gon picked up the soap and thickly lathered his hands, then set about massaging and stroking the muscular shoulders and taut neck in front of him. His grin grew to a self-satisfied smile as his lover went boneless with a small moan, then swept his hands down the muscled back, pressing and kneading at tight knots and along his spine. Obi-Wan did begin semi-purring then, low and raspy, and Qui-Gon forced his body to ignore the suggestive sounds. He lifted one strong arm and lathered and kneaded from shoulder to fingertips, delighting in the heartfelt groans of satisfaction, then repeated the process on the other arm. When he tapped on the shoulders, giving permission for the younger man to drop them, they landed with a splat into the water, heavy and limp.

Nuzzling his nose beneath Obi-Wan's ear, Qui-Gon reached around and began to stroke and lather the younger man's chest, being merciful and avoiding any prolonged touches to the sensitive nipples. His hands massaging the taut tummy, not daring to go lower just yet, he smiled and then said softly into his lover's ear, "Is there any chance of getting you to stand up right now?"

"Judicious use of the Force is about your only hope," came the sleepy, near-delirious mumble.

Jinn laughed and then said, "Well, then, needs must. Brace yourself, love." When he felt Obi-Wan ready himself, he reached out with the Force and lifted the younger man to his feet, holding him steady with the Force as he once again lathered up his hands. He stroked from the hips down long, muscular thighs to well-worked knees, pausing to re-lather, and then stroked and kneaded tight calves, lifting one foot high enough to massage and clean, then repeating on the other as Obi-Wan moaned and sighed his happiness at the relaxing sensation.

Except, Qui-Gon would not have considered his lover to be relaxed, not with the proof otherwise pointing towards his face. Smiling, he reached up and quickly cleaned the erection and the heavy balls swaying below, chuckling at the low groan of startled delight. "Not just yet, love," he murmured, then reached around to soap and stroke the tense buttocks, trailing one slick finger teasingly down the crack.

"Qui-Gon, I don't think I can wait until later," Obi-Wan murmured shakily, trembling as he reached to brace his hands on the broad shoulders below him.

The older man sat back and looked up at the urgent desire expressing itself in his love's face and body and made a decision. Standing, he quickly soaped himself, cleaning his body thoroughly, if quickly, aware of the hungry gaze following the path his hands took. Exerting enormous effort, Qui-Gon channeled his own lust away from his body. If he took the time to pleasure himself as well as Obi-Wan, they'd never make it to dinner.

He drained the tub and then activated the shower, rinsing them both off, then dropped to his knees carefully. He held Obi-Wan's trembling body still, then leaned forward, taking the throbbing erection into his mouth, letting the younger man's body block most of the spray from the water.

Obi-Wan let out a low cry and held onto Qui-Gon's shoulders as the older man's hot, wet mouth slid up and down his shaft, sucking gently, flicking teasingly with his tongue, barely scraping his teeth on the hypersensitive skin. He shivered hard, his legs unconsciously spreading wider, and groaned when he felt a large hand cup his aching balls, rolling them gently. The pleasure was building with each stroke and kiss, and when he felt one large finger carefully exploring his body's entrance, then pushing a little way inside, he cried out and arched forward, his orgasm making him dizzy and breathless as his lover swallowed his seed, massaging him with his throat muscles.

Qui-Gon carefully pulled away from the softening organ and then stood, turning Kenobi so the shower could rinse him off again, then turned off the water. He grabbed up the large bath sheets that he'd left on the towel rack and quickly dried Obi-Wan off, then wrapped one around his own hips. He stepped out, then helped the weak-kneed younger man out of the tub as well. "Come along, love, its time we dressed and went to dinner."

"Ahhhhhh, um, yes," Obi-Wan replied intelligently, and dutifully followed his lover out of the bathroom. Forcing his wobbly legs to walk, he went into his own bedroom and dressed in loose, casual tunics and pants and stepped into his boots. Finally, he clipped his lightsaber to his belt and he was ready to go. While it was an informal dinner, with no threats likely, the Jedi never went without their lightsabers unless it was considered a breach of protocol. As none of the Rinjornnans minded, they kept their lightsabers close at hand.

The padawan walked out into the common room and was joined a moment later by Qui-Gon, also dressed in casual gear. The two of them smiled at each other, although Obi-Wan sent a silent, wordless inquiry across their bond, wondering about his lover's physical state.

Walking up to his young lover, Qui-Gon trailed his knuckles gently down one cheek and said quietly, "Later, my love, if you want to. I can hold on for that long."

Grinning, Obi-Wan caught the hand and pressed a kiss into the older man's palm, a silent, subtle promise of more to come later. Then he slipped into Proper Padawan Mode and stepped back with a serene expression, waiting for his master to take the lead.

Nodding silently, the Jedi Master swept from their quarters, knowing without having to look that his student trailed him one step behind and to the left.

"...and he said, 'It's such a beautiful little toy; I could use it properly, I bet. May I have it?' which of course prompted me to reply in the negative."

"Of course," Kileinnie murmured with a grin. A quick glance around the table at Faye and her husband, and two other friends who sat at the table, confirmed that they were just as enthralled with the story of the spoiled twenty-year-old Prince of Halerin IV. "So, what happened?" she prompted.

Qui-Gon took a small sip of the pale lavender wine and shrugged slightly with a small smile. "I told him that no, he may not have my lightsaber. I diplomatically told him that a lightsaber is not a toy, but a weapon of the Jedi designed to aid us in training and in battle, and that none but a Jedi may own one." He paused for a moment to take a bite of his food, swallowed, then added, "He didn't much care for that."

"I guess not," Faye said, shaking her head with a rueful smile. "How in the universe did he get to be twenty-years-old and no one had ever told him no before?"

"He lost his mother when he was very young," Obi-Wan replied as Qui-Gon took another bite of food. "He was his father's only child, so he got spoiled from a very early age, and no one had the heart to deny him anything. So..."

"Yeah, so," said a man in his thirties who went by the name of DT. He shot a grin at Kileinnie and said, "How'd you turn out so lucky, then?"

"Because apparently I had people who knew better looking out for me," she shot back.

Obi-Wan looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She shrugged back at him. "My father raised me. With help from Faye and others."

Qui-Gon nudged his student with his elbow. When he had the younger man's attention, he said, "Remember, the information packet we were given said that her mother and father separated when she was a baby." He smiled apologetically at Kileinnie.

"Ah. Yes, true," Obi-Wan said, then resumed eating.

The others looked around, and then the other new person at the table, a girl only a few years older than Kileinnie named Danya, said, "Aren't you going to ask why?"

The padawan blinked, nonplussed. "Why would I?" he countered. "That is obviously Kileinnie's personal information. If she wants to share it, she will."

Danya shot Kileinnie a grin and nodded. Then she turned her attention back to the Jedi. "That's good for you," she told them. "It's nice that you're not nosy; she's had enough of that."

Kileinnie sighed and grinned wryly at her friend. "Thank you, Ms. Broadcast Mouth," she muttered, then glanced at her Jedi guests. "Would you like to know?"

Master and Apprentice exchanged glances, conferring silently through their bond. Finally, Qui-Gon turned back to their young charge. "From a professional point of view, it might be helpful to know why. However, it probably doesn't have enough of an impact to make too much of a difference. On a personal point of view, we're curious, but we won't press you on it."

She shrugged. "Doesn't make any difference to me. Mom left because she didn't like constantly being in the public eye as the Senator's wife. And she wasn't all that comfortable living in such comfort; she originally came from farming stock, so there you have it. We still keep in touch, but we're not as close as Daddy and I were."

"Ah. That would explain why she hasn't come by to see you after all this," Obi-Wan said softly.

"She didn't have to. When she heard about the accident, she called me up and wanted to know if I needed her. I told her that I could handle everything fine on my own, but she was welcome to come out and visit if she wanted to. She said she couldn't because it's the middle of birthing season on her farm, but she'd come out if I needed her. So, she's there and I'm here, both of us on good terms." Kileinnie gave a small shrug to indicate her indifference, then grinned.

"Hmmm," Qui-Gon muttered, then finished his dinner. "Speaking of farms, Obi-Wan, you might want to think about when you'll want to make a trip out to see your family."

Everyone looked interested in that. "You have family out here, Obi-Wan?" Danlan Norste asked, curious.

"Yes. They're farmers, out in the middle of the farming country. They own the Kenobi Dairy and Wool Farm," Obi-Wan replied.

DT slapped a hand to his forehead and laughed. He shook his head and looked at the padawan. "I should've made the connection sooner. You're Brian and Sarah's son, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Obi-Wan said with a grin. "You know them?"

"Oh, sure. I own the farm on the other side of the one next to theirs, going east," the older man said, grinning back.

"Wait, you're Daren Thadar Piean?" The Jedi apprentice was incredulous.

"How else do I get the name DT?" came the teasing reply.

Obi-Wan began laughing, then turned to his teacher. "Master, meet the rancher who calls on my father to come out and see what's wrong with his herds every other week."

The two men reached across the table and shook hands. "Pleased to meet you again, DT," Qui-Gon said dryly.

"Same, Qui-Gon," DT said with a quick grin. "And the boy's not joshing. Regular as clockwork, something goes wrong with one of my gals, and the only person who seems to have a clue and can do something with it is Brian. I'm seriously considering asking him if he wants to partner up with me; it's the least I owe him for all the time he's spent babying my critters and his own!"

"I think Dad would most likely have heart failure, but it probably can't hurt to ask," Obi-Wan said. He thought for a moment, then glanced at Kileinnie and said, "Well, if I'm not needed this weekend that'd be a good time to do it."

"There's nothing coming up that should interfere with that," Faye spoke up. "There's a government gathering taking place in a couple of days, and then a luncheon with some of the supporters, but that's all. In fact, if neither of you minds, or your family, perhaps Kileinnie can go? She's been cooped up in here too long without a break."

"Certainly, she's more than welcome to come along with us," he answered, flashing a grin at the younger woman. "Mother and Dad won't mind at all. I'll have to warn you about my siblings first, though. Owen and Felicia are handfuls."

"Would you mind awfully if I joined you young people on this outing?" Qui-Gon asked, raising an eyebrow. "I would enjoy meeting your parents, my Padawan."

"You don't fool me, Master," the younger man sassed back with a mischievous smile. "I know all you really want is to get your hands on my mother's chocolate cookies!"

"Read so easily, am I? I'll have to work on my shielding, then," the older man teased.

"Speaking of chocolate, here comes dessert and about time, too!" Danya declared, smiling broadly.

Slices of a chocolate pie were set before the diners and a moment later, they all took their first bites. Obi-Wan's eyebrows climbed high as his taste buds overloaded with delight at the sugary, chocolatey treat in his mouth. Golden, flaky pastry, chocolate filling, nuts of some kind mixed in, it was enough to make his mouth water uncontrollably. From the shocked pleasure on his master's face, he could guess the dessert was having the same effect on Qui-Gon. "What is this?" he managed to ask once he had some control over his mouth again.

The others laughed and Danya said, "It's called Chocolate Fantasy, for obvious reasons. Try to eat it all before you expire of sheer overload, huh? While it might not be as awesome as going out in a blaze of glory, you could do a lot worse."

"I don't know about that," Qui-Gon muttered, grinning. He saluted the young woman with a chocolate-laden fork. "You have not seen me with chocolate, my dear."

"So, it's a date?" she teased, and then laughed when he gave her a wry grin and a shake of the head. "Oh, well, one can dream."

"I already thought of it," Kileinnie teased her, and Danya stuck her tongue out.

The two Jedi exchanged glances, small grins, and settled down to the happy task of attempting to demolish their desserts.

Later that evening, they returned to their quarters and Obi-Wan flopped onto the couch with a grunt. He sighed and patted his tummy. "You'd think, given that it was such a tiny piece, I wouldn't be feeling quite so stuffed, but there it is."

"It's a rich dessert that you're not accustomed to; of course you're feeling stuffed," Qui-Gon chuckled. He stretched and removed his robe, hanging it up, and said, "I'm feeling fine."

"Of course you are," the younger man replied, glancing balefully at his lover. "You're huge. That tiny piece of pie was probably just right for that cast-iron stomach of yours."

"It was, it really was," the master agreed with a grin. He raised an eyebrow as he glanced down at his young lover, sprawled out on the couch. "You look about done in, though. Can I get you anything?"

"Yes, another piece. I figure one more bite will make me explode and save me the trouble of having to bend over to take off my boots," Kenobi groused, then groaned as he stretched, sighing as he relaxed.

Laughing, Qui-Gon squatted and pulled his lover's booted feet into his lap and began undoing the buckles.

Obi-Wan sat up and looked down, startled. "Master, what are you doing?"

"Removing your boots, Obi-Wan; surely you can see that."

"But ... I'm the padawan."

"I'm well aware of that, my Obi-Wan."

"That means I should be taking off your boots."

"I'm not lethargic due to full belly syndrome. Relax, love. There's plenty of time for Master and Padawan later. It's evening, and we should be allowed to loosen up. Besides, you look as though you're ready for bed." With a small grunt, Qui-Gon pulled the first boot free and began tugging on the second one.

Obi-Wan bit his lip and glanced off to the side for a moment. "Ahhhh, Qui-Gon ... I don't know if I have enough energy to-"

The older man reached up and placed a finger to his lover's lips. "Shhh. I know, my love. I meant sleep only; I can see for myself that you're tired."

"But, I did promise you lovemaking when we returned this evening, and-"

Jinn gave his young love an exasperated look. "So I'll take a rain check and cash it in on a later date. Obi-Wan, we've been over this. If you're too tired, or don't feel like it, then say so and we'll wait. I will not force you into relieving my passions when you're not up to it. Even if you are the cause of them." This last was said with a teasing grin.

The younger man reached down and stroked his hand over a bearded cheek, cupping it in his hand. He gazed into the beloved dark blue eyes and said, "You never force me into it, my Qui-Gon. Where you're concerned, I'm always quite willing."

Jinn covered Obi-Wan's hand with his own and smiled back tenderly. "I know, love. I understand. But still, I think its sleep for the both of us tonight, okay? Come morning I may seduce you into seducing me, but I wouldn't mind cuddling tonight."

Obi-Wan laughed as he sat up and forward, wrapping his arms around his lover's neck and kissing him. "Whatever you say, love."

Rumbling happily, Qui-Gon stood, lifting Obi-Wan up with him, and carried the young man off into his bedroom, where they soon snuggled together under the blankets.

"She'll be at a farm way out in the middle of nowhere this weekend; there will be plenty of opportunities to stage an accident that will let you come in and take over."

"What about those blasted Jedi?"

"They're going too, but they'll be visiting the younger one's family. It should be easy to keep them occupied."

"Should be. Well, tell you what: you make certain of it, or you can kiss your chances goodbye."

"Don't worry, this one's all wrapped up."