Shooting Star

by KatBear

Title: Shooting Star
Author: KatBear (katbear@cox.net)
Category: AU
Rating: primarily PG13 with a few bits of R
Pairing: Q/Other
Feedback: Appreciated.

Thanks: To the beta readers who helped with various comments and encouragement (Emu for the original early version of first sections in 2001 / Sian, Bonny Magret and Merry Amelie for current full version). All mistakes are definitely my own since I can't resist tweaking.

Summary: A tale of Qui-Gon's early years after his knighting and how he became a master.

Warnings: none
Spoilers: None, pre-TPM. Non-canon master.
Disclaimer: The boys belong to George Lucas, I'm just playing with them.
Note: This story was published in the Con*Strict 2009 zine. Thanks to Sian for her continuing support of the fan community with both the con and the zine.

The young knight meditated, his thoughts a swirling maelstrom of doubt, denial and yearning. In the secluded garden the hours passed slowly as he knelt, motionless, seeking guidance from the Force.

The old master wandered into the garden as the pre-dawn light began to gray. Catching sight of the oblivious knight, he paused before perching himself with a sigh on a low stone bench. Drawing his robe a little tighter against the cool air, he regarded the other Jedi as the first light came up to sparkle the dew-laden long brown hair and scruffy beard, waiting silently, patiently.

With a long, shuddering breath, the kneeling figure suddenly slumped. Head bowed, his large right hand slowly came up to scrub at still-closed eyes, then drifted down to scratch at the edge of the cast where his left arm hung in a sling.

"Troubled you are, Padawan," rasped Yoda gently, his clawed hands resting lightly on the worn gimmer stick.

Qui-Gon jerked upright in surprise, eyes blinking. "I am sorry, Master. I did not mean to disturb anyone."

"Broadcasting you were not, but my Padawans can I always feel," replied Yoda, waving off the apology. "Long time have you been meditating on a problem, but solution you have not, hrrmmm?"

Rising stiffly, Qui-Gon did not reply immediately. He shook the dew off his cloak and hair, then stretched his tall, rangy form, wincing slightly as he inadvertently overextended the badly broken arm. The knight's Force aura was tinged with flickers of red and orange over his normal green as he paced, head down, for several minutes. Yoda continued to wait patiently, knowing from long experience that the young man would get to the point in his own way and in his own time.

The knight stopped abruptly in front of the stone bench, drew a deep breath, then settled himself on the ground so that he could lean against the comforting presence of his master. Yoda placed a hand on his shoulder and they sat together in silence for a few more minutes as the dawn came to its full glory, the rosy light banishing the last pockets of darkness.

Qui-Gon leaned his head back and closed his eyes before speaking. "Master Yoda, since the Healers released me to light duty several days ago I have been assigned to assist with the older initiates: helping with classes, supervising play periods, night watch and such."

The elderly being made a noncommittal noise of encouragement.

"There is one initiate... well, I am concerned about her."

"Yes? This one a problem is?"

"That's probably what the Creche and Initiate Masters think," snorted Qui-Gon. "It's the Theristan cub. She's very different and doesn't really seem to fit in well with the others."

"Different is each being, each to his own nature."

"I know, Master, but she is just so... so out of place," said Qui-Gon. He hesitated a moment before continuing. "I don't think she's very happy, either."

"Ah, told you these things, did she?" Yoda nodded sagely.

Blue eyes snapped open. "Of course not," he barked in annoyance. "We haven't really talked about much at all." He paused, then said wryly, "Well, I suppose I should say I haven't really said anything to her. She certainly gave me an earful the other night when I found her after she sneaked out of the dorm. Had to pick her up and carry her back, she was that stubborn."

"Hrmmm, remember I do -" started Yoda, one ear twitching.

"I know, I know, please don't say it," interrupted the knight with a sigh. Rough knuckles rubbed at his jawline as he continued, "All the same, I feel like I should be able to do something for her, to help her, but I have meditated for two nights now, and I still don't know what to do or why I have these feelings about her."

"Help her you can. Old enough to take a padawan of your own, you are," said Yoda firmly.

"Respectfully, Master, I'm not in the mood for jokes."

"Very serious I am. A padawan you need."

"Master, be reasonable. No initiates in their right minds would want me as their master. I'm only twenty-four, for Force sake. I can barely spell knight, let alone be a proper one after such an early knighting." Qui-Gon waved his casted arm. "Look at that - I almost got a couple of us killed on my last mission, and in three years I've already gotten more reprimands from the Council than most knights and masters twice my age."

"And more commendations. Better reasons than that you must have."

"I HAVE thought about it, Master. I even did some research on her, and she does seem to have a lot of potential." Qui-Gon sat upright, hugging one knee with his good arm. "But I'm just not ready yet. She needs someone with wisdom and knowledge, someone who knows what he is doing. I would be of more use to the Jedi going on missions and getting more experience."

"So sure you are, hhrmmm? And from your meditations what have you learned?"

Qui-Gon rested his chin on his knee for a while. Looking down, he finally answered evasively in a low voice, "I'm not really sure, Master."

"Not like you is this. Padawan, look at me," ordered Yoda sternly.

Reluctantly, the young man squirmed around until he was kneeling in front of the diminutive master. Slowly he raised his head, blue eyes dark with unhappiness.

"Strong in the Living Force you are. Guide you it will, but listen you must, be honest with yourself you must."

"Yes, Master."

"True answer I want, from your meditations what have you learned?"

Qui-Gon sat perfectly still, looking up at his former master. Finally, he very slowly drew a deep breath, let it out in a rush, then softly answered, "The Force tells me that I should be with her, that we should be together."

"As master and padawan, hrmmm?"

The young knight bowed his head, shaking it in silent negation. "Forgive me, Master, but I don't believe I can do that. I am afraid..."

"A big strong knight like you, afraid of a child, hrmmm?"

Qui-Gon bit his lower lip, then took a ragged breath. "Not of her, exactly..." He looked up anxiously as he reached up to lay a beseeching hand on Yoda's knee. "Master, she's a Theristan. She's barely four years old, but already she is almost as big and strong as many of the twelve-year-old initiates. If she lives a full life she will still die before she reaches twenty-five. To have any kind of chance of living as a knight she needs a real master, one who can guide her, teach her, take her through a concentrated padawan learning period in just a few years. I don't know how to be any kind of master, and certainly not the kind of master she needs. Please don't ask this of me."

"Think you so little of yourself, Knight Jinn? Nothing have I taught you of being a Jedi?" said the Master gravely, a touch of anger in the rasp.

Qui-Gon winced at the rebuke, shoulders slumped. "Master, I have watched her," he said miserably. "She is obstinate and impatient. How can a master with the same faults properly teach her?" He took a deep breath before continuing in a low voice, "What kind of a master would I be, always afraid that every mistake I make will be the one that ruins her short life, seeing every mistake magnified tenfold, afraid that she will not have time to outgrow my errors before it is too late for her? She deserves better than that."

"Watched her have I also. Strong of mind is the cub, but also strong of body, strong in the Living Force and generous of heart is she. Teach her a master with those strengths can." Yoda's expression softened as he reached out with one hand to tilt his apprentice's head up. "Qui-Gon, many padawans I have had, yes?"

"Yes, Master."

"Very many padawans have I trained in my life. Great masters were some, not even a knight were others. Share one trait do most of them, though, and in common all have one thing." Yoda looked out over the garden as one long ear twitched.

"What is that, Master?"

Ancient green eyes gazed deeply into fresh blue ones for a long moment before quietly replying. "Passed into the Force are most of my padawans, young one, but treasured was each one while they lived, and honored are their memories."

Qui-Gon knelt, speechless, unable to move, unable to breathe, until Yoda smiled softly and reached out to caress the knight's cheek. "Think you that any padawan I would have ever taken if short life spans I worried about?"

"I'm sorry, Master, I hadn't thought about that," Qui-Gon replied, looking down in momentary shame. He reached up with his good hand to gently clasp the green claws. "I am grateful that you took this one on, Master."

"A chance you have now to do the same for another. Certain I am that you can do it, but certain you must be also. Seen you have that the cub is growing swiftly. A master we must find soon for her if a knight she is to become." Yoda patted the knight's shoulder gently. "Relieved from your duties you are for the next three days, meditate on this more you will. Come to me when your decision you have made, Padawan."

"Yes, Master," Qui-Gon replied, bowing his head. Looking up, he said softly, "Thank you, my Master."

The late afternoon sun warmed the brick wall, providing a pleasant backrest for the young man seated at its base. He absently scratched under the edge of the white cast peeking out from its sling as he watched the groups of initiates at play. One initiate in particular seemed to absorb his attention as he watched her drift from group to group, never staying very long with any set.

Qui-Gon glanced down at the datapad in his hand, reading the entry again even though he had practically memorized the entire 'pad by now.

THERIS - third planet of the star Ganev in Region Seven. Level 5 on the Cleff10 Technology Rating Scale. Generally moderate to cool climate. Capital City of Dovark, population 310,000, located near only major spaceport. Exports include rare gems, handcrafts, jewelry, small tooled parts, food, wood products, textiles, metal ores. Dominant species is Theristan.
Theristans are an omnivorous, bipedal, bisexual species with prehensile tails. Adult average life span is twenty-four to twenty-five years standard, sexual maturity attained at average age of six to seven years standard. Average height for males 1.8 meters, females 1.6 meters. Typical characteristics include short, very dense fur, keen eyesight, exceptional manual dexterity. Evolved in forested areas with numerous waterways and lakes and considered equally capable of locomotion on land, in trees or in water. Typical occupations include artisan, forester, tool crafter, farmer, weaver, miner and -

"Hey, fur face, go play with the babies!"

Qui-Gon's reading was disrupted by the taunt from a nearby group. Frowning slightly, he looked up. Six humanoid initiates were faced off against a shorter, slender initiate holding a ball. He recognized several of the initiates from the lightsaber class for twelve-year-olds with which he had been assisting.

"I can play wherever I want. You don't own this place!" said the short initiate, green eyes flashing angrily.

"Well, you haven't finished the Force Control II class so we don't have to play with YOU. Why don't you play with someone your own age?" said a blonde girl snidely.

A dark-haired boy cut in before the initiate could answer, "Yeah, and give us back our ball, too." He lunged to snatch at the ball but ended up on his face as a long tail suddenly snaked around his ankles and tripped him up.

Qui-Gon jumped to his feet and hurried over before things could get out of hand. "What is the problem here?" he said sternly as he helped the boy to his feet, then kept a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"We were playing Force catch. Vik tried to cut in but she doesn't have enough Force control to play properly," the blonde girl quickly replied, glaring at the short initiate with the ball. "She belongs with the younger initiates."

"Yeah," added the dark-haired boy, "she's only four, why should we have to put up with her?"

Sighing, Qui-Gon released the boy's shoulder and pushed him gently toward his friends. "Initiate Drell, isn't it? That was not a kind thing to say." He turned to the group. "Size and age matter not," he admonished them gently. Turning away, he continued, "Initiate Vik, did you ask to join the game?"

Large green eyes returned his gaze fearlessly. "I was returning their ball. I just wanted to play."

"Did you ask to join them?" Qui-Gon repeated patiently.

"Well, not really, I guess," she mumbled, eyes finally dropping and a soft boot scuffing in the grass.

"Very well, then, Initiate Vik, you will apologize to Initiate Drell for tripping him," directed the knight in his best no-nonsense tone.

Green eyes darkened in momentary rebellion, but after a moment the words came out in a rush. "Initiate Drell, I'msorryItrippedyou."

Taking the ball from Vik, Qui-Gon turned to the others. "You will apologize to Initiate Vik for your words and consider the importance of toleration of other beings." After a ragged chorus of "I'm sorry," Qui-Gon tossed the ball to Drell and turned back to Vik. "Initiate Vik, please come with me."

The two walked silently for a while until they reached a quiet part of the garden. Qui-Gon sat on a bench so he was more nearly at eye level with the initiate instead of looming over her barely-above-one-meter height. Although he had made up his mind that they belonged together as master and padawan, he was still having trouble working up the nerve to broach the question. For a long while he simply sat and contemplated the sight before him. The large green eyes were set wide above a short, stubby muzzle, the dark brown, almost black nose shining wetly. Large, triangular ears flicked back and forth on the sides of her head. Long arms dangled by her side, the sleeveless tunic revealing fine, soft fur, so fine and dense that it looked like skin from a distance. The six-fingered hands had long, multijointed fingers with retractable claws. This close Qui-Gon could see that the dark brown fur had subtle shadings and the fur under her neck and across her face was distinctly lighter with reddish undertones. Not a particularly pretty face or body, he decided as he absently scratched under his cast again, but trim and alert, implying a wiry strength in the sinewy, supple length. Occasionally the long tail could be seen as it waved slowly back and the forth.

"Well," she scowled finally, crossing her arms across her chest, "if you're going to yell at me, get it over with, will you. It's almost time for lastmeal and I'm hungry."

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as Qui-Gon replied mildly, "That's not a very respectful attitude, young lady. Do you know who I am?"

"You're Knight Jinn. Master Yoda talks about you sometimes when he visits the initiates' classes. I've seen you helping in the Creche and with some of the initiate classes and you took me back to the dorm last tenday. Master Vezzl says you have a reputation. And I'm not a lady," she finished with a gleam in her eye.

"Indeed. Well, if you're not a lady, then what are you?" responded Qui-Gon, fighting harder to keep the grin off his face as he wondered idly just what sort of 'reputation' the Master of Initiates had ascribed to him.

"I'm the only Theristan Jedi in the last seven hundred years. And I'm incorriduguble," she said firmly, almost smugly.

Stumped briefly by her last statement, Qui-Gon paused before answering. "Ah, I see, you are incorrigible," he corrected gently. "That's a pretty strong statement. Do you really believe that?"

The initiate shrugged. "Everybody says it. It's better than not being anything at all."

"Actually, Initiate Vik, that's why I wanted to talk to you. I don't happen to think you are incorrigible, but I do think you are somebody special."

Suspicion flared as the luminous green eyes darkened. Her body stiffened as she hesitantly replied, "If you're not here to yell at me, what do you want?"

Puzzled by the reaction, Qui-Gon decided to push on before he lost his nerve. He sat up straight with shoulders back, took a deep breath, and intoned formally, "Initiate Lumesha Vik, I am here because I believe you have the potential to be a good Jedi knight. I would like very much for you to be my padawan learner if you will have me as your master."

For a long moment total silence reigned as shock replaced the suspicion in the green eyes. Qui-Gon reached out to offer an embrace but was roughly pushed back, falling off the back of the bench to land on his rear in the grass. The initiate howled, "You're just like all the rest of them," before running off towards the dormitory, body taut with anger.

Dazed by the unexpected reaction, Qui-Gon sat there for a minute as he tried to figure out what he had done wrong. Unable to find an answer, he finally shook his head, picked himself up and followed in the initiate's footsteps to the large dormitory building, determined to resolve this issue. In the entry he was waylaid by Master Vezzl. The Master of Initiates was a brown-skinned humanoid, tall and massive, with black coarse hair and bushy eyebrows over light brown eyes. He was known for his temper and his protectiveness of his charges.

"Knight Jinn," thundered Master Vezzl. "Just what did you do to my initiate?" The master pushed fiercely into the young knight's personal space, backing him against the wall, and glowered down at him.

"I don't know. I was talking to Initiate Vik out in the garden and she left suddenly. I wanted to find out what was wrong," replied Qui-Gon, trying to maintain an even temper.

"Initiate Vik is crying. She ran in here mumbling something about padawans and went straight to her dorm section. What did you say to her out there?" demanded the irate master, pressing a large finger in the knight's chest.

Qui-Gon decided he had had enough. He brushed Vezzl's hand aside and stepped up to him. "I asked her to be my padawan."

"How dare you play with her feelings like that, you - "

Pushing so close they were practically breathing the same air, Qui-Gon roared back at the taller man, "I WANT Vik as my padawan. And I would appreciate it if you would stop yelling long enough to explain to me what the Force the problem is."

Taken aback by the unexpected challenge, the master quieted long enough to realize that they now had an audience. A fierce glare scattered youngsters and staff as Vezzl grabbed the knight by his good arm and pulled him along to a private office further down the long hallway.

Inside the office Master Vezzl released Qui-Gon's arm and went to lean against the edge of a heavy desk. He crossed his arms and surveyed the young knight grimly before speaking. "All right, Jinn. What's this about you claiming you want Initiate Vik as your padawan?"

Knowing that the master probably only had the initiate's best interests in mind, Qui-Gon worked very hard to contain his own temper and impatience. "It's true. I want Initiate Vik as my padawan," he replied quietly.

"Do you know anything about Lumesha Vik?" asked the Master of Initiates incredulously.

"I did not make the decision lightly, believe me. I looked up her public records and have been watching her for the last few tens. I am aware that as a Theristan she has some special needs, and also that her personality is rather, shall we say, 'rambunctious'. I still want her," replied Qui-Gon firmly.

"Rambunctious?" snorted the master. "That has to be one of the biggest understatements I've heard in my life."

"Master Vezzl, I have meditated a great deal on this matter and had several long discussions with my own master about the situation before I came to this decision. I don't believe Initiate Vik is happy here and I do believe that the Force intends for the two of us to be together. And I am still waiting for you to tell me why she ran off," Qui-Gon said softly, blue eyes locked on brown ones.

Brown eyes broke the staredown first as Master Vezzl abruptly stood up and swept around the desk to throw himself in a heavy chair. Leaning forward to lay massive forearms on the desk, the Master said angrily, "Let me tell you, Knight Jinn, that there is a LOT you don't understand. I have known Lumesha Vik since she was a month old cub. I don't think you have any concept of just how fast a Theristan grows up, what that did to her relationships with her peers and what that means for her future as a Jedi. By the time she was two, Lumesha was already as big as most eight-year-old humanoids. Her physical and language skills surpassed the ten-year-olds, but her Force control hasn't always kept up. She has constantly outgrown her agemates and we've had to design a special training course just for her. Because she's never been with one group long enough to bond, she doesn't have any real friends so she relies on herself for company. Lumesha is aware of how fast she is growing and her natural curiosity is compounded by an impatience to see and do as much as she can, so she's always getting into trouble and her ability to control the Force is threatened by that impatience."

"I still don't understand why she would be upset when I asked her to be my padawan," said Qui-Gon pointedly.

"The staff has kept a careful eye on her situation. Although she has expressed a strong preference for being a Diplomat-Warrior Knight, we felt that if she did not have a master before she was five we would need to steer her toward one of the other professions where she could start alternate training immediately. With her personality and life span, though, we knew there would not be many interested in her. We have been trying to find her a master since she was three. She's remarkably bright and she knows too damned well what's going on." He paused to grimace.

"Unfortunately, so do most of the older initiates. There has been a great deal of resentment, misplaced of course, but there nonetheless, because many of the others think she is getting special consideration, that she has 'gotten out of' many of the courses they have to take and that she might get a master so early. She has been teased a great deal by the others and was turned down by the few knights and masters we were able to entice into looking at her."

Vezzl stopped, anger running down. He looked away for a moment before continuing quietly, "A few months ago a senior knight from a relatively short-lived race had finally agreed to take her on. It seemed like a good match and Lumesha was ecstatic. Before they even made it through the Council approval, however, he decided she was too much for him to handle, and that miserable little piece of bantha shit didn't even have the courage to come back and tell her in person, just took off on the first long mission he could get himself assigned to." He looked grimly at the young knight. "That kind of information only goes into an initiate's private records, and I'd better not find out you've repeated any of it in public. Now do you understand her reaction, though?"

Qui-Gon bowed his head in acknowledgement, not even wanting to think about what the master was probably going to do to that other knight if he ever came back. "Yes, Master Vezzl. I did not have the information you just provided, and I am sorry she has had such a difficult life." He raised his head and looked directly into the Master's eyes again. "I still want her as my padawan."

"You?" exclaimed the master, leaning back in his chair and laughing in disbelief. "What makes you think I'd ever recommend you to be Lumesha Vik's master?"

"With all due respect, Master Vezzl, that is the Council's decision, not yours." Annoyance crept into his voice as he continued, "I sincerely want her, and I don't understand why you seem to think I would be such an unsuitable choice."

"Everyone's heard about you, Jinn," barked the master. "Yoda's wonder boy, fastest lightsaber in ages and not averse to using it AND picked up the old boy's weird sense of humor. Even now you're only, what, twenty-three or twenty-four? Why Yoda ever put you in for your Trials so young I still don't understand," he finished with a shake of his head.

"MASTER Yoda did as he thought proper. I passed the Trials on my own, and I have been going on missions for three years," replied Qui-Gon tightly, fighting the urge to clench his fist and plant it on a large nose.

"Going adventuring around the galaxy is a lot different than having responsibility for a padawan," responded Vezzl, slapping a hand down on the desk as he leaned forward again. "You're not the type to settle down and give up your fun and games out there playing hero."

"I do not play games nor do I seek to be heroic. I take my calling as a Jedi knight very seriously, and I would take my responsibilities as a master very seriously," said Qui-Gon, keeping a firm hold on his temper.

"Be realistic, my boy. From all I've heard, you're just as impatient and stubborn as Lumesha is, and you're well on your way to setting some kind of record for Council reprimands for knights." Vezzl jabbed a finger in Qui-Gon's direction. "For years now, well before you were knighted, I've seen you out there scrubbing rocks, cleaning fountains and doing required meditations in the Solitude Garden for some prank or for disobeying the Council. You can't seriously think I'd want a wet-behind-the-ears, reckless youngster with your problems as a master for any of my initiates, let alone one like Lumesha?"

Qui-Gon gritted his teeth and counted backwards from five before he answered. "Master Vezzl, again with all due respect, they are not YOUR initiates. Those young people belong to the Jedi Order, if they belong to anyone. I am a Jedi knight, and it is my right to apply to the Council to take any initiate I choose as my padawan learner. While I know that it is your right to make an objection to my request, and that you are acting from your concerns about the initiates, it is the Council's decision whether or not to approve my petition." He stopped and drew a deep breath to reclaim his calm before continuing. "Master Vezzl, this is no idle decision or whim. The Force has directed me to take Initiate Vik as my padawan, and I wish to discuss this with her before we go before the Council. Are you going to let me speak with her or not?"

The Master of Initiates stood up and glared. Qui-Gon stood his ground without flinching. Vezzl finally relented, "Alright, dammit, you can talk to her. But if you hurt her I'll skin you alive, KNIGHT Jinn." Before Qui-Gon could do more than nod, the master swept by and led him out of the office to a little conference room. With a curt, "Stay here," Vezzl left Qui-Gon by himself as he went to get the initiate.

Sitting alone in the small room, Qui-Gon felt doubts creeping back in as he digested the information he had just received. Ruthlessly quashing the insidious thoughts, he nevertheless felt a flutter of nervousness in his stomach when the door finally opened and Master Vezzl entered hand in hand with the youngster.

"Initiate Vik, Knight Jinn wants to speak to you. Mind your manners," he cautioned her. Looking at the knight, he spoke to both of them. "I'll be right outside the door."

There was a long uncomfortable silence after the door closed.

"Master Vezzl said I had to apologize for pushing you," Lumesha finally ventured hesitantly.

"That's all right. I want to apologize for surprising you," said Qui-Gon. He rose and moved toward the initiate, wincing as she stepped back. He stopped, then knelt so blue eyes met green at the same level. "Initiate Vik, Master Vezzl told me about some of the problems you've had. I promise you, I'm not like that other knight." No reaction, so he tried again. "Lumesha, I do want you as my padawan learner. You have my word of honor as a Jedi knight."

A small light flickered and died in the green depths. "No one wants me," she said quietly. "I'm too different."

Qui-Gon sought desperately for some means to convince her. Struck with a thought, he said tentatively, "Do you know how to use the public terminal?"

"Of course," she said scornfully. "I'm different, not stupid."

Ignoring the gibe, Qui-Gon continued. "If you check the Council agenda for the day after tomorrow and the public records, I think you will find something of interest."

With a doubtful look, the initiate slowly walked over and sat down at a terminal in the corner. Qui-Gon settled himself cross-legged on the floor to wait. Several minutes passed as fingers flew quickly over keys. The knight watched as the initiate hunched over the keyboard, toggling intently back and forth between two screens. Eventually, she leaned back in the chair, arms crossed, tail twitching.

"Well?" inquired Qui-Gon softly.

Rising from the chair, the initiate glided over to stand in front of the knight. "The schedule says that on thirdday, at ninth hour, the Council is supposed to hear the petition of Knight Qui-Gon Jinn to take Initiate Lumesha Vik as his Padawan Learner," she said solemnly.

"And?"

"And the public record has a copy of Knight Jinn's official Petition for Padawan, filed at eighth hour this morning."

"You see, I really do want you to be my padawan," said Qui-Gon, raising an eyebrow. "I know I'm probably not the best master you might have gotten, but I want you if you'll have me. If you are certain you don't, then I'll withdraw the petition, but my offer is truly sincere." He smiled, then lowered his shields to encourage her to examine his feelings for her. "I've never had a padawan before, and I know I'll make some mistakes, but hopefully both of us will survive." He held out his right hand invitingly as he sent waves of reassurance through the Force.

A small pink tongue flicked up to touch the dark nose, then lingered, worrying at a sharp canine tooth. She dismissed his reservations with an absentminded wave. "That's all right, I've never had a master before either." She looked at the hand, still hesitating, then tentatively reached out with her own Force touch. Her eyes lit up when she encountered the warmth and sincerity emanating from the young knight. "You really do want me?" she asked softly, almost wonderingly.

"Yes, please," Qui-Gon replied, hand still out, unwavering.

Jaw snapping shut decisively, the initiate reached out, soft fingers small in the knight's rough callused hand. Then, smiling wickedly, she pulled her hand away and leapt at the knight, wrapping herself around him as they both tumbled to the floor. "Yesss," she hissed joyously, "oh, yesss!"

Qui-Gon hugged her tightly, then whispered a caution. "The Council still has to approve the petition," he warned.

She pulled back slightly, then grinned. "They don't stand a chance against us," she whispered back triumphantly. "We're incorrigible!"

Promptly at ninth hour, Master Vezzl, Initiate Vik and Knight Jinn were admitted to the Council chamber. Given how often the knight had been made to cool his heels in the Council anteroom in past dealings, he strongly suspected today's promptness was entirely for the initiate's sake. Glancing around as he entered, Qui-Gon almost gasped in surprise. He knew that Master Vezzl had a right to speak for or against his petition, but he had not been prepared to also see the Creche Master, two senior soul healers, the Master of Initiate Training, the Master of Padawan Training, the assistant Master of Padawan Training for Force Mastery and the senior staff xenobiologist present in addition to the full Council.

Qui-Gon swallowed hard as he took his place in the center of the room and thought to himself, "I don't think this is going to be quite as simple as Master Yoda said it would be." He sent a small prayer of gratitude to the Force for having had the cast taken off his left arm the day before; at least that removed the visible reminder of his most recent dressing down from the Council for a mission gone astray.

The current head of the Council read out the official petition that Qui-Gon had submitted. Master Choktvk was from a gray reptilian species, thin, with four arms and a middling long snout with sharp teeth. His species was noted for low empathy and devotion to tradition, but Choktvk's strength in the Unifying Force tended to make him even less sympathetic than most. The master was also blessed with a caustic tongue, an attribute Qui-Gon had had many occasions to verify. Having read the petition in his unexpectedly deep bass, the Councilor looked around the room before fixing his bright yellow eyes on the young knight.

"Every petition for a padawan is always carefully considered," began Master Choktvk, "but today we have a special situation which must be examined in even more depth than usual. There are significant questions of compatibility and suitability for the proposed pairing. In addition, we must consider that as a Theristan, Initiate Vik is among the most short-lived species that we have ever taken in, and her accelerated early development poses special problems for her training, problems which may be exacerbated by an inexperienced master."

Continuing to look directly at Qui-Gon, the master finished, "Both initiate and knight have a history of disciplinary problems, and both share certain temperamental characteristics which might render the pairing unsuitable." There was a brief subdued snicker from somewhere in the room and Qui-Gon was thankful when the master diverted his attention to glare around the chamber. "I have asked Master Vezzl to give the initial report."

The Master of Initiates stepped to the center of the room and cleared his throat before starting to speak. "Yes, as has been noted, Initiate Vik is a Theristan, a particularly short-lived race with a high metabolism. The young of the species grow very quickly and attain their full maturity within a relatively few years." With a nod toward a tall Mon Calamarian, he continued, "The Creche Master and I have been keeping a special eye on her. By the time she was two years standard, she had the physical and mental capabilities of a typical eight-year-old humanoid, so she was transferred to the initiate program. At the present time she is chronologically four years and one month standard. Her physical and mental abilities are equivalent to between twelve and thirteen years on the humanoid standard developmental scale; her social skills are lagging behind somewhat, however, and her Force control skills vary quite a bit but average out between the ten and eleven year humanoid standard."

"Her rapid development has caused some problems in her training and in her social development." Vezzl paused to pat the initiate reassuringly on the shoulder. "There simply hasn't been time for her to take all the classes that the others have taken and she has not been able to spend time with any one age group long enough to form any significant friendships. Her continued rapid development is going to mean that she will need unique training and attention, whether it be with or without a master in any of the various programs or specialties." Vezzl paused and gestured for Frayma, the Master of Padawan Training, to continue.

"This is a consolidated report, and I would like to thank my colleagues in Force and Initiate Training for their assistance." The petite blonde human master gestured gracefully toward a Zabrakian and a black-skinned humanoid Master. "We have been working on an individual training program for Initiate Vik for quite some time, emphasizing the most critical areas of interest. Fortunately, Initiate Vik has proven to be a quick study with an almost eidetic memory."

Frayma smiled kindly at the initiate before continuing. "If she is actually going to take a master at this point, we have updated a special transitional course of intensive study in the academic, Force and physical skills she will need to give her basic capabilities considered appropriate for an average junior padawan who has completed the more usual educational program through year fifteen on the standard developmental scale. It is a demanding course of study for both master and padawan and will require over a year of dedicated work here on Coruscant without any distractions such as missions."

Qui-Gon's gulp was overlooked in the sharp squawk from Master Drenjaq. "What! A year!"

Master Frayma nodded, "At least a year, possibly as much as a year and a half."

"That is unacceptable," snarled Drenjaq, the Councilor in charge of the mission planning and assignment group. "I cannot have Knight Jinn taken off the mission roster that long. Whatever other problems you think he has, he is the most promising negotiator I've had come along in years. The Jedi cannot afford to have HIS development arrested just to sit around here and learn how to train one padawan."

"We are not ready to make any decisions yet," Master Choktvk interjected firmly. "Your objection is noted for the moment," he raised a hand to still any further outburst, "but Master Frayma has considered both master and padawan, if you will give her a chance to explain."

Qui-Gon sneaked a peek at Initiate Vik as he tried to digest the implications of the proposed training plan. He noticed the end of her tail was starting to twitch after Master Drenjaq's remarks and he fervently hoped this session wasn't going to take all morning. He dragged his attention back to the Training Master's words.

"... a great deal of effort on Initiate Vik's part, but of course we also took into account the need for Knight Jinn's growth after we were notified of the petition. As her master, he would be expected to play a major role in training for areas such as the physical and Force skills as well as reinforcing the academic training. We are also recommending that while Initiate Vik is in class with other instructors, Knight Jinn should undertake advanced courses in diplomacy, languages and xenology, perhaps assisting the Senate Liaison with local negotiations, as well as maintaining his current physical skills by participating in extra sparring with the Sword Master and other Jedi who have advanced fighting techniques. If the two are successful in completing this training regimen, we believe that they would be on par with the development for a typical new master and padawan and should be able to start going on limited missions. From that point, with strict attention to completing the essential courses and no significant setbacks, we believe that it should be quite possible for Initiate Vik to satisfactorily complete padawan training in six to seven years."

"That means after that I could take the Trials and become a knight, right?" interrupted Lumesha, eyes wide and bright.

"Yes," replied Master Frayma with a smile. "But it will take a lot of very hard work, Initiate Vik." She turned to look at Qui-Gon and her smile turned to a grave frown. "It will be a demanding effort for both master and padawan. I have been watching Initiate Vik's development very closely, Knight Jinn, and I must warn you that you should not let her chronological youth fool you. Although innocent in some ways, in many others she is not the child most perceive her to be, but rather a unique being already well along a life path enhanced by the Force, and you will not always be able to predict her reactions or abilities. It is quite a heavy responsibility you would be taking on."

"I understand, Master Frayma," said Qui-Gon with a small bow. "I sincerely appreciate the effort that all of you have put forth on Initiate Vik's behalf, and I look forward to the challenge."

"Not quite so fast, Knight Jinn," drawled Master Ghitona, a broad-shouldered, pale female humanoid with a pug nose and tight brown curly hair. "I believe there are some concerns about how compatible the two of you are, if I am not mistaken."

"Indeed, you are quite right," acknowledged Master Choktvk. "Master R'Tarv, your comments, if you please."

The avian soul healer shook back the dark crest running down the back of his head, long feathers rubbing sibilantly. "Let me state first that, individually, both Knight Jinn and Initiate Vik are valued members of our community with many estimable qualities. Unfortunately, they both share some characteristics which may cause this pairing to be less than fully successful. Initiate Vik has little patience, is easily frustrated and is obstinate. She is intensely curious, which is understandable and is often typical of shorter lived species, but this trait has sometimes led her to take unnecessary risks and disobey rules. She has had additional disciplinary problems due to conflicts with other initiates which can be attributed partly to her limited social skills and her feelings of isolation."

R'Tarv paused to turn his attention to the young knight, seemingly oblivious to the increased twitching of Lumesha's tail. "Knight Jinn passed his Trials at a very early age, has earned a number of commendations since his knighting, and is widely acknowledged to be exceptionally talented with the lightsaber. He is also very deeply connected to the Living Force. Unfortunately, Knight Jinn has a long history of disciplinary actions both as a padawan and as a knight. Many of his reprimands are for actions resulting from obstinacy, impatience or a disregard for rules or traditions of the Temple. He shares many of Initiate Vik's attributes which have caused her disciplinary problems, and there is significant concern that these two beings may simply reinforce each other's shortcomings. There is also significant concern about Knight Jinn's youth and lack of experience in taking on a padawan with such unique needs. A first padawan is always a learning experience and good intentions don't prevent mistakes, mistakes which could be greatly magnified due to the short time available for Initiate Vik's teaching. Knight Jinn's tremendous connection with the Living Force, while in and of itself an invaluable skill, could also prevent him from looking sufficiently beyond the moment to see the bigger picture for himself and a padawan."

Outwardly serene, Qui-Gon groaned to himself as he heard his own arguments being thrown back at him. He had known that Master Vezzl would oppose him, but he hadn't realized how seriously the case against him would be made by the other masters. He had also failed to anticipate Master Drenjaq's opposition; in his experience, the surly mission master was just as likely to yell at him as praise him, regardless of the outcome of a mission. The knight knew he had done the right thing by asking for Lumesha to be his padawan, but he was beginning to despair of convincing the Council.

He felt a sudden nudge against his old training bond.

Master Yoda made a subtle signal that they had used on missions together. Patience, he signed.

Qui-Gon glanced briefly at his old master and sent an answering flash of appreciation before returning his attention to the end of Master R'Tarv's comments.

After the soul healer finished, Master Choktvk spoke again. "I would like to thank everyone for their input. It appears that we have a difficult choice before us and many things to consider in this particular case."

"Many things indeed," interrupted Master Yoda, breaking his silence. "Heard from those most concerned we have not. Considered the value of having master and padawan with same characteristics we have not. Who better to understand impatience than one who is impatient? Who better to understand stubbornness than one who is stubborn?" Yoda paused and looked around at the various Council members. "Too young some say is Knight Jinn, but very young is Initiate Vik. Who best to understand her needs, her motivations, than one who is also young, one who feels many of the same things she feels?"

"Well, I'm sure those are valid points," said Master Ghitona indulgently. "And of course your views are particularly important. After all, who should know Knight Jinn's character better than the master who put him up for early Trials?" she ended pointedly, leaving it to the others to draw their own conclusions.

Qui-Gon felt like gritting his teeth and was silently praying that the ominous twitching of Lumesha's tail wasn't a signal of an outburst to come. He hoped Ghitona wasn't still carrying a grudge against him for the pranks he had pulled as a padawan; how could he have known that the master liked early morning swims in the particular pool that he had poured the dye into, hoping to catch some of his rivals in affection for a particular female padawan. He smiled just a little; her skin had turned the most spectacular shade of bright purple. Today it seemed his sins were coming back to haunt him.

The next half hour was like an agonizing game of keep-away. The Council members seemed intent on quizzing the various masters who had provided comments, and every time Qui-Gon tried to get a word in he was cut off by another question to someone else. From the tone of the questions and side conversations, it appeared that his petition was not being viewed very favorably. He was becoming increasingly concerned about the young initiate; her tail twitching had proceeded to ear twitching and full-blown tail swinging. Qui-Gon was also more than a little irritated that no one else seemed to be particularly interested in either his thoughts or Lumesha Vik's feelings. He had just about made up his mind to do something ill-advised when there was a sudden interruption to the verbal badminton.

"Enough!"

Master Yaddle, who had been silent up to this point, rose from her chair and walked slowly to the center of the chamber, then simply stood looking at knight and initiate for a long moment. Qui-Gon didn't know her very well; she had been away raising a padawan of her own for many years and had only recently returned to serve another of her periodic terms on the Council.

"Enough I have heard of youth, of training, of tempers and of discipline," she declared firmly. She turned to the Theristan. "Initiate Vik, Padawan Learner to Knight Jinn do you want to be?"

"Yes, Master Yaddle." The direct attention seemed to have calmed the initiate; ears and tail finally stopped moving as she answered respectfully.

"Initiate Vik, understand do you what it means to be a padawan, to obey your master, to learn from him, to do many things that are not easy or enjoyable?"

"I understand that it won't be easy and it will take a long time. I don't think anyone who's never been a padawan can really know what's it like, but I know I want to do this." She paused to look up at Qui-Gon before smiling and turning her focus back to the diminutive green master. "We are probably going to cause each other to get in lots of trouble, but I think Knight Jinn can handle it. He will be a good master."

There was a mixed round of suppressed chuckles and scowls at the forthright, if rather impertinent, answer. Master Vezzl started to speak but was waved to silence by a smiling Yaddle. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon was almost choking from the effort to stifle his own laugh and maintain an expression of serenity.

Master Yaddle turned to the young knight, craning her neck to look up at him. "Knight Jinn, certain you are you wish to take this mischievous being for your first padawan?"

Qui-Gon knelt down so he was at eye level with his questioner. "Yes, Master Yaddle."

"Aware of the difficulties you are? True are many of the points that have been made against this pairing, young one."

"Yes, Master Yaddle," replied Qui-Gon respectfully. "I have given much thought and meditation to this decision. When the Force first called me to her, I could only see the difficulties and problems. I knew of her short life and her strong personality, and I was very aware of my own shortcomings as a potential master. I discussed these issues with my own master, trying to persuade myself out of the calling." Qui-Gon glanced briefly at Yoda before continuing. "My master sent me away to meditate some more and I came to understand that this was indeed the right thing to do. I acknowledge that it will not be easy, but I believe that it is the will of the Force that I take Initiate Vik as my padawan."

"Enough have I heard." Yaddle turned to her fellow Council members. "Call for the vote I do," she said, then returned to her seat, gesturing to Qui-Gon to stand up.

"That is your right, of course." Master Choktvk was distinctly not pleased, and he let silence hang in the room a long moment to reassert his authority. "Very well, then, the issue before us is the petition of Knight Jinn to take Initiate Vik as his Padawan Learner. Let us consider the issues that have been brought before us about the suitability, or evident unsuitability of this particular pairing - "

Qui-Gon heard an impatient rumbling behind him.

"The vote has been called, we don't need to rehash all that. Get on with it."

Master Choktvk glared at the offending voice but had to concede the point. "The vote has been called. Master Yoda, please begin."

The quiet but emphatic affirmative vote by Yoda was followed by the equally decided negative from Master Ghitona. The vote stayed close as it progressed around the chamber, through the mission master's sullen "No" and Yaddle's placid "Yes" until it completed the full circle with the head Councilor.

Pausing a moment as if verifying the count in his head, Master Choktvk looked at Knight Jinn and made his pronouncement. "I vote to disapprove. The vote is tied and therefore the petition is denied. I would like to thank everyone for their contributions to the discussion. Master Vezzl, if you will please return Initiate Vik to the initiate quarters, we have other business to -"

"No," said Qui-Gon loudly, surprising even himself by his sudden outburst.

"The petition has been disapproved and you are dismissed, Knight Jinn. There is nothing further to discuss," replied Master Choktvk in a hard tone.

"I have all due respect for the Council, but it IS the will of the Force that I take Lumesha Vik as my padawan. I am absolutely convinced of this; surely there must be a way I can make you see it also?" said Qui-Gon, standing firm.

"You had your chance and proper procedures were followed. This is finished and you will leave now," hissed Master Choktvk.

"Actually, fully followed the proper procedures were not," came a quiet voice. "Taken the vote was before closing statements to the full Council were given."

Now clearly angry, Master Choktvk glared at Yaddle. "YOU were the one who called for the vote."

"Hmmm, overlooked I must have the missing statements in my haste to conclude this matter," replied the unperturbed Yaddle mildly. "My apologies, of course."

Master Choktvk folded all four arms closely and looked around the chamber. He continued in a tight voice, "The vote has been taken. I suppose we can allow a revote if there are any who think the summary statements may change their vote."

A taut silence fell over the room. Few willingly challenged the senior Councilor when he was angry, particularly when there seemed to be a great deal of evidence to support his position and mostly just the word of one headstrong young knight to oppose him.

A raspy voice finally broke the tension. "If convince you Knight Jinn can, willing to change your vote are you, Master Choktvk?" asked Master Yoda.

"I doubt very much if there is anything that Knight Jinn has to say that will change my views."

"Probably true, that is, but what if into his mind he allows you, his own vision from the Force with you he shares?"

Qui-Gon paled and swallowed hard as he realized what his master had just suggested. Yoda wanted him to drop his shields and let Master Choktvk into his mind. Even if the Councilor agreed, Qui-Gon wasn't sure he could go through with that; just the thought of letting that angry old man rummage around in his head was very unsettling.

Qui-Gon felt Master Choktvk's gaze linger on him speculatively, almost as if the master could sense the turmoil churning wildly behind his facade of serenity. Finally the master smiled, just a little, and said in a low, dark voice, "Knight Jinn, are you willing to back up your words by letting me in to see the truth of them for myself?"

Thankful for the long robe that hid his shaking knees and clenched hands, Qui-Gon wavered under the sharp, threatening stare until he glanced at Lumesha. Initially crushed by the vote of disapproval, she now gazed at him with her bright green eyes, apparently awed by his willingness to stand up to the Council on her behalf and confidence in him unconsciously radiating. Qui-Gon realized that he had to go through with this, for Lumesha's sake if not his own, so he straightened his shoulders and gathered some of that confidence into himself.

"Yes, Master Choktvk," he replied quietly but firmly. Knowing he would probably pay later for the implied distrust, he added, "I request that the Council monitor the interaction so I only have to do this once, sir."

"As you wish, Knight Jinn," replied the master with quiet but deadly courtesy and a slight but distinct emphasis on 'Knight'. "Let us begin."

With a deep breath and one last glance at Lumesha, Qui-Gon went forward to kneel in front of the Councilor. Master Choktvk placed his lower hands on the knight's shoulders, then both closed their eyes to begin the preparatory light meditation. When they were attuned to each other, Qui-Gon began to lower his shields. With the full Council observing the interaction, Choktvk could do no deliberate damage, but he certainly didn't waste any time on courteous niceties. The master whipped through his lowering shields with a speed and intensity that sucked Qui-Gon's breath away and was certain to leave a nasty headache later. The Councilor sought intently for the intersection of Qui-Gon's memories dealing with the Force and Initiate Vik and was quickly rewarded by a bright blue light from the knight's innermost thoughts.

The master dwelt there for what seemed an interminable time to Qui-Gon but in reality was less than a minute. The first tentative calling was there, quickly followed by the myriad doubts with which Qui-Gon had assailed himself. The meditations prompted intense scrutiny, but there could be no doubt of the final conviction, of Qui-Gon's absolute certainty that the Force wanted him and Lumesha Vik together. Master Choktvk made several fruitless attempts to shake Qui-Gon's faith, but it was quickly clear to all that it was a pointless exercise. After one last disgusted stab, the master withdrew with a searing rush that left the knight sweating and shaking as he gasped for breath.

Master Choktvk leaned back in his chair, both pairs of arms once more tightly folded. Lumesha ran over to lay a comforting arm on Qui-Gon's shoulders where he still knelt, eyes closed, as he tried to recover from the short but grueling encounter. There were many disapproving glances directed at the senior Councilor, but they were mild compared to the glare which Lumesha fixed on the old master. Qui-Gon gathered her into his arms, hoping to stem any harmful outbursts from the outraged initiate. "Please, not now, Lumesha," he whispered. She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into his embrace, but Qui-Gon could still sense her anger.

The silence was broken by a small chuckle. "Seen enough, I think we have," rasped Yoda. "Is there still anyone who would deny a master's greatest wish?"

"What in the Force are you blathering on about?" growled Master Choktvk.

"Why, well known it is that a master's greatest wish is for his padawan to take a similar padawan of his own. Poetic justice it is for Jinn to take Vik as his padawan," said Yaddle with a smile. The old chestnut brought several smiles and a few outright chuckles; the atmosphere in the room lightened considerably.

Master Choktvk looked back and forth suspiciously between Yoda and Yaddle before finally conceding defeat. With a small snort of disgust, he reestablished control. "It would appear that Knight Jinn's request is exceptionally sincere," he said dryly. "I call for a voice vote on the petition. All those in favor so affirm."

There was a general chorus of positive replies, even the reluctant Master Drenjaq throwing in a muttered "I suppose so."

"All those opposed to the petition, so affirm."

A moment of silence as Qui-Gon continued to kneel, holding the anxious initiate close to him.

"Very well. The petition is approved," said Master Choktvk brusquely. "Knight Jinn, you will see the Council secretary to schedule the formal padawan ceremony, then report to the Support Master to get your new quarters assignment, supplies and clothing for your padawan. Contact Master Frayma to set up the special training program. You are dismissed."

The Council secretary had been kind as well as efficient and Qui-Gon was in and out of his presence in scant minutes, leaving with a slot on the Council agenda for three days hence for the formal padawan ceremony.

The Support Master was a large, fluffy, two-headed Chensawan named Terusk res Duransk, much given to bear hugs and long rambling jokes to itself, mostly dealing with the alleged inefficiencies of its staff and mostly told by the far more garrulous Terusk. It seemed the rotund being had a particular interest in knights with first padawans and decided to squire them around itself. Lumesha was fascinated by the two heads and the master's ability to hold two different simultaneous conversations. Near the beginning of the three hours the Chensawan spent showing them around, it casually allowed as to how Yoda had sent a message mentioning that his former padawan might be coming around and inquired after Yoda's health with a rumbling laugh.

Master Terusk took them first to the quartering office, where it held a rapid conference with a chittering insectoid. The gist of their conversation seemed to be that a large number of junior master/padawan suites were currently under renovation. Terusk turned to Qui-Gon with an apologetic shrug and asked if he minded moving into quarters that had recently been vacated due to the inhabitant's becoming one with the Force after a long illness. Duransk added, "The rooms have been cleaned, painted and recarpeted, but some beings do mind that sort of thing, you know, and the furniture is rather old, of course." As soon as he mentioned the location, a suite with not only windows but a balcony in the master's wing, Qui-Gon's eyes widened and he quickly assented. Qui-Gon strongly suspected that Yoda had had more than a small hand in securing the highly desirable rooms which should normally have gone to a senior master, but he was not about to let the potential jealousy of his peers stand in the way of such a gift.

For the bulk of their hours together, Terusk walked them around to various offices under its jurisdiction. Lumesha was measured from head to tail to toe for a full set of padawan clothes and personal items. A new set of formal whites was ordered for both to wear at the upcoming ceremony, Qui-Gon's set to have the red sash that denoted a knight with a padawan instead of the green he'd earned as a knight alone or the dark blue of a full master that one day might be in his future. Requisitions for new linens, bedding, towels and other sundries followed, as did kitchen equipment, dry goods and fresh foods. A new, extra large bed to accommodate his height was ordered to replace the existing bed in Qui-Gon's new sleeping room. Empty boxes were sent to Qui-Gon and Lumesha's old quarters so they could transfer their belongings.

By the time the trio arrived in front of a brown plastisteel door in the master's wing, Qui-Gon was feeling a bit breathless and had imprinted his thumb on so many datapads he was beginning to wonder if there would be any skin left on it for this last bit. Terusk used its override code to open the door, then had the two new occupants key in their personal codes. With a flourish, it affixed two new nameplates beside the door, then bowed them in.

Qui-Gon stepped through into their new home, Lumesha crowding his heels. Sunlight flooded the quarters and his new padawan gave an excited, high-pitched bark as she ran to the door on their immediate left to investigate her room. Qui-Gon looked around, noting that the large open area had a four-person table and compact kitchenette on his right, with a long common area filling the rest of the space in front of him. There was a comfortable-looking couch and chairs, a relatively recent model large-screen combination vid and music player, and, joy of joys, lots and lots of shelves for the books, plants and holos he had already accumulated as a knight. He vaguely noted the smell of new paint; the walls were a clean ivory, which he suspected from experience would probably not stay that way very long, while the trim was in various earth tones. A shuffling behind him denoted the arrival of one of many service droids bringing the results of their various orders from earlier in their tour.

Qui-Gon ventured to the larger private room across from the common area and peeked in; the sunlight pouring in from the wall-length windows revealed that the large bed had already been delivered. He was pleased to see that there was still ample room left for a work desk with a private terminal, a tall wardrobe and more shelves. He smiled when he realized that the walls had been done in one of his favorite shades of light blue; he suspected that more of Yoda's influence had been at work here.

As he stepped back out he saw Lumesha emerging from the padawan room; they met at the 'fresher in between the two sleeping rooms. Opening the door, they both made suitable exclamations over the generous size of the tub and the practicality of the shower fixture which slid up and down a long pipe to adjust to their disparate heights. A gentle throat clearing from the common area brought Qui-Gon's attention back to other unfinished tasks.

"I trust the quarters are satisfactory?" asked the beaming Terusk. Duransk was silent but had a sly smile on its lips.

"Oh yes, very satisfactory indeed," replied Qui-Gon with a big grin. "I think we will be very comfortable here."

"Good, good. One more thing, then." Terusk dug into a large pouch at its belt and withdrew some objects. "Now, if you will give me your current credit chip, Knight Jinn." It waited as Qui-Gon retrieved the small card from his utility belt, then inserted it into a slot in the box it had brought out from its own pouch. Selecting two new cards with red and blue borders, it carefully inserted them into two slots above the first opening, manipulated a small keyset, then waited until the box gently chimed.

"Knight Jinn, if you will please look into the eyepiece, your retinal scan will be imprinted on both of the new chips." Terusk waited until Qui-Gon stepped back before continuing. "Your existing credit balance has been transferred to both new chips. The first installment of your increased stipend has also been added."

"I get more credits?" Qui-Gon blinked; he hadn't even thought about those sorts of things.

"Of course, you have a padawan to support now," replied Terusk with a wink and a grin. "You will both continue to be provided with all of the items you need from the basic supply lists, including tools, clothes, sundries, standard food items, training or educational equipment, etcetera. Anything not on the standard lists or beyond the allowance for rationed items, you will either have to purchase or try to persuade the supply committee that it is necessary for you or your padawan's subsistence. The additional credits are for you and for any allowance you may wish to provide to your padawan. Everyone's stipend is reevaluated each year and adjusted as necessary." Terusk paused to run a hand through Lumesha's head fur. "When your padawan reaches the age of legal adulthood for her species, she will be given a new chip with her own separate stipend, although you will still be able to monitor and block it. Until then, her chip will be linked to yours and you can set the amount she is authorized to spend. You can track the status of both cards on your terminal. Do you have any questions?"

"Not right now," said Qui-Gon a bit absently, still trying to wrap his mind around the concept of 'a padawan to support'.

"I'll be around if you have questions later, of course," said Terusk with another sunny smile. "Now, if I can get a thumb print from each of you," it paused as they imprinted the cards and then handed them over, "that takes care of that. I know you still have a lot to do today to get your personal items moved and get unpacked and settled in here, so I'll leave you to it. Just give us a shout if you need help with anything." It swooped upon both knight and padawan, enveloping them both in a big hug.

"Thanks for everything. You've been a big help," said Qui-Gon gratefully as they walked to the door.

"Our pleasure," Terusk and Duransk replied together before heading down the hall.

Qui-Gon stepped back inside and stood, surveying the area for a moment, still trying to let things sink in. His thoughts were interrupted by a tug on his tunic.

"I'm hungry, Master," said Lumesha. "Are we going to eat sometime today?"

A little tingle raced up the knight's back. Force, he really was a master now!

Qui-Gon's thoughts went blank for a moment as he realized they had missed midmeal and the dining hall was most likely closed until lastmeal.

"Let's go over to my old quarters," he finally replied. "I'm sure there's still something edible. We can eat, then pack up my belongings for the droids to move. After that we can go to the Initiates' Hall and get your stuff. Alright, Padawan?" Another little tingle as he tried not to linger on those three syllables.

At Lumesha's eager assent, they set out. What was left of the afternoon went by quickly in a flurry of packing and moving their personal possessions, and much unpacking and putting away of both old items and the new clothing, equipment and supplies, as well as carefully placing Qui-Gon's growing collection of plants. A short respite to eat in their new dining area was followed by a last session of storing and re-arranging everything in the common areas. They worked steadily, except for a brief interruption when Master Frayma stopped by to discuss an appointment for the next day to discuss their training program.

Qui-Gon was more than ready to take a break when he finally deposited the last item into his new room and went out to the common room to relax for a bit. His head was still spinning from the concentrated activities of the last several hours and he was having trouble believing that everything was real. Eyes closed, head resting against the back of the couch, he shuddered slightly as he thought back to the Council session that morning. He still had the remnants of a dull headache from Master Choktvk's rough treatment, but he had been able to ignore it in the face of the good will he had encountered from almost everyone else that day. The reaction from most beings had been along the lines of "Oh, your first padawan, eh?" followed by either "How sweet" or a knowing smile. He felt a grin tug at the corners of his mouth as he let the word 'padawan' roll around in his head.

"Master?"

The tentative voice snagged Qui-Gon's consciousness and brought it back to the common area. He opened his eyes to the sight of his new padawan, barefoot and clad in old initiate blue leggings and tunic, standing uncertainly before him.

"What happens next, Master?" she asked.

Qui-Gon blinked before replying foggily, "Uh, do you mean right now, or this week, or the next year, or the next ten years, or for - "

She interrupted with a soft giggle. "Now, of course." She paused a moment, then amended the statement, "Well, I guess I meant tonight and the next few days."

"Ah, yes, one should always say what one means. So, you would like to know about the immediate future," Qui-Gon replied, trying to sound wise and masterly while he frantically cast his thoughts back to the night a little green master brought an excited nine-year-old boy home with him. Force, that was a long time ago; his memories were a jumble of emotions rather than events, and none of them were particularly helpful at the moment.

Lumesha stood there looking at Qui-Gon expectantly, so he cleared his throat and tried again.

"The first few days are sort of an initial adjustment period. We'll finish getting our quarters fixed up, we'll meet with Master Frayma to work out our new training schedules, I'll find out who I report to for my new duties, we'll, uh, get ready for the official ceremony�" Qui-Gon hesitated, thinking again. "We're not really supposed to have any duties or training until after the ceremony. This period of time is to help us to get to know each other, to work on our bonding, and just generally get started on things."

A dark pink tongue flicked out to touch the brown nose as Lumesha put her hands on her hips. She regarded Qui-Gon gravely as if digesting his words, tail swinging back and forth in long slow arcs. Eventually she spoke, "You don't really know, do you?"

Qui-Gon leaned forward, putting his forearms on his knees, letting his hands dangle. He drew a breath to speak, but in the face of that steady gaze he felt quite deflated and let it out again. Recalling the old maxim that one should start as one intends to carry on, Qui-Gon knew there was really one honest answer he could give. He sucked on his lower lip for a few seconds as he thought it over. Finally, reluctantly, he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"Actually, not really, no," said Qui-Gon quietly.

For several uncomfortable moments the young knight and the new padawan looked at each other, then around the room and finally back at each other. Qui-Gon felt as if he were in a surreal dream that was teetering on the edge of becoming a nightmare if he said or did the wrong thing. The tableau was broken when they both started at the intrusive chime of the door.

Qui-Gon jumped up and hurried over to the door, grateful for the interruption. He was surprised when his former master hobbled in, gimmer stick thumping.

"Good evening, Master Yoda," said Qui-Gon.

"Good evening, Qui-Gon," replied Yoda, giving the knight a friendly tap on the lower leg. "Visit with my new grand-padawan I wish."

Lumesha rushed over to hug the little master. "Hello, Master Yoda," she said happily. "It's wonderful that you're here. Did you come to see our new quarters? I've got a room of my own now, all to myself, and we've got an enormous tub, and our own little kitchen so we don't have to go to the dining hall if we don't want to, and, oh, windows, great big windows. It's a very nice place and I really like it." She stopped to take a breath, then leaned in confidentially, going on in a worried tone, "I think maybe you had better talk to Qui-Gon, though. It was really super what he did with the Council today, but he seems awfully clueless about this master business."

Qui-Gon felt his face burning as Yoda chortled. The sharp retort that sprang to his lips was interrupted by a relatively gentle whack on the shins as Master Yoda waved them both over to sit on the couch.

"A fine pair you will make," said Yoda as he recovered from his fit of laughter. "A very fine pair indeed."

"Master, surely I was never like her," started Qui-Gon, highly irritated.

"No, worse you were," replied Yoda fondly before turning to the former initiate. "Padawan Vik, a good thing is honesty, but useful also is tact, a thing you will learn from your master if attention you pay."

"Yes, Master Yoda," she said.

"Also, your MASTER is Knight Jinn," continued Yoda sternly. "Much will you learn from each other, but much more will you learn from him. My padawan he was and a good Jedi he is, treat him respectfully you will."

"Yes, Master Yoda," said Lumesha as she turned to look at Qui-Gon. "I'm sorry, Master, I wasn't trying to cause trouble, I just didn't think about what I was saying."

Qui-Gon's irritation at Yoda's comments vanished into the depths of the innocent green eyes gazing at him. "It's alright, I suppose. This is all very new and I'm sure we're both concerned about how things will work out," he said. He shook his head ruefully, then continued, "It is true, Master, I'm not really quite sure how we're supposed to start."

"Ah, difficult are beginnings, especially so first beginnings," said Yoda kindly. "Much impact later can the wrong start have on your relationship, and there is much you must do that you have not had to think about before." He pointed to Qui-Gon as he continued, "A master you now are, much responsibility you now bear for another being. Yours are the rules for how you will live together, yours are the rules for how your padawan will spend her time, how she will conduct herself. Yours is the interpretation of the Code she will hear most often and yours is the example of what a Jedi is and should be that she will see most often. In these first days many rules you must establish so boundaries your padawan will have and your expectations she will understand."

Yoda turned away from Qui-Gon and gave his attention to Lumesha. "A padawan you now are, responsibilities you have as well. Honor, obey and serve your master you must. Work very hard you must, for many things you have to learn in such a short time. Times there will be when you don't like your master or what he requires of you, when unfair you think he is, when too much you think he asks of you; those are the times when even more important is obedience."

Finally, the old master addressed both of them. "Only with time will some things come - understanding, mutual respect, communications. Mistakes you both will make, no shame is there in that, much learning comes from mistakes and make them we all do." He paused a moment to consider, then asked, "More questions have you, hrrmmm?"

"You've been very helpful, Master Yoda," said Qui-Gon, then hesitated. "There is one thing, though�" He paused to look at his new padawan. "I don't really remember how we created our training bond, it just seemed to have, well, happened. Is there something specific I, or we, should be doing?" Lumesha nodded eagerly as if she too had been thinking of the same thing.

"Ah, show you that I can," replied Yoda. He gestured to Lumesha to move over and Qui-Gon helped his old master to sit up on the couch between them.

"Very simple it is when both beings are willing and seek the bond," said Yoda. "Easier it will be with physical contact," he continued as he joined the hands of Qui-Gon and Lumesha between his own. For several minutes he gently helped Qui-Gon identify the dark individual threads that would join master and padawan and weave the first bright binding, then quietly withdrew from both minds to let them enjoy and begin to strengthen the newly formed bond.

A half hour later Qui-Gon drew a slow, deep breath and opened his eyes to the wide-eyed gaze of his new padawan. He could feel the new bond tingling with wonder and happiness, recalling his own memories of awe and joy at his first bond. "Padawan, how are you?"

"Fantastic," she slowly replied. "It's even better than I thought it would be. I can really feel you in my head. It's sort of� warm and snuggly, I guess."

"It will get even better," said Qui-Gon with a smile. "Over time the bond will grow stronger and we will be able to feel each other's emotions, find each other, perhaps eventually even express thoughts." His smile widened into a grin at the keen expression on Lumesha's face. "Of course, learning how to shield will be just as important in your training. You won't always want me to be able to tell what you are feeling; sometimes you'll want some privacy inside your head, Padawan."

"Oh," said Lumesha, eagerness changing to uncertainty. "You can really tell everything I'm thinking?"

"Well, not now," giving the hand he still held a reassuring squeeze. "Perhaps some day. It's different for each pair and can vary from just feeling general emotions to actual mind speech." Qui-Gon concentrated on the bond for a few moments to see how far the initial joining extended and was surprised to feel a nagging undercurrent of anxiety. "Lumesha, is something wrong?"

She ducked her head and fidgeted a little. "Everything's fine, it's just a lot to get used to."

"Trust your master you should," said Yoda quietly. "Help you he can."

Lumesha looked up uncertainly, the earlier rebuke about her comments on her new master's 'cluelessness' evidently still on her mind. "It's okay to ask anything I want?" Both Qui-Gon and Yoda nodded. "I heard that when you become a padawan you can change your name. Do you know if that's true, Master?"

"It can be done, particularly if the being's culture has a tradition of making changes to names as their people pass through different stages of their lives," said Qui-Gon. "You don't like your name?"

"Vik is fine," she hastily reassured him. "But I've always hated Lumesha. When the other initiates teased me they called me Loomey. It just seemed, well, kind of like being called a dim bulb and it sounded stupid. And I want to be something different from when I was an initiate."

"Dim you most certainly are not, far from it, in fact," said Qui-Gon with a half smile. Turning serious, he continued, "Is there some other name you have in mind?"

"I want to be called Laysha Vik," she promptly responded.

"Laysha," said Qui-Gon slowly, letting the syllables roll off his tongue. "That is a nice name, Laysha." He turned to Yoda, "Can we just announce her name at the padawan ceremony, Master, or is there something official we need to do?"

"A new name we can announce and that is what she will be called," replied Yoda. "Later can you change it on the official records."

"Thank you, Master. Laysha Vik it will be, then," said Qui-Gon to his grinning padawan.

"One more thing must you do before the ceremony," Yoda reminded them as he pushed off from the couch to stand upright. At Qui-Gon's questioning look, he continued, "Padawan Vik cannot grow a braid, short fur only has her species. Together must you decide on what will be her padawan sign."

"Oh," said Qui-Gon blankly. "I hadn't thought about that." He turned to his apprentice. "Most humanoid padawans grow part of their hair long enough to make a braid, but there are obviously many species who cannot and prefer to use either an artificial braid or else something unique to their species or culture. Over the next day or so we will have to do some research and meditate together to find an appropriate visual symbol of your apprenticeship. Do you understand, Laysha?"

"Yes, Master. I have a few ideas, but I would like to use the Temple Library data files for more research, if that is allowed?"

"I think that would be an excellent idea," said Qui-Gon. "I'll make sure you have the appropriate passwords in the morning. We can get together after lastmeal tomorrow to start our discussion."

"Yes, Master," she replied eagerly, happy to have a specific task in which she could participate. "And thank you, Master Yoda. I'm glad you came to help us."

"To help is part of my work and also a pleasure," said Yoda with a gleam in his eye. "The answers you may not always like, but questions you are always free to ask."

Qui-Gon snorted, remembering all too well the many obscure answers and advice he had received over the years. Nevertheless, he was truly grateful for Yoda's help and made sure to tell him so again as he escorted his master to the door. Alone once more in the quiet quarters, master and padawan said their good nights and went to their rooms for a well-earned rest.

"Oh, alright, but just one more," said Qui-Gon in a mock growl as he waved his apprentice toward the table holding the remains of their welcoming party treats. He glanced around the common room ruefully as his newly inducted padawan swooped down to grab a particularly plump cream custard roll with a bark of delight, glad that he would have help in cleaning up.

It had been an exciting but tiring day. The official ceremony at midday had gone well, after a few anxious moments during the morning preparations. Now for the last few hours they had been engaging in the customary open house to allow friends and colleagues an opportunity to stop by and visit informally. Yoda had taken full advantage of the opportunity to show off his newest grand-padawan and had spoiled her unmercifully with a present of a huge tub of her favorite fish and mixed grubs.

Qui-Gon suspected a number of beings had come in more from curiosity than anything else, and he did catch a few mutterings about the size and location of his new quarters, but everyone had been at least cordial, particularly while Yoda was there. His friends who were on Coruscant had all come by with genuine wishes for their success, although Qui-Gon had to endure more than a little ribbing about finally getting caught and bets as to how much time he and his fiery little padawan would be spending in disciplinary hearings. He was a little concerned that not a single initiate or junior padawan came, except those accompanying their masters, but it didn't seem to bother Laysha so he let it pass. Master Vezzl did stop in but spent almost the entire visit talking only to his former charge, giving Qui-Gon a frosty look as he left that implied the young knight had better take good care of Laysha or else!

Since the last person had left a good fifteen minutes ago, Qui-Gon had just about decided it was safe to start cleaning up when the door chime rang again. When the door opened, Master Plo Koon stepped in, followed by his padawan of three years, Avo Tog.

"Plo!" said Qui-Gon with a big grin as they hugged each other. "It's wonderful to see you. I wasn't expecting you back for several days." He stepped back a bit. "Looking as good as ever, too, my friend."

The formidable knight took off his dusty cloak and hung it beside the door. "You always say that, no matter how bad I look," he replied, a smile noticeable only in his voice as his breather hid much of his face. "We finished up early and managed to get a fast transport back."

Qui-Gon smiled in the padawan's direction. "It's good to see you too, Avo." He had long since learned that the serious young amphibian disliked casual contact so made no move to offer him a hug in turn.

"Master Jinn, it is good to see you again, sir," replied Avo Tag with a formal bow. "May I offer my congratulations to you and your padawan?"

"Yes," added Plo. "Congratulations, indeed. It's about time you finally settled down to some real work."

Qui-Gon's retort was cut off by a sharp rapping at the door. He stuck his tongue out at the older knight as he went to answer the door, drawing a nasal laugh from Plo and a long-suffering sigh from Plo's apprentice. As the door slid open, Qui-Gon was pounced upon and vigorously hugged by a slender young knight, almost as tall as Qui-Gon himself.

After a quick kiss, the knight stepped back and looked around. "Nice place, Qui. Who'd you bribe?" Without waiting for an answer, he headed for the dining table. "Where's the food? And what's this I hear about you getting snagged by a padawan?"

Qui-Gon and Plo both stared after Qui-Gon's long-time friend and occasional lover bemusedly, then shrugged at each other. "It's nice to see you, too, Reej," called Qui-Gon. "Welcome back to Coruscant."

"Good to be mmnph back," came mumblings from the kitchenette area. "Whatchya got to drink, short stuff?"

"Reej!" Qui-Gon let loose an outraged growl as he sped over to rescue his wide-eyed apprentice from the ravenous knight.

"Oh, lighten up, I haven't had anything decent to eat in almost a ten on that awful smelly freighter I had to take to get back here from the Outer Rim. And she is short, so what's your problem?" The newcomer stuffed another veggie roll in his mouth, then assembled a plateful of food before following a grimacing Qui-Gon as he led his new apprentice back to the common area.

Qui-Gon gathered his dignity and his apprentice as his friends stood by their seats. He smiled proudly as he began the formal introductions. "I would like everyone to meet my new Padawan, Laysha Vik. Padawan, these are some friends of mine, Master Plo Koon, Padawan Avo Tog and Knight Reejkhan M'vlano."

There was another general round of congratulations, then the group sat down to talk. The conversation ranged from recent missions to current Temple doings and tales of past escapades, Reej adding his share of irreverent observations. Having finally slaked his hunger for food and gossip, Reej leaned over from his place at Qui-Gon's right side to look closely at Laysha.

Reej pushed back the unruly locks of light brown hair that had flopped down onto his face as he bent over. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the oval stone in the new apprentice's left ear.

"That is my padawan sign," said Laysha proudly. "My master and I researched the traditions of my home planet." She looked up at Qui-Gon and smiled. "The yellow fermon is used by learners in the craft guilds. A journeyman has a blue shortol, and a master artisan is entitled to a green tyvorn."

"I have already started looking for the perfect blue gem to use when Laysha is knighted," said Qui-Gon softly as he gathered his padawan to his left side. "It won't be that many years, and I don't want just any old rock for my padawan."

"The journey might be short, but it will be exciting," said Laysha with a big grin.

"For both us no doubt, my little one," Qui-Gon replied softly. He smiled as his padawan snuggled in closer, resting in the warm glow of the dreams he felt drifting over their new bond.

Qui-Gon stripped and tossed his clothes haphazardly toward his desk chair, then collapsed onto his bed.

"Force, I didn't know it was possible to be this tired," he groaned aloud. "It's only been four tens and I'm already exhausted."

The term 'intensive program' had turned out to be quite an understatement. From sixth hour to twelfth hour Laysha was in class while Qui-Gon either performed his duties with the Senate liaison team or attended classes of his own. The afternoons were filled with training his apprentice in Force control, katas, sparring, or assisting with homework, while the evenings were devoted to more homework for both of them or occasional all-too-brief moments of leisure. Four days out of each ten Qui-Gon reported to the Sword Master after lastmeal for advanced lightsaber work while Laysha stayed in their quarters continuing her own assignments. It didn't help his disposition that Master Vezzl insisted on stopping by at least once a ten to check up on his former initiate.

What little energy Qui-Gon had left over from these activities went to learning how to take care of his lively charge. He had clearly been deficient in his understanding of the term 'high metabolism'. She ate like a gundark, raced around the training salles and gardens, asked endless questions and seemed to intersperse impromptu catnaps with an occasional prolonged deep sleep. Keeping her focused during their training sessions was already becoming as much an exercise in patience for him as it was for her, as was getting her to devote some of that considerable energy to boring chores, such as keeping their quarters clean.

Qui-Gon ruefully recalled the late night three tens ago when he had looked in on his apprentice and found her tossing restlessly with a stomach ache; he had frantically dragged Laysha to Healer Hall and insisted on having her checked immediately. The amused senior healer on duty informed the anxious new master that his padawan had polished off the entire remaining contents of the tub of fish and grubs Yoda had given her and that it was likely that she was going to be starting a growth spurt within the next six months. When Qui-Gon questioned Laysha, she just shrugged and said she had been hungry. Since that incident Qui-Gon had been spending more time monitoring her food and researching medical records about Theristans.

The chrono on his wall softly ticked over to second hour. Qui-Gon groaned again as he realized he had to be up in three hours to rouse his padawan, who was much more of a night owl than he and definitely did not share his enthusiasm for sunrises and early morning meditations. He dragged a blanket over his head and dropped off to sleep with a sigh.

The red ball floated toward the hoop, then wavered raggedly before dropping to the floor.

"Try it again, Padawan," said Qui-Gon from the spot where he sat cross-legged near a wall. "Feel the Force and direct it to move the objects. You did it successfully for shorter distances and this is just building on the same skill."

"We've been working on this for an hour and I still can't get it, Master."

After two months, Qui-Gon was all too familiar with the sulky fatigue underlying the superficially respectful tone. He repressed a sigh as he remembered that yesterday they had both been rebuked for deficiencies in keeping up with their class work and he had had to scold her today for running in the halls again. They needed a break in their program, but he knew that was a luxury they couldn't really afford.

"Come here, Padawan." Qui-Gon leaned back against the wall and gestured for his apprentice to sit in his lap. He wrapped his arms around the small body and held her close. "I'll work on it with you."

Qui-Gon tossed the datapad aside, then leaned his head back over the edge of the couch as he scrubbed his eyes. He let his arms flop to his sides and sat limply for a few minutes before heaving himself to his feet. After a quick stop in the 'fresher, he opened the door to his apprentice's room and stood silently in the doorway.

The scattered bits of Laysha's latest attempt to take apart and rebuild a gadget lay on her desk. Qui-Gon shook his head; at least this time she had asked first before she attacked the old automated duct cleaner she had rescued from the scrap pile in the building maintenance section. He had to admit she was remarkably dexterous and quite good with microtools, but he had resolutely ignored the hints she had started to drop about being allowed to build her first lightsaber. He wasn't sure he was ready to unleash that terror on the Temple yet.

In the dim light the small body curled in the bed was barely visible. Qui-Gon's expression softened, a tender smile gracing his lips as he remembered the hug Laysha had given him before she went to bed. Despite their arguments and aggravations, she did work very hard and was free with her affection. Qui-Gon reminded himself that he needed to remember how much he had come to care for her, but it seemed so difficult sometimes to work through his frustrations with her and his own self-doubts about how well he was doing. He sighed, then softly closed the door to seek his own rest.

"Dammit, Jinn, this is the third complaint I've gotten from Master Tolarv about your duties with the Senate liaison team," growled Master Drenjaq. "He wasn't happy about only having you there part-time in the first place, and now he says that you've not been supporting his positions and you've annoyed two more Senators."

"I was only trying to point out what I believed to be fallacies and inconsistencies in their arguments, sir." Qui-Gon stood at attention before the head of the Mission committee. "I believe you will find that I was correct in my determination of the factual situation."

"Diplomacy is not necessarily about facts, but about perceptions and how you deal with people," Drenjaq roared. "How many times do I have to pound that into your thick head? Observe, evaluate, then interact. You have a lot of potential but I want to see more of it actually put to use; you need to be putting in more effort on those classes and extra readings you were assigned."

"Yes, Master Drenjaq. I will work on that, sir."

Qui-Gon stood silently through the rest of the tirade. He had learned that Drenjaq had absolutely no patience with excuses over lack of time due to other responsibilities for his apprentice; it was better to simply let the Councilor have his say. Qui-Gon listened patiently to the lecture, gleaning what bits of useful information he could, then bowed politely as he was dismissed.

Outside the office, Qui-Gon gestured to his waiting padawan to join him as they headed for their next meeting. By now most of the Temple was used to the odd sight of the tall young knight striding down the halls followed by the trotting figure whose head barely reached his hip and they attracted only the occasional amused glance.

When they reached the entrance to the small conference room, Qui-Gon paused to compose himself before giving final instructions to Laysha.

"Padawan, when we go in, please remember to keep quiet unless you are asked a direct question."

"Yes, Master."

"And don't volunteer any information this time. Let me handle the situation." Qui-Gon glanced sternly down to quell the hint of rebellion he felt over their training bond.

There was a slight pause before the dutiful, "Yes, Master."

"Very good, Padawan."

Qui-Gon straightened his shoulders, knocked on the door, and led the way in. He expected to see Master Frayma, head of padawan training and, in this unique case, also responsible for his training assignments, and Master Bl'kot, head of padawan discipline, but his jaw tightened as he noted Master Choktvk lounging on a chair along the wall. He and his apprentice stopped before the small table and bowed respectfully.

"Thank you for coming, Master Jinn." Master Frayma nodded toward the Council head. "If you have no objection, Master Choktvk has asked to observe this six-month evaluation meeting since this is such an unusual situation involving both you and your padawan."

"Of course not," Qui-Gon replied, although that was the last thing he actually wanted.

"Very well. Please have a seat and we will begin. I'll give you the datapads with the detailed findings and comments, so we will be discussing only the primary issues. I know this has been a very challenging program for both of you, and while we have been pleased with the overall progress, there are some areas of concern."

Qui-Gon nodded as he and his apprentice sat down. He listened carefully as Master Frayma noted the classes he and Laysha were doing well in, those they were not, allowed himself a ghost of a smile when she noted the Swordmaster's pleasure with Qui-Gon's continued improvement, winced when Master Drenjaq's pointed displeasure was mentioned and again when Master Frayma offered to provide a tutor to help Qui-Gon with Laysha's Force control training to overcome the decided lack of progress in that topic.

"I think that covers the major things I wanted to discuss, but of course you should feel free to ask any additional questions after you have had an opportunity to review the datapads. And do please let me know if you wish assistance with Padawan Vik's Force training."

"Thank you, Master Frayma, I will. We appreciate your interest and assistance." Qui-Gon stood and bowed, nudging Laysha over their bond to do likewise, thankful that so far at least she had been quiet. He straightened, took a step back from the table, and braced himself for the next part of the meeting.

"Master Jinn, you are responsible for the good order and development of your padawan," intoned the master of discipline.

"Yes, Master Bl'kot, I am aware of that responsibility," Qui-Gon replied.

"Then I am sure that you are aware that there have been a number of complaints about Padawan Vik. Although a certain amount of youthful exuberance and indiscretion is to be expected, Padawan Vik appears to have more than her share, don't you think?"

"I am working on that, Master Bl'kot."

"Indeed?" The pale-skinned master raised an eyebrow. "She has almost run into several masters and knights in the halls, has had three fights with other padawans, or at least three that have been reported, has disrupted several classes and has taken apart other people's property without permission."

"Yes, Master Bl'kot." Qui-Gon nodded. "She only borrows broken things, though, and has gotten much better at putting them back together so they actually work and returning them."

Qui-Gon's weak smile withered under the scathing glance of the master.

"That is hardly the point here, is it, Master Jinn?"

"Um, no, sir."

For the next ten minutes, Qui-Gon divided his attention between the master's lecture and trying to keep Laysha quiet. Fortunately the long padawan robe confined her twitching tail so that only odd shiftings of the brown cloth showed, and she seemed willing to restrict her rumblings to their bond. Qui-Gon was grateful when they were finally dismissed with a closing reprimand and several hours of extra duties being assigned. He firmly repressed a sarcastic rejoinder that extra duties were hardly likely to help with their already demanding schedule.

"Master Jinn, a word please."

Qui-Gon swallowed; it seemed he was not to escape just yet.

"Yes, Master Chokvtk?" He bowed.

The chief Councilor waited until the other two masters left the room before he rose and moved to stand in front of the pair.

"Having some problems, are we, Master Jinn?" The hissed tone made clear his doubts about Qui-Gon's right to that title.

"Growing pains, Master Chokvtk. I'm sure we will work our way through them." Qui-Gon clasped his hands tightly inside the folds of his robe sleeves.

"Padawan Vik, how are you getting along with your master?"

Laysha moved a little closer to Qui-Gon before answering calmly. "We get along quite well, Master Chokvtk. My master takes very good care of me."

Qui-Gon couldn't keep the tiny smile off his lips as he put a hand on Laysha's shoulder. "She is remarkably bright and works extremely hard, sir. I know she will do well."

"Hmmph," grunted the Councilor. "It's not easy becoming a knight and there are many who never achieve that goal. She'll need to work very hard indeed." He glared at the knight. "Both of you will need to do better. I will be closely watching your progress." The master swept out without waiting for a reply.

It was a silent walk back to their quarters. Once inside, they hung their cloaks by the door. Qui-Gon then sat on the couch while Laysha stood before him.

"I don't like Master Chokvtk," she announced. "He's not very nice."

"He is head of the Council. It does not matter whether either of us likes him or not; he has a great deal of influence on when we will be able to go on missions." Qui-Gon sighed as he glanced at the datapads in his right hand. "If we can't keep up with the work and stay out of trouble, Padawan, we won't ever be going on any missions anyway."

Laysha wrinkled her nose. "They keep adding too much work and it's all boring. I want to do more fun stuff like sparring instead of writing stupid papers. And I want to build my lightsaber."

"We've been over all this, Padawan." Qui-Gon had to stop himself from waving a finger. "We don't have nearly as much time as others and we have to work harder. And you need to pay more attention to the things I'm trying to teach you, not just what you want to learn. We're fortunate Master Bl'kot didn't know you've been staying out after your curfew, talking back or about this new fascination you have with learning how to pick locks."

"Yes, Master." Laysha scuffled one booted foot. "I'm sorry, but it's awful hard sometimes. I'll try to do better."

"I have faith in you, Padawan. I know you can make it to the end of your journey." Qui-Gon had a catch in his throat as he looked into the wet eyes of his apprentice. He held out his arms to bring her in for a hug. "I'll get us there together," he said softly.

The door chime sounded in the quiet quarters.

"Would you get that please, Padawan?" called Qui-Gon. He did not look up from his datapad as he sat at the desk in his room in leggings and undertunic.

"Yes, Master."

"Reej!"

A joyful bark did catch the knight's attention. He rose and moved to his doorway to watch the two figures who wrestled happily on the floor of the common area. Qui-Gon let the commotion continue for a few minutes, then stepped forward and noisily cleared his throat.

The combatants sorted themselves out and got to their feet. Reej pulled a large packet from inside his robe and waved it enticingly.

"Brought you some of that fish jerky you like, short stuff." Reej held it in one hand. "But you have to show me your Force control to get it." He threw it high in the air.

Laysha stood still, her eyes focused intently. The packet sailed gracefully around the room, doing two careful looping turns with only a few slight breaks when it bounced off the ceiling before settling into the apprentice's hands.

"Nice job, short stuff. It's all yours." Reej grinned as he took off his robe and tossed it over a chair.

"Thank Knight M'vlano for his gift, Padawan, and please return to your work," said Qui-Gon.

"Yes, Master. Thank you, Knight M'vlano." Laysha bowed and retreated to her room with a huge smile, her prize clutched closely to her chest.

Qui-Gon's gaze followed his apprentice until she disappeared behind her closed door.

"It's good to see you, tall, dark and sort of handsome," teased Reej as he grabbed Qui-Gon's hand and led him to sit on the couch.

"Good to see you, too," said Qui-Gon absently. "Thanks for the present for Laysha. She doesn't really have a great deal of time to play, though, with all the homework she should be doing."

"No problem, I like her, and I try not to take up much of her time." Reej glanced over to ensure Laysha's door was closed, then straddled Qui-Gon's lap and looked at him quizzically. "What? No kiss? What's wrong?"

"Why the Force can't she do that down in the training salle?" muttered Qui-Gon. He gave a half-hearted peck to his lover's cheek.

"Do what?"

"Her Force control." Qui-Gon shook his head. "We had our six-month evaluation a few days ago and that was one of her biggest deficiencies. They even offered to provide a tutor since I obviously don't seem to be able to teach her how to do it properly. Or keep her under any other kind of control." There was a resentful undercurrent in his voice.

Reej slid off to snuggle against his lover's side. "Qui, what's really wrong? I thought you and Laysha were getting along well. Are you having regrets?"

"No, I still think it was the right thing to do, and I've really to come to care for her a lot." Qui-Gon shook his head, then let his frustrations pour out to his long-time confidant. "But dammit, it's so hard. There's a tremendous amount of work piled on both of us and we're tired all the time. I keep getting in trouble with the Senate liaison, and Laysha keeps getting into all sorts of mischief. She's very bright, but half the time I don't know if she's too young to understand what I'm saying or she's old enough but just not listening or if I'm pushing too hard. I feel like a total failure sometimes."

"It is your first time, Qui, and you're still learning too," Reej said soothingly. "Have you tried to get help?"

"I've talked to Plo and Yoda several times," Qui-Gon replied. "Plo tried to help, but Avo Tog is his first padawan, too, and I don't think Avo even knows how to get in trouble, so that wasn't very useful." He snorted. "Yoda just keeps telling me I need to talk to her, but that's a lot easier said than done. With Laysha she's either running her mouth a parsec a minute or we're sitting there trying to out-stubborn each other. I don't know what to do anymore except keep trying to plug along."

"My poor Qui," murmured Reej as he slipped a hand under Qui-Gon's tunic and rubbed his belly. "Sounds like you need a break. You haven't been taking any time for yourself, so why don't we slip away and get into a little trouble ourselves? It'll be just like old times."

"I'd like to, but I'm sorry. I can't." Qui-Gon pulled Reej's hand out and kissed it. "I've got homework, too." He sighed miserably. "And I'm going to get another reprimand soon because I've spent so much time with Laysha I'm way behind in my own studies."

They cuddled a bit longer while Reej murmured sympathetically in Qui-Gon's ear. Eventually, though, Qui-Gon reluctantly ushered his old friend out and returned to another long night of slogging.

Qui-Gon hung his cloak by the door, then leaned against the wall for a moment. The Swordmaster had kept him much longer than usual to work on some weaknesses in his defense, and he was tired and sweating.

"Padawan?" he called into the silence.

When there was no response, the knight went to his apprentice's room. There was nobody there; Qui-Gon wearily cursed as he looked at the chrono and realized that not only had Laysha slipped out again, even though she was supposed to be restricted to quarters for other transgressions, but it was also after her curfew. He felt no distress over their bond and by now he wasn't nearly as worried about her as so far she had always shown enough sense not to leave the Temple. Tonight, though, he was too tired to go looking for her again.

"Force, what am I doing so damned wrong?" he pleaded to the empty air. With the Force evidently not in a receptive mood, he bowed his head and went to get cleaned up.

Feeling better after a hot shower, Qui-Gon decided to have it out with his wayward apprentice instead of waiting until the next morning. There was certainly no shortage of tasks, so he put on a pot of tea, pulled out several datapads and doggedly set to work.

The chrono quietly ticked away the minutes, then an hour. It was well into the second hour since his return when the door slid open and a slight figure slipped in. Qui-Gon turned sideways in his chair and sat back, then waited as Laysha hung up her cloak.

"Padawan." Qui's tone was quiet as he worked to restrain his frustrated impatience.

"Yes, Master?" Laysha presented herself in front of Qui-Gon. She was dressed only in old leggings and a tunic; her tail was wrapped tightly around one leg as she looked down at the floor.

"You were absent from quarters after I told you that you were restricted and you returned after your curfew," said Qui-Gon in a low, tight voice. "What do you have to say for yourself, Padawan?"

"Nothing, Master. I just needed to go out." Laysha's tongue flashed out to touch her nose. "I'm sorry, Master."

Qui-Gon took a slow, deep breath, his jaw tight. He forced himself to relax before he continued speaking. "You always say that you are sorry, Padawan, but that is not sufficient. You need to apply yourself diligently to your training and not let distractions deter you. For example, you need to follow orders such as restrictions to your room; you can't just do whatever you feel like any time you want. And you still need to learn not to let taunts from other padawans cause you to get into fights, as well as not taking things apart that don't belong to you."

"Why, Master?"

"Why what?" Qui-Gon sighed inside as he recognized the hunched shoulders and sullen tone that usually preceded either a silent sulk or stubborn outburst.

"Why do I have to do all that stuff?"

"You have a great deal to learn if you want to be a Jedi knight, Padawan," said Qui-Gon in his best 'reasonable master' tone. "You need to do all this because I'm your master and I'm supposed to teach you what you need to know, but it is very difficult when you don't listen to me."

"I'm tired of all this," Laysha whined. "We hardly ever get to do anything that's fun."

"Ours is a difficult life, dedicated to serving the Force, Padawan." Qui-Gon folded his arms across his chest. "Being a Jedi is not about having fun."

"Obviously not, since you never to seem to enjoy anything," pouted the apprentice. "None of this is what I thought being a padawan was about. If this is all there ever is to being a Jedi, I don't want to turn into a sour grump like you."

"I am not a sour grump," Qui-Gon replied testily.

"Are too!"

"I am not." Realizing too late that he shouldn't have gotten sucked into saying that, he looked sternly at his apprentice.

"Okay, then you are a tired grump." Laysha put her hands on her hips and raised her muzzle. "And I don't want to turn into one like you."

"Padawan..." Qui-Gon tried to recover from what he felt was a loss of both dignity and initiative, dropped his arms to his sides and reverted to his 'master knows best' lecture mode. "To be a Jedi is an important calling. It is a wonderful thing to learn to know the Force. Don't you want to do that?"

"No, I already know all I want to know about the Force," Laysha firmly replied. "Ever since we started all I ever hear is do this, do that, be serious, work hard, work harder."

"Padawan, you knew this was not going to be easy... you need to follow my guidance if you want to learn." Qui-Gon felt like he was butting his head into a wall and getting nowhere.

"I'm tired of following you around like a useless appendage."

"Laysha Vik, what in the eight hells of Dagg do you want, dammit?" Qui-Gon's temper was dangerously close to snapping.

"You keep saying I have to listen to you, but you never listen to me. Even when you're trying to answer my questions you sound like you're more worried about trying to figure out the right thing to say." Laysha's tail whipped back and forth. "Just once, I want you to treat me like I exist as a real person instead of a piece of work you have to get through and ask me what I really want to do, and ask like you really mean it."

"I don't..."

There was a long silence as Qui-Gon sat and stared. He tried to force an understanding of Laysha's words through the fog of exhaustion in his brain. A dull ache settled into his stomach as he thought back and realized that he had been so concerned about trying to be a good master that he had always felt he needed to be in total control. Qui-Gon rubbed his forehead as the ache spread upward.

"I do?"

"Yes, you do." She stamped a foot. "You never just sit and talk to me about anything besides work or training. You never ask if I want to do anything at night, or what I would like to do for fun, or even what I want to eat in the dining hall, or what I dream about or -"

Qui-Gon held up a hand. "Alright, alright, you've made your point." He looked down and sighed. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry," he said slowly. Qui-Gon took a deep breath as he raised his head. "I suppose I've been so absorbed in trying to make everything go perfectly that I haven't given either of us a chance to stop and just be ourselves with each other."

"Oh." Laysha blinked. "Do you really mean that? Two of us, together?"

The hopeful glow in his padawan's green eyes triggered an epiphany that hit Qui-Gon with a blaze of light - he finally realized what Yoda had been trying to tell him for many tens. Despite all his words about making this journey together, it had really been all about him trying to carry both of them down the road. Qui-Gon knelt before his apprentice and took her hands.

"Yes, Laysha, I would like to talk to you." He paused to think for a moment, then smiled. "Let's start by talking about, oh... What do you do like to do when you sneak out at night?"

Qui-Gon stared at the forbidding hedge, still not sure what fit of insanity had led him to listen to his padawan's pleadings and venture out in the middle of the night. For most of the last ten, he had been meditating long hours trying to find a better balance in dealing with the enigmatic creature that was Laysha Vik, but tonight he wasn't sure if he was indulging her or his own frustrations with the strangling training program they had been enduring for so many months.

"I'm not entirely certain we really should be doing this," said Qui-Gon doubtfully. It was one thing to have done this sort of thing during his own early years, but he was mindful of his new responsibilities in the present.

"You promised, Master," whispered the apprentice pressed close to his leg. "It's the only place in the gardens I've never gotten up the nerve to sneak into, and I want to go in there to show you what I really like to do most of all." Laysha looked up. "You said you've never been in there, either, but you're a master, so technically it's okay, right?"

"Well, technically, 'master' is really just a courtesy title because I have a padawan. Since it is highly unlikely that I will ever be awarded a mastership for exceptional achievement, I won't be a full master until after you are knighted," replied Qui-Gon absently as he began poking at the hedge to test its strength. "And while going in is not 'technically' forbidden, most people consider it to be very bad form to use the Shallon Garden until after you've had your Master's Ceremony or to take your apprentice in even if you are a full master."

The silence behind him finally caught the knight's attention.

"Padawan?" Qui-Gon turned around. "Is something wrong?"

The hood of her robe hid the young apprentice's features as she slowly approached and slipped her hand into Qui-Gon's.

"Thank you, Master," said Laysha in a rough voice.

"For what?" Qui-Gon knelt to face his apprentice.

"Because you said 'until you are knighted' and not 'if', Master."

Qui-Gon enveloped his apprentice in a hug. "Oh, Laysha, just what kinds of things are the other padawans saying to you now?"

"They make jokes about me, saying I'm getting special favors and that I'll never be a real Jedi," came the mumbled reply, "but it's okay. I know they're just jealous. I think some of them will always feel that way, but they don't understand what it's like when you know you only have a few years to try to do everything you want to do. I'm trying to get better at not listening to them, Master."

"Padawan, I'm sorry." Qui-Gon tightened his hug, a suspicious lump in his throat, at this reminder of his apprentice's keen awareness of her mortality. He squeezed his eyes shut and held Laysha close until a sharp, persistent poking in his side got his attention and he loosened his grip.

"I like it that you care, Master, but I would also like to be able to breathe while you are doing it," said his apprentice tartly. She put her hands on her hips and glanced up at her master as he stood. "Look, I know I don't have as much time as everybody else here, and I'm dealing with it. You're not going to get all mushy and sentimental on me about this, are you?" She raised her muzzle and arched both eyebrows. "After all, Master, you're the one who's always prattling on about 'Living in the Moment.'"

Qui-Gon smiled at this pointed reminder of another aspect of his apprentice's personality, her hard-headed and blunt pragmatism. He quickly schooled his features into a more solemn mien, and said gravely, "I wasn't aware that I was prattling, Padawan, but you are correct about that being a fundamental element of my philosophy. In the future I shall endeavor to convey those thoughts in a more cogent manner."

Laysha shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Come on, Master. Forget the philosophy. We've got a garden to sneak into." She set off along the hedge.

"Yes, Padawan." His lips slipped into a grin as Qui-Gon decided to throw stuffiness to the winds and ignore the bad example he was undoubtedly about to set for his apprentice.

It proved ridiculously simple to enter the enticingly forbidden area. The hedge was high and sharp around the entire perimeter, but the duo found a back gate with trees growing near both sides. Laysha proved to be quite agile in the treetops, and her wiry frame was light enough to be able to scramble along branches that would never have borne Qui-Gon's weight even in his youth. She dropped down to the far side and they briefly conferred about how to attack the Force lock on the gate.

"Not a problem, Master. They didn't block the physical lock; if you push against the Force seal, I'll have it open in a moment."

Qui-Gon could hear the grin in Laysha's voice; he leaned with a Force shove, and was startled to hear the clicking of metal followed by the slight scraping of the gate opening.

"Padawan! Is that a lock pick set?" whispered Qui-Gon. "What the Force are you doing with that?"

"I've been reading about locks and practicing," said Laysha with a shrug. "I found it was easier if I made some tools. I've been getting pretty good at the basic mechanisms. It's more fun doing it this way rather than fiddling around with Force manipulations or trying to use a claw."

"Daggo, I hope the galaxy is ready for the day this one gets turned loose," muttered Qui-Gon.

"C'mon, Master, the moon will be out soon." Laysha started eagerly down the path.

With a shake of his head, the knight followed his apprentice.

The pair kept a vigilant eye out as they proceeded. Qui-Gon was struck not by the physical beauty of the garden, which was pleasant enough though quite ordinary, but rather by the exceptionally noticeable presence of the Force. The many years of meditations by generations of masters had left an almost palpable sense of serenity.

"Ooohhh," breathed Laysha as they came to a clearing near the very back of the garden. "This is awesome."

A tiny waterfall splashed over rocks as it tumbled into a pool. Small skitterings and animal calls sounded from the trees. In the distance two nefla birds sang, a sweet echoing refrain on the night air.

Qui-Gon took a slow breath. Simply being in this place was lifting his spirits higher than they had been in months. "Yes, Padawan, it is indeed awesome," said Qui-Gon with a smile. He knelt down. "Do I get to hear your secret now, my tight-lipped apprentice?"

Laysha came over to stand before her master and took his hands in hers. She stared down for a moment before looking into Qui-Gon's eyes.

"I know you think I'm not always serious enough about things, Master," she said.

"I will admit that the thought has occasionally crossed my mind, but I also know how hard you work when you want to," replied Qui-Gon. He grinned a little. "Even when many of your subjects are so dull."

"That takes in most of them, Master. Except katas. And sparring." She cocked her head. "I like those sorts of things."

"I'm glad we are able to keep you entertained at least occasionally, Padawan," teased Qui-Gon.

"This is serious, Master," scolded Laysha.

"Sorry." Qui-Gon bowed his head. "You are quite right. You said you would tell me about your favorite thing to do?"

"The most important thing in the whole galaxy," said Laysha solemnly. "Ever since I became aware of the Force, even before I understood anything about what it is, it called to me with a light, a spirit of life."

"I can appreciate your feelings, Padawan. We are both strong in the Living Force," said Qui-Gon.

"For me, though, the Force calls to me embrace life, to be joyful and celebrate, not bury it in centuries of rules and traditions." Laysha leaned closer. "My favorite thing to do is the thing that brings me closest to the Force, that joins the physical and spiritual. I suppose you would call it a kata, but to me it is dancing. I love to dance outdoors in the moonlight and be one with the Force. That is my most favorite thing above all others, Master."

Qui-Gon gazed back into his apprentice's eyes. He could feel the quivering intensity of her feelings over their bond, belying her outward calm. "That is a wonderful thing, Padawan," he said softly. "So that's what you do when you sneak out at night?"

"Not all of the time. Sometimes I just need to be outside and not cooped up." She nodded. "But if there is a full moon, or something special to celebrate, or if I'm feeling especially low, then I dance with the Force."

"Thank you for sharing this with me." Qui-Gon drew his apprentice in for a hug. He had concerns about the depth of Laysha's passion and what it might portend for her self-control on missions, but that was a discussion for another time and place. Qui-Gon held the hug for a moment, then let go.

"I knew you'd understand, Master." Laysha skipped away a few feet. "The moon is high, Master, and it will be so incredible to dance in this wonderful place."

"You know we can't make a habit of coming in here, Padawan," warned Qui-Gon.

"I know, Master. Once is enough." Laysha squirmed out of her clothes and tossed them aside. "Come on, it's fun!" She ran to the center of the clearing.

Qui-Gon shook his head as he stood up, an indulgent smile on his face. He watched as his apprentice stood stock still, eyes closed. Their bond hummed as Laysha opened herself to the Force and he finally understood the strange vibrations he had occasionally felt through their connection. He breathed a silent, awed gasp as he felt the Force sweep through his apprentice and she began moving; a joyous carefree energy filled her as she danced in a sinuous rhythm.

The light shone down on Laysha as she laughed and held out a hand in invitation. The moonlight reflected the radiance in her green eyes, blazing almost as brightly as his lightsaber.

The mood was infectious. Qui-Gon felt the Force calling to him to join her. He took a look around to make sure they were still unobserved, set his shielding a few notches higher, and with a big grin stripped down to his smallclothes.

Worries and fears vanished as the knight gave himself over to the Force. He joined Laysha in the pale silver illumination, laughing as his feet found the familiar steps of one of his favorite katas.

Time passed unheeded as they moved, each to their own beat but joined in the gentle warmth of the Living Force. Their dance was a moving meditation that cleared their minds and refreshed their souls.

Eventually they came to the end. Drawn to each other, they drew to a graceful conclusion. Qui-Gon knelt facing Laysha, holding her hands as they smiled.

"And that, Master, is my most favorite thing of all to do," said the apprentice. "This is what makes everything else worthwhile and helps me to cope."

"I could see why," said Qui-Gon. He took a deep breath. "You do have a remarkable connection to the Force."

"It was one of the first things I can recall, even when I was very young." Laysha shook her head. "I remember the knight who found me on Theris; he said I was special. I think my parents were just happy to get rid of another mouth to feed."

"I'm very glad you came to us, Laysha. I think you're pretty special, too." Qui-Gon stood up. "Right now, though, it's time to leave. We don't want to overstay our welcome."

"Yes, Master."

"That was much better today, Padawan," said Qui-Gon as they entered their quarters after lastmeal. "I think you're finally understanding how Force control is supposed to work."

"You've really been helping me a lot, Master. I appreciate it."

"And you've been working very hard and paying attention to what I've been trying to teach you, Padawan. I appreciate that." Qui-Gon smiled and ruffled one ear.

"So you're in a good mood, Master?" Laysha flicked her tongue to her nose.

"Yes, I am." Qui-Gon folded his arms across his chest. "What is it you want that you think I'm not going to like?" He worked hard to keep his expression serious.

"I have a surprise for you, Master. Wait here."

Qui-Gon shook his head, letting his lips twitch, but quickly resumed a grave demeanor as his apprentice came out of her room with one hand behind her back.

"Alright, Padawan. What is this 'surprise'?"

Laysha gave a triumphant bark and thrust something toward Qui-Gon. "I finished it all by myself, Master!"

Instinctively grasping the cylindrical object, Qui-Gon stared down at it for a long moment. He turned it around in his hands, brought it close to his face to scrutinize it, then held it out at arm's length.

"Padawan, this is a lightsaber." The knight stared at the perfectly scaled down version of what appeared to be a fully functioning weapon.

"Well, all except for the crystals, Master. But I'm sure I could do that part too if you let me." Laysha's eager pride was evident in her huge smile and upswept tail. "I'm sure everything else is right."

"You haven't had this class yet, Padawan." Qui-Gon looked hard at his apprentice. "And you're not authorized access to the armory. Where did you get the parts?"

"From the rubbish heaps and the discard scraps from the lightsaber building courses, Master. And there's a really nice machine shop in the vehicle maintenance hangar for the pieces I had to resize." The light dimmed in her eyes. "It's a good lightsaber, Master. Why don't you think I've earned the right to a real one instead of that stupid training toy?"

Qui-Gon sighed at his precocious cub. Both their relationship and their work had improved significantly since he had begun treating her as more of a real person instead of, as she had put it, 'a piece of work he had to get through'. They had managed to weather her recent growth spurt together despite her crankiness as she outgrew boots and clothes and settled into a new center of balance during their katas. It seemed, though, that he still needed to remind himself of how much faster than a typical apprentice she was growing in all aspects, not just physically.

"I'm sure it is a good lightsaber, Padawan. But there is more to earning the right to build and carry one than just being able to do it," said Qui-Gon. "More of the class is about the responsibilities that go with having a real lightsaber than about the mechanics of building one."

"Then teach me, Master." Laysha's tone was respectful but with a clear challenge. "I want to learn and prove to you I can do this."

Rolling the lightsaber in his hand, Qui-Gon carefully considered the situation. Six months earlier this would probably have simply blown up into an argument or a sullen sulk at this point, but he had to admit they had both changed.

"Very well, Padawan. We shall undertake this endeavor." Qui-Gon held up his hand to forestall Laysha's eager flood of words. "There are several parts to this, however. First, we have to verify that you can correctly assemble a lightsaber. Second, I shall instruct you in the ethics and responsibilities of owning and using a lightsaber; to complete that part you will have to write an essay which is approved by the Swordmaster. Once you have passed both of these tests, you will choose your crystals and build your final lightsaber, which must also be approved by the Swordmaster. Do you understand these requirements, Padawan?"

"Yes, Master. I already know what kind of crystals I want to use, so when can we start on the rest, Master?" Laysha was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Tonight, homework," said Qui-Gon firmly. "I'll let you know about the rest."

"Yes, Master."

The next afternoon found the pair in the Temple armory with one of the senior lightsaber instructors, Master Sleen. He was carefully examining the 'saber that Laysha had built when the Swordmaster himself, Master Faroush T'Flel, came in.

"Master Jinn, what's this I hear about your apprentice building a lightsaber without permission?" The swarthy humanoid looked distinctly unthrilled by this development.

"As long as there are no crystals, Master T'Flel, I had understood that permission is not actually required," said Qui-Gon.

"Did you tell her she could build one or encourage her in any way?" The Swordmaster glowered.

"No, Swordmaster, he did not," spoke up Laysha, "I read about it and did it on my own." She moved in front of Qui-Gon, head up and a spark in her eye.

"Padawan, hush," said Qui-Gon. He put his hands on her shoulders and held her close. "She is remarkably adept with small tools and mechanisms and a very quick study on theory."

"Hmmph." The Swordmaster folded his arms across his chest.

"Master T'Flel," interrupted Master Sleen quietly. "I think you need to look at this." The reptilian held up Laysha's lightsaber.

The Swordmaster glared once more at Qui-Gon before stepping over to the workbench. He took the home-made device, scrutinized the exterior, then quickly disassembled it. He carefully examined the components, using a magnifying lens on several, put it back together and balanced it across one finger before tossing it back on the bench.

Qui-Gon felt the tension in the room as the silent examination continued. He squeezed Laysha's shoulders lightly and tried to reassure her over their bond.

Sleen and T'Flel looked at each other briefly before turning to face Qui-Gon and his apprentice. T'Flel let his gaze rest on Laysha as if analyzing her slender figure, which was now at its full height with the top of her head reaching just above her master's utility belt.

"Padawan Vik, how old are you?" asked the Swordmaster quietly, his voice low.

"I am four years and eleven months standard, Master T'Flel," replied Laysha steadily.

"And you're telling me that you built that lightsaber all by yourself?" Master T'Flel raised an eyebrow. "You understand what each part is supposed to do, including the obvious modifications?"

"Yes, sir. I needed to change a few bits to make everything the right size, but I did it all myself." Laysha bowed respectfully. "I would be happy to explain the theory if you wish, Swordmaster."

"Padawan Vik is from a high-functioning, short-lived race who mature very rapidly, Master T'Flel. The healers have determined that she is currently the humanoid developmental equivalent of between fourteen and fifteen years standard, so she is actually at the point where most apprentices would have already undertaken this task." Qui-Gon was proud of how Laysha was comporting herself, and decided to take a chance. "Although she has had a very condensed course of study in most areas, if she says she understands the theory I would have great confidence in that statement. I had planned to undertake her instruction on the ethics portion of the lightsaber course myself, with Master Sleen's assistance."

"This is all highly irregular, Master Jinn," said the Swordmaster. "And this is not the sort of thing I want to encourage among other padawans."

"There is the evidence, however," interjected Master Sleen.

"Ah, yes, the evidence." The Swordmaster looked at Qui-Gon with narrowed eyes, then abruptly snapped out, "Stay here," before striding over to another workbench lined with bins. He gestured to Master Sleen to follow him.

Qui-Gon and Laysha waited as the other two masters pulled various bits, pieces and tools from containers, boxes, bins and shelves and swirled them into a heap on the workbench.

"Over here," T'Flel called. He waited until master and apprentice had approached. "I want to see this for myself. Padawan Vik, everything you need and many things you will not are right here. You may take time to sort first; when you are ready to begin assembly I want you to explain to me what you are doing and the purpose of each part."

"Yes, Master T'Flel. Thank you, sir." Laysha's eyes lit up at the challenge as she pulled over a tall stool and climbed up to sit at the workbench.

Qui-Gon and Sleen stepped away and seated themselves at another table to observe. The Swordmaster stayed at Laysha's side, closely watching every action she took. For the next hour, he questioned everything she did, pressing for details.

After the first thirty minutes, Master Sleen whispered to Qui-Gon, "You know, your apprentice is doing much better than I expected, especially given her age. She's your first, yes?"

"My first padawan," affirmed Qui-Gon. "It's been quite a challenge because she's growing up so fast, but she was born with almost total recall. Without that I doubt we would have been able to make it through even half the work they want her to do, as she is on a highly compressed training schedule."

"Hmmm, I can see that she is clearly lacking in most of the advanced theory in areas such as physics and metallurgy, but I have to admit she seems to already be quite an amazing practical engineer." Sleen smiled. "All in all, not what I would have expected, though, from what I had heard."

"Would you mind telling me what you have heard?" Qui-Gon kept his voice low as he turned sideways.

"One of my duties is to help monitor the development of Force skills for the initiates," replied Sleen, keeping his eyes on Laysha as she worked. "Master Vezzl has mentioned on a number of occasions his displeasure with Padawan Vik's choice of master. I don't think he likes you, but I've seen nothing here to indicate that you are not doing an adequate job."

"Oh... well, thank you." Qui-Gon let the conversation drop, but his pleasure in Laysha's performance was greatly diminished by the reminder of the Master of Initiate's continuing lack of confidence in his abilities.

Eventually the Swordmaster finished his inquisition of the young apprentice. He took her completed lightsaber, examined it minutely, then with a curt nod of his head took it to a shielded chamber. Carefully he inserted a pair of crystals, double checking their fit before closing the latch and placing the lightsaber inside a heavily armored translucent container.

"We will now have our final proof of whether the padawan's lightsaber is properly constructed," announced Master T'Flel. Very cautiously he used a tendril of Force to trigger the switch.

Laysha pressed close to her master's side during the Swordmaster's final preparations. Qui-Gon could feel her mix of anxiety and confidence, but shared her surge of joy and triumph when the familiar hum and dazzle of a blue energy blade shone steadily within the container. He squeezed her shoulder as T'Flel spent a minute running through various settings of the 'saber before switching it off and extracting the crystals.

"Well done, Padawan Vik," said the Sword master. "I will admit to having been highly skeptical, but I will not deny the quality of your work." He held up the new lightsaber. "So, is this the lightsaber you will wish to claim for yourself?"

"Will all due respect, Master T'Flel, I don't want that one. The size and balance are wrong for my hands." She pointed back at the workbench. "I would have rather have the one I made first."

"That I can't allow. Some of the parts you modified are critical for controlling the energy created by the crystals. Having seen something of your skill, I suspect they will probably function correctly and would be suitable for emergency use, but desire alone clearly does not constitute an emergency, regardless of how much you want this."

Qui-Gon tensed for an outburst, but was quite pleased when Laysha simply nodded and asked if there were other sizes of parts available.

"We have or can obtain whatever we need when you are approved for final assembly and your own crystals," said Master Sleen. "One of the things you would have done if you had attended a proper class was go through a fitting process, but it would seem you already have an excellent idea of what you want."

"Yes, Master Sleen, I do." There was no braggadocio, only calm certainty of fact in Laysha's voice.

The Swordmaster raised an eyebrow. "Very well. Has your master explained that you will not be given crystals until I have approved your ethics essay?"

"Yes, sir," said Laysha eagerly, "I've already started doing research and my master is going to teach me everything I need to know."

"I see," said T'Flel dryly. He turned his attention to Qui-Gon. "I shall assume you have this matter well in hand, and I look forward to seeing the essay. In the meantime, I think it is high time that I take a look at what you have been teaching her about sparring, particularly the adjustments you have made for her size. Meet me tomorrow in training room three at fourteenth hour."

"Yes Master T'Flel. We will be there." Qui-Gon and his apprentice both bowed as the Swordmaster nodded and left with Master Sleen.

The next four tens proved to be quite a trial for both master and apprentice as the demands for their time and attention seemed to spike. What had been a challenging schedule turned back into a grueling slog; with the rapidly approaching end of their first full year there were many academic projects and examinations coming due for both of them, and Master Drenjaq's pressure for Qui-Gon to improve his support for the Senate Liaison Office had not abated. Their situation was not made any easier by the growing friction caused by Laysha's impatient push for her lightsaber and Qui-Gon's stubborn refusal to divert more than an hour every fourth day from their afternoon training for her ethics instruction in what he felt was also an important lesson in patience. Qui-Gon was heartily tired of feeling like he needed to stand over his apprentice to keep her focused on her other studies and he was frustrated that she was falling back into old habits of sneaking out during the night without permission. Even the brief celebration for Laysha's fifth nameday did little to help.

"No, I have already told you that we will not discuss the latest version of your ethics essay until our session in two days," said Qui-Gon as he stood in Laysha's doorway. "You have other work that is just as important, including, I believe, three assignments that are due tomorrow morning."

"But, Master, it wouldn't take very long to finish if we could just spend more time on it." There was a whine underlying Laysha's tone as she stood beside her desk.

"Padawan, I know this is difficult, but you must learn moderation and patience. A goal worth having is a goal worth working and waiting for," replied Qui-Gon firmly, echoing words that his own master had drilled into his brain. He could feel the tired frustration sending a harsh buzz over their bond, and made an extra effort to keep his own impatience in check. "You have my word that we will go over the whole thing at the next session. That will have to be sufficient."

"Yes, Master," said Laysha. She reluctantly sat and opened her terminal.

The door chime sounded and Laysha started to stand up.

"I will get that, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. He pointed a finger. "You need to study." He waited a moment to ensure his instructions were obeyed, then strode to the door.

"Good evening, Master Jinn. Do you have a few minutes to talk?" The Master of Padawan Training waited for Qui-Gon's reply.

"Of course, Master Frayma. Please come in." Qui-Gon ushered the master into the common room and hurriedly swept a stack of datapads off the armchair before offering her a seat. "Can I get you some tea or something?"

"No, thank you, I know how busy you are and I don't wish to take up very much of your time." She sat down, elbows on the chair arms, and steepled her fingers.

"Is there something in particular we need to discuss?" Qui-Gon sat on the couch, willing his racing pulse to settle down at this unexpected visit.

"I wanted to briefly go over the one-year evaluation for Padawan Vik," said Frayma. "As I'm sure you are well aware, this will be a significant event for both of you. Since the results will be vital in determining the next stage of training as well as whether or not offplanet missions will be allowed, it will be quite comprehensive. We will review academic results, physical skills in katas and sparring, Force skills and, of course, emotional maturity and stability." She paused, raised an eyebrow, then smiled gently. "Your review, of course, will not need to be as extensive. Much of it will simply be the standard questions that are asked of all new masters at the end of their padawan's first year to determine if there are any issues that you might need assistance with."

"I see," Qui-Gon said slowly. He cleared his throat. "We still have another month to complete the program, Master Frayma. Is there anything in particular I should be aware of in preparing for the review?"

"Well, since you mention it, I do have a potential concern." The training master let her hands drop to her sides.

"Yes?" Qui-Gon kept his tone carefully neutral.

"I've been monitoring Padawan Vik's progress personally. I was quite pleased to see some significant improvement a few months ago in the quality of her work and her interactions with her instructors. However," she paused delicately, "these last few tens it appears that there has been some, shall we say, regression. I was wondering if there are any problems I should be aware of or if you might wish additional time before we hold the evaluation?"

Qui-Gon took a deep breath as he thought about his response. He was just as desperate as Laysha, if not more so, to get on the active mission roster and escape their current grinding workload and the endless petty bickering he had to put up with at the Senate Liaison Office. He carefully considered his words, trying to ensure that he was not letting his own needs influence what was best for his apprentice.

"I do have to admit that there have been a few problems recently," said Qui-Gon. "My padawan has become a bit too obsessed with getting her lightsaber, and I'm afraid it has become a distraction during a time when we both have a great deal of work piling up." He let a half-smile flick across his lips. "We are working on resolving that, however. I don't believe we will need to delay the evaluation."

"Ah, yes, that first real lightsaber is quite exciting," said Frayma fondly. She paused and frowned. "I don't remember that class being in her curriculum yet."

"It's not, Master Frayma. She studied and practiced on her own for the mechanical portion and the Swordmaster has approved her trial assembly." A genuine smile lit Qui-Gon's face. "She is remarkable with her hands, and quite determined when she sets her mind to something. Master Sleen has given me his course notes and I'm working with Laysha on the ethics portion so she can write her essay to submit to Master T'Flel."

"You're right, she is quite remarkable, and quite a challenge as well," said Frayma with an answering smile. "Since you are satisfied that Padawan Vik will be ready, I will proceed with arranging the various tests." She stood up and Qui-Gon accompanied her to the door. "In a few days I should have everything set up and I will send you the complete schedule."

"Thank you, Master Frayma." Qui-Gon bowed. "I will look forward to hearing from you."

After the door shut, Qui-Gon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was certain the sudden clatter of datapads and typing meant that his apprentice had been listening to the entire exchange. He took another deep breath, then let it out very slowly. He had much to think about as he returned to his own work spread over their dining table; it was going to be a very long night.

The next morning at fifth hour Qui-Gon stood in the doorway of his apprentice's room. He had keenly felt the responsibilities of his position after the training master had accepted his assessment without question, despite the uniqueness of the situation. Unfortunately, he was not as confident that they were both truly ready to move on. After completing his work, he had spent the rest of the night in meditation trying to clarify his doubts and what he could do to resolve them. Qui-Gon watched the blissfully sleeping figure for a few minutes, a wistful lump in his throat, before squaring himself to his task. He knew what he felt he needed to do, and began mapping out his preparations even as the new day's work began.

"I want you to go over some basic katas, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. He stood in the center of the training salle. "Please start with the Budding Flower."

"I already know how to do that," said Laysha.

"You know how to perform the physical movements." Qui-Gon moved over near one wall. "It takes a great deal of practice to get past the physical to truly becoming one with the meaning of the kata."

Laysha sighed and rolled her eyes, but obediently moved into the first position. A long moment to center, eyes closed, then arms slowly rose to begin unfurling from the compact pose.

Qui-Gon kept the lesson to only four katas. Again and again he patiently corrected mistakes large and small as his apprentice worked through the exercises at different speeds. At the end of an hour the master and padawan finished by doing side-by-side simple katas.

"You are making good progress, Padawan." Qui-Gon gathered his cloak from its place on a bench and shrugged into it.

"Aren't we going to spar, Master?" Laysha held her training saber loosely in one hand.

"Not today. We are going for a walk, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. "There are some things I want you to see and some people I want you to meet."

"Yes, Master."

Laysha trailed along behind Qui-Gon as they passed down long hallways and traversed several stairways. When she realized where they were heading, she stopped and stared suspiciously.

"Is there a problem, Padawan?" asked Qui-Gon as he turned back.

"Why are we going to the Healer Hall? I'm not sick and all my vaccinations are current." Laysha crossed her arms. "I don't like healers. They always want to poke and prod."

"Don't worry, Padawan, neither of us is here for an examination or treatment." Qui-Gon let a tiny smile grace his lips; he shared his apprentice's dislike of the medical facility after his many internments for previous injuries. "This visit is part of your instruction."

"Really?" The tip of a tail twitching from under her robe reflected Laysha's doubtful tone.

"Yes. Really," said Qui-Gon, raising one eyebrow.

"What am I supposed to be learning here?"

"Listen, observe, and you shall learn." Qui-Gon swept forward toward the entrance without a backward glance.

"Hmmmph." Laysha muttered a few more words under her breath before trotting after her master.

They bypassed the reception desk and went down a long corridor to one of the many offices lining it.

"Healer Dnol?"

"Yes, do come in," said the short red-furred tigroid. "I'll just be a moment."

The two Jedi waited while the healer filled out a datapad.

"There, finished." The healer stood and stretched. "Sometimes I think the paperwork is the worst part of the job."

"I know what you mean," replied Qui-Gon with a broad smile. "Mission reports are quite a nuisance." He gestured to his apprentice. "This is my padawan, Laysha Vik. I appreciate your taking the time to discuss some of your current cases today."

"My pleasure. Padawan Vik, are you familiar with the work our healers do with seriously injured Jedi?"

"I've heard a little about bacta tanks, but not much else, Healer Dnol."

"This afternoon we are going to look in on some of my patients, Padawan Vik. Your master has asked me to show you some of the things that can happen to Jedi on missions. The work that the order does is important, but sometimes even the best and most highly trained Jedi run into problems beyond their control. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

"No, sir." Laysha shook her head.

"Very well, shall we proceed?"

The healer led the way to the wards. Their first stop was in the intensive care section.

"This is Master Buu," said the healer softly. He surveyed the unconscious figure lying attached to a bank of monitors, both legs and an arm casted, red and blue lights twinkling on the various devices. "Master Buu is one of our most experienced diplomat-warriors and was asked to resolve a difficult civil war on Meronos. He was unsuccessful in that attempt and was fortunate to escape with his life when new fighting erupted." Dnol shook his head sadly.

"Is he going to be okay?" asked Laysha.

"He will live, but it will be a long and difficult recovery." Dnol turned to the apprentice. "The Force is strong with Master Buu, and it will help him during this trial. Even the Force, though, can't always prevent injuries or even death."

"Oh." Laysha stared at the still figure until the healer ushered them out.

They next proceeded down two short hallways to a different area and stopped outside a red door.

"We won't actually be going inside. Knight F'faq has a contagious illness." Dnol pushed a button which opened a visiscreen. Inside the room another healer in a biosuit was attending a pale humanoid whose face and arms were covered with blotchy red pustules. "The knight was on a simple routine mission to deliver humanitarian supplies. We believe he became exposed to a mutated virus; the entire ship's crew came down with it but he had the most severe reaction."

The trio of Jedi listened for a few minutes as the knight complained to his healer about being tired of soup, tired of itching, tired of needles and tired of being bored to tears.

"He is definitely in the convalescent stage," remarked Dnol with a smile. "A ten ago he had a raging fever and couldn't keep anything down."

"One more stop, Padawan Vik," said the healer as they went up a lift and then down yet another hallway. "I want to show you a bacta tank in use."

They entered a room with the typical narrow bed and medical equipment, but against one wall was the heavy transparisteel of a filled bacta tank. A small avian floated inside, its feathers plastered down by the heavy viscous red gel, its face covered by a breathing mask.

"Good afternoon, Master Ytrila," said Dnol cheerfully. "How are we doing today?"

A tall slender Jedi turned to face them, one hand loosely touching the surface of the tank. "Much better. Juonov has had a very peaceful day and all of the vital signs are definitely better."

"Excellent. This is Master Jinn and Padawan Vik; I'm showing them some of my current patients today. Would you mind explaining what happened to Juonov while I take a look at him?"

"Of course, Healer Dnol." Ytrila took one last look into the tank before turning to the visitors.

Qui-Gon felt a low hum of distress mingled with fascination over the bond with his apprentice, but had to quell a fluttering of his own anxiety as he looked at the young apprentice floating in the healing gel. He had been in that same situation himself enough times to understand why it was necessary, but this was the first time he'd had to entertain thoughts of his own padawan being hurt that badly. This lesson he had intended for Laysha was having unexpected side effects and he found that he had to push his thoughts firmly aside as Master Ytrila began speaking.

"It's a very simple story, and an all too familiar one, I'm afraid," said Ytrila. She sighed and glanced at the tank. "We were on a mission to oversee treaty renewals on Hythur. Things were more complicated than we had anticipated due to an ongoing drought and great bitterness over water rights. One of the groups felt they were being denied their fair share, and kidnapped several hostages. My apprentice and I went to retrieve them and try to talk some sense into everybody." She shrugged. "Juonov is in that unfortunate teenage stage where he thinks he is invincible and can do more than he is actually capable of. His intentions were good, but he got himself in over his head when we got separated. I managed to rescue him with only one major blaster burn, broken ribs, a concussion and some internal injuries. By the time I completed the negotiations and got him back here he needed a session of full bacta."

"You finished the mission while your padawan was injured?" Laysha looked up, eyes wide.

"The local healers stabilized him and he was in no immediate danger, but there were thousands of lives potentially at stake if I just left." Ytrila knelt down to Laysha's eye level. "There are sometimes hard choices to make when one is a Jedi, Padawan Vik. Ours is not an easy life, as I am sure you are finding."

Laysha nodded, then looked back at the tank. "Yes, Master Ytrila."

Ytrila stood and looked at Qui-Gon. "Your first padawan?"

"Yes, and we are still in our first year together," Qui-Gon replied.

"Juonov is my second." Ytrila smiled. "They are a challenge, Master Jinn, and will bring you sadness, frustration and pain, but also much joy and satisfaction."

"Indeed, I am already finding all of those things," said Qui-Gon ruefully.

"Well, our young lad is making splendid progress," interrupted Dnol. "We should have him out of there tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Healer Dnol." There was a touch of grimness underlying the pleased smile. "I shall have much to discuss with my young apprentice when he wakes up."

"Is he going to be in a lot of trouble?" asked Laysha.

"Let's just say that he will have a great deal of additional work to look forward to in order to help improve his understanding of both his duties and his deficiencies in certain skills." Ytrila raised one eyebrow as she nodded.

Qui-Gon gathered his apprentice to his side. "I think we have taken enough of everyone's time. Please thank our hosts, Padawan."

"Thank you, Healer Dnol and Master Ytrila," said Laysha.

"Yes, thank you both for sharing with us today." Qui-Gon and Laysha both bowed, then left the room.

"Are we finished here, Master?"

"One more stop, Padawan, then we can leave."

Qui-Gon took them back out of the Healer Hall. They took a lift down several levels and went to an empty meeting room. A knight in his thirties was waiting there, humanoid, willowy with dark reddish skin. He rose as they entered.

"Good day, Knight Iton," said Qui-Gon. "Thank you for joining us."

"It is an honor to be of assistance, Master Jinn." The knight bowed.

"Are you sure it is not an imposition?" asked Qui-Gon. "I know this can't be an easy thing to talk about."

"I don't mind. I feel it is my part of my obligation to the Order; if I can help another to avoid what I did then it is worth it."

"I appreciate that very much. This is my padawan, Laysha Vik." Qui-Gon nodded at his apprentice. "Padawan, this is Knight Sevye Iton. He has graciously agreed to speak with you about an experience he had with his lightsaber to hopefully help you understand some of the points I've been trying to make in your instruction."

"Yes, Master." Laysha bowed to the knight. "Good day, Knight Iton."

"Nice to meet you, Padawan Vik. Shall we sit down?" After all three had seated themselves, the knight continued. "Your master has told me a little bit about you. The Theristan are a species that matures very rapidly, and that you have been undergoing a very compressed set of classes. He also told me that you built your own lightsaber without having been to that class."

"Yes, Knight Iton. That is all correct." There was more than a touch of pride in her voice. "The Swordmaster has already approved my trial assembly, and my master is teaching me the ethics part so I can get my crystals."

"That is truly quite an accomplishment, Padawan Vik," said Iton, one eyebrow raised. "I know most of us could hardly wait for our lightsaber; I'm certain I annoyed my own master half to death to try to get in the class as soon as I could." He paused a moment. "How are you doing on your essay about the responsibilities of having a lightsaber?"

"I've already done two drafts, but my master wants another one." Laysha scowled a little before shrugging. "It's the same kind of things my teacher in the Jedi philosophy class keeps talking about so I don't see what the big deal is. Be a good Jedi, follow the rules and the will of the Force, don't hurt other people; you know, all that stuff."

"Yes, those are good words, and I suppose it does get rather tiresome hearing them over and over. Good words, but sometimes very hard to live by." Iton smiled a little sadly. He leaned forward, his hands on the table, covered in the sleeves of his robe. "Tell me, Padawan Vik, are you a good Jedi?"

Qui-Gon watched intently in the ensuing silence. Laysha was usually honest, if not always tactful, and she was squirming a bit in her chair as she thought about the question.

"Well�" Laysha wrinkled her muzzle and her ears twitched. "I'm not sure. I feel like I have a good connection with the Force, but I don't think I'm very good at following all the rules, especially the ones that seem stupid." She looked at her master. "Am I a good Jedi? How am I supposed to know?"

"If you know enough to keep asking, Padawan, then you are well on your way." Qui-Gon smiled, thinking of his own impatience with 'stupid rules'. "Your answers will lie in the questions you ask."

"You're getting as bad as Master Yoda," snorted Laysha.

"Thank you, Padawan," replied Qui-Gon with a small nod. "That is high praise indeed."

Laysha shook her head as she turned her attention back to the other knight. "So is there some point to this conversation?" she asked impatiently.

"After you have heard my little story, I shall let you be the judge of that." Iton's face turned serious. "The day I became a padawan was a very proud moment for me, but I wanted more and I wanted it fast. I was considered quite a promising young Jedi; I was doing well in everything I tried, including getting my lightsaber before I was fourteen." He paused, looking down at the table for a moment. "I had some faults, but I wasn't interested in working on those. Pride, impatience and temper..." Iton looked up. "I knew all the right words about what it was supposed to mean to be a good Jedi, but it turned out that I grasped for the power and glory that I thought went with my Force gifts without truly understanding the burden and responsibility that go with those gifts."

There was a long silence until Laysha shifted in her chair. "And?"

"Ah, well, I was particularly proud of my growing skill with a lightsaber. There were several of my fellow padawans who used to tease me about it, and I was developing quite a bitter rivalry with one of them in particular. He challenged me to a sparring competition with real lightsabers one night. We sneaked out to one of the gardens when we had told our masters we were going to the library." Iton looked intently at Laysha. "The fighting became intense as our nasty words and frustration grew. I used my lightsaber in anger against a fellow Jedi, something I knew full well was wrong, but I was beyond caring. My opponent got in a lucky blow and I pushed back fiercely to overpower him."

Knight Iton stopped. He bit his lip and looked away until he had composed himself.

"Sorry," Iton murmured. "This next part is always a bit unsettling."

"What happened?" Laysha asked quietly.

"I beat down his defense... swung wildly and plunged my lightsaber into his shoulder and down, cutting off his left arm." Iton blinked, took a deep breath. "I stood there in shock. I could smell the burnt flesh, see him turning white... I thought I had killed him. After I finally got my wits together, I realized he was still alive and I somehow managed to get him to a healer. After that, my life seemed like a nightmare for a long time. There were several in the Council who wanted to throw me out of the Order; I felt like I deserved that and I didn't even try to defend such a horrific deed. My master fought on my behalf, though, and I ended up being put on two years probation. Part of my punishment was to care for the person I had hurt; every day I had to face him, help him through his therapy and learn how to function with an artificial arm. I had some hard years learning to live with myself and what I had done, but I did eventually come to understand what it means to be a Jedi and serve the Force."

Iton shook back his sleeves and held out his left hand. He had only two fingers and a thumb; the rest had been sheared cleanly away.

"This was the blow that caused me to lose control and strike a fellow Jedi." Iton held it out to Qui-Gon's apprentice. "Every day I look at it, touch it... and ask myself if I am a good Jedi."

Hesitantly, Laysha reached for the proffered limb. She flicked her tongue to her nose as she slowly ran one finger along the healed flesh. Laysha let her hand rest on Iton's for a moment before pulling it back.

"Thank you, Knight Iton." Laysha stood and bowed. Her eyes were dark, her expression subdued. "I will think about what you have told me."

Both knights stood also.

"You have my thanks, also," said Qui-Gon. "We appreciate your service to the Order."

"You are welcome, Master Jinn, Padawan Vik." Iton bowed. "May the Force be with you."

Qui-Gon led the way as they headed out to the gardens; both were quiet and disinclined to idle conversation. Qui-Gon sat down, leaning against a tree. He gestured to his apprentice to sit down near him.

"Laysha," he said quietly. "We need to talk."

"Yes, Master. What do we need to talk about?" She glanced up, her expression still somber from her earlier experiences.

Qui-Gon was silent for a long moment as he gazed at his young charge.

"I have tried to show you some things today to help you understand why your training is so important and why it is so difficult to become a Jedi. It is not an easy life, and there are many dangers and difficulties. I had hoped to show you some of the consequences of that life which can happen despite best intentions and hard work and great skill. I hope I have not frightened you."

"Well... I guess there are certainly some things I need to think about." Laysha's ears flicked as she pulled up several blades of grass and twiddled with them.

There was another long silence.

"Padawan, I don't know if I'm asking too much, or too little, or if you even understand what I'm talking about sometimes." Qui-Gon sighed. "You are whipping through a Jedi education like a rocket streaking through the stars, and I don't know if it's been enough yet to enable you to truly absorb what it means to be a Jedi, what is so special about the relationship between a master and apprentice. You are so different I don't understand if I am pushing too hard, too fast, or if I need to wait for you to grow up more, my padawan."

"On my home world I would have been apprenticed and working at least part time already, Master." Laysha touched the yellow gem in her ear. "I don't feel like a child, but there are many times I don't know what I really am. It's frustrating because I know I want to do more, I feel like I can do more, but then I find out how much I don't know or can't do yet." She hesitated. "Sometimes it feels good being with the Force and I don't need anything else� but sometimes, though, I just feel lonely because there's nobody else like me."

Qui-Gon held out his arms and his apprentice scooted over into the proffered embrace. "You're never truly alone, Laysha. All Jedi are one with the Force, so you will always have that, and I will always be there for you as well. That's part of what it means to me to be your master," murmured Qui-Gon into one pointed ear.

"I know we don't always get along so well, but you're a good master," whispered Laysha. "I want to be a good padawan, and a good Jedi."

"You are a good padawan, and you will be a good Jedi." Qui-Gon swung Laysha around so her back snuggled against his chest. He considered his words before continuing. "One of the most important things for a Jedi is trust. Trust between us, trust between you and fellow Jedi, trust between us and the Force, trust that you will do the duty the Force and the Order demand of you." He reached to slowly trace a ripple of fur running between Laysha's ears as Master Ytrila's words came back to him; his apprentice was not the only one who might have difficult decisions to face in their future. "One of the things I worry about is whether I can trust myself to take you on a mission because I don't know how much trust there is between us, how much you understand of what all this really means, or what it means to have to make some of those hard choices when duty demands it."

"But we won't get to go on any missions if I don't pass the one year review, will we? I heard Master Frayma talking the other night."

"Well, there is that, of course. The training committee and Council will want to know that both of us are making appropriate progress, not just you. I believe you will do well, but whatever happens we will work together on however we need to move forward." Qui-Gon hugged his apprentice. "But you're right, we do have to get through this next month and then the review."

"I do trust you, Master, even if I don't always like or understand what you want me to do," said Laysha. "I want you to be able to trust me, too. I'll try to do better this next month so I can prove that I mean it, Master."

"That will be good, Padawan," said Qui-Gon softly. "If you're having problems, or if you have questions, I want you to come to me so I can help you. Will you do that?"

"Yes, Master." Laysha snuggled back into Qui-Gon's embrace.

They sat quietly for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually Qui-Gon stirred.

"I promised that we would go over your ethics essay today, Padawan." Qui-Gon nudged his apprentice. "Do you want to do that now or after lastmeal?"

Laysha stood up and pulled a datapad from her cloak. She looked at it for a moment, then put it away. "I don't believe it's ready, Master," she said slowly. "I need to think about some things a little more if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind." Qui-Gon rose to his feet. "Tell you what - we'll go eat now, and whenever you want to talk about it again, you let me know and I'll help you with it."

"Okay, Master, that's a deal." Laysha smiled and waited for Qui-Gon to lead the way.

Qui-Gon knelt down outside the examination room and tugged his apprentice's tabards into place. "There we are, Padawan, all set." He stood up. "Remember, do the best you can and if you don't know all the answers just keep moving on."

"Yes, Master." Laysha caressed the new lightsaber hanging from her belt. "I'll be fine." She smiled mischievously. "Don't let Maser Drenjaq chew you into too many pieces."

"Force, don't remind me." Qui-Gon gave a mock groan at the thought of the impending grilling by the mission master. "I'll see you tonight after lastmeal. And don't forget I want you in bed early so you'll be well-rested for the physical tests tomorrow."

"Yes, Master." Laysha wrinkled her nose, then quickly ducked through the door.

Qui-Gon smiled and shook his head, but his expression quickly turned somber as he turned his footsteps toward the lift. For once he was actually looking forward to his afternoon appointment with a soul healer since it would mean he had survived his own impending examination. Master Drenjaq had coordinated a final project among Qui-Gon's instructors in advanced diplomacy and xenology by allowing Master Tolarv to choose a particularly knotty issue in the Senate for the knight to research. Today was the culmination of the assignment; three hours had been set aside for Qui-Gon to present his data and argue for his proposed solutions. He envied his apprentice's crowded day of rigorous but far less antagonistic academic tests. Qui-Gon squared his jaw as he reached his destination and paused to pull out his datapads.

It was going to be yet another long day.

A bar of sunset was the only light in the silent quarters. Qui-Gon draped himself limply on the couch, head back, eyes closed. The energy-draining morning inquisition had been even worse than he had feared; it had turned into four hours of intense cross-examination, every fact contested, every argument countered. Four hours of misery that culminated in a list of his shortcomings enumerated by the tag team of his two teachers and Master Tolarv, and ended finally in a grunted "Adequate, courses are passed" from Master Drenjaq.

After his brusque dismissal with a comment that his evaluation would be messaged to him later, Qui-Gon had spent most of what little time remained before his afternoon appointment in the gardens trying to meditate. The exercise was of limited value but at least had allowed him to recover his composure before heading to Healer Hall. Soul Healer Tymawwvn was polite and friendly, a welcome change from Qui-Gon's earlier assessment. Tymawwvn's searching questions, however, proved to be just as difficult as those from the morning. Some of the topics dealing with Laysha's academic and Force-skills progress seemed simple enough and Qui-Gon was able to answer confidently about such relatively objective areas. When they moved on to disciplinary issues and the personal relationship between master and padawan, Qui-Gon had to stop more often to think about his answers. The healer seemed to have an uncanny knack for ferreting out the questions which had been most vexing to the young master. Again and again he probed Qui-Gon's long-standing anxieties about his adequacy, or lack thereof, to be a good master for his unusual charge, and Qui-Gon's growing concerns about how both of them would do when they started going on missions. By the end of the afternoon, Qui-Gon had almost succeeded in convincing himself that he was an abysmal failure. He'd been quite disconsolate when he finally left, despite the healer's assurances that he was doing well and his doubts were quite normal.

Qui-Gon reached up to squeeze the bridge of his nose in a vain attempt to control the headache galloping through his head. "Force, what a miserable day," he groaned quietly.

The door slid open and Laysha entered. "Hey, why is it so dark in here?" She thumbed on the lights. "Hi, Master. I missed you at lastmeal. They had baked negfish tonight and really tasty toasted vougrubs," she said cheerfully as she bounced over to the common area. "I figured you wouldn't mind if I had extra helpings 'cause of the tests for tomorrow so I'd have lots of energy. That was okay, wasn't it?" Laysha stood in front of Qui-Gon. "Why do you have your eyes closed, Master? Are you sick? You don't look so good."

With a sigh, Qui-Gon groped for an answer. "How many extra helpings?"

"Just two of the negfish and... um... kind of a really big bowl of the vougrubs," said Laysha as she looked away. She hurriedly added, "But I didn't have any dessert. There wasn't really anything I liked."

"It's alright, Padawan. You're probably right about the extra protein." Qui-Gon sat up and opened his eyes. "How did your tests go?"

"It was no big deal." Laysha shrugged. "I just did what you said and if I couldn't answer a question I went on to the next one. I think I did real good on the math and sciences, maybe not so good on philosophy and sociology. Master Frayma stopped by three times; she smiled at me after the last test." Laysha stopped, then stepped up and put a hand on Qui-Gon's arm. "Master, you really don't look very happy. Was that nasty old Master Drenjaq mean to you?"

"I'll be fine, Padawan, it was just a difficult day." Qui-Gon smiled. "Thank you for your concern. Are there are any particular katas or Force control exercises you would like to go over to get ready for tomorrow?"

"Did you even eat today, Master?" asked Laysha, ignoring the question.

"That is irrelevant, Padawan. I'll get something later," replied Qui-Gon. "Right now I want to help you with any questions you have."

"I'm fine, Master, but you are not." Laysha concentrated for a moment, then looked accusingly at her master. "You have a headache, too, don't you? I can feel that much over the bond." She knelt down and began removing Qui-Gon's boots, overriding his protest. "You are always taking care of me, Master. Tonight I am going to take care of you," said Laysha firmly as she yanked on a boot. "You will stay here," the other boot was tugged off, "and you will relax while I fix you something." She stood up, hands on hips. "You got that, Master?"

"Yes, Padawan." Qui-Gon repressed the grin trying to sneak onto his lips. He asked mildly, "May I be allowed to use the 'fresher?"

"I suppose so, but then you get right back here and rest, Master." Laysha glared up and thumped her tail to make sure her point was getting across.

"Yes, Padawan, I promise."

Qui-Gon used the facilities, returning to find that his apprentice had prepared a nest of pillows and blankets on the couch and insisted on tucking him in with a coldpack for his head. He did indeed feel much better after a bowl of soup, bread with fruit jam and mug of tea. Afterwards, he sat drowsing with a refilled mug and watched lazily as Laysha stripped to leggings and a tunic and practiced moving balls around their quarters with the Force.

"Very good, Padawan," said Qui-Gon as Laysha finished an elaborate loop with four balls. "You've gotten much better. In fact, you've gotten much better at so many things this past year. However the test results come out, I want you to know that I am very proud of you."

Laysha put her balls away and came over to perch on the edge of the couch. "It hasn't been easy, but I feel like I've learned a lot. Thank you, Master."

"I've learned a lot from you also, Padawan." Qui-Gon set his mug aside and settled back into his nest, drawing Laysha against his side. "I'm glad you decided to take a chance on me as your master."

"I'm glad, too." Laysha mumbled as she snuggled into his warmth. "Love you, Master."

Qui-Gon felt a silly smile stretching his face and a lump in his throat as his apprentice's soft breathing filled the silent room. He reached out with a tendril of Force to turn off the lights. Qui-Gon gently squeezed the sleeping figure as he whispered, "I love you, too, Laysha Vik."

Qui-Gon tossed his cloak at its peg and stopped by his apprentice's door. "Padawan, please come out here a moment."

Laysha joined her master on the couch in their common area. "Yes, Master? What's up?"

"I have a surprise." Qui-Gon handed over a datapad. "We've got our first mission assignment."

"Yes! I wasn't sure that old grump Drenjaq was going to let us do real missions this fast." Laysha eagerly read through the 'pad. Her expression changed to dismay, and she read it again before giving it back.

"Master, is this a joke?"

"No, there's no joke. That is our first mission together, and the official briefing is at ninth hour tomorrow."

"It says we are going to a funeral, Master." Laysha scowled. "A funeral! What kind of mission is that? And we don't even get to go by ourselves."

"It's a very important mission, Padawan. Technically, it's not quite a funeral just yet, but it's expected the senator will probably be dead by the time we get there. She's tremendously powerful and influential, so we are going as the junior members of the Jedi team supporting the Senate delegation." Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at his apprentice's obvious skepticism. "And I will remind you, young lady, that we are both VERY junior, so you should be happy we aren't being sent off to the Outer Rim to oversee a treaty for garbage pickup rights."

Laysha rolled her eyes.

"Besides, it will be a good opportunity to see how you do with space travel and keeping up with your academic course work while on a mission."

"Yes, Master."

Qui-Gon smiled at the muttered grumblings of his apprentice, wincing a little at some of her more choice expressions of her displeasure just before she disappeared into her room.

"I really need to get her to spend less time with the mechanics down in the maintenance facility," he muttered as he headed for his data terminal to begin researching their new assignment.

"That could certainly have gone better, Master." Laysha tossed her cloak in the general direction of its hook and headed for the kitchen area. "Would you like some tea?

"Yes, please." Qui-Gon sighed and went to sit on the couch. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes as he thought about the mission briefing they had just attended.

"I don't think any of them like us, Master."

"Very astute observation, Padawan. It would have helped a great deal, however, if you had not voiced your opinion about the mission quite so loudly." Qui-Gon shook his head as he recalled the decidedly icy atmosphere after his fidgeting apprentice had whispered her impatient disgust with 'this stupid waste of time for a stupid dead person' during the mission briefing. Two senior masters and a master with a senior padawan had all turned to stare at the outburst. Master Bornja, head of the mission, had then proceeded to make it abundantly clear that there were no unimportant missions, that this particular one was exceedingly important, that the junior members of the Jedi delegation were to be seen and not heard, and that Master Jinn had better keep his apprentice in line or the two of them would be immediately tossed onto the next ship leaving the planet to face a major reprimand upon their return to Coruscant.

"Well, he was being a pompous busybody," said Laysha as she brought a steaming mug for her master, then settled on the couch with a tall glass of juice. "And what did Master Bornja mean about impert� importnt�"

"Importunate natterings," said Qui-Gon.

"Yeah, that." Laysha tilted her head. "What did that mean?"

"He considered you to be an irritating nuisance." Qui-Gon took a sip of his tea.

"Oh. Well, he didn't have to be so mean to you."

"Padawan, he is the head of this mission. He will be a lot more mean if we make a mess of this job. We are the window dressing and go-fers. We stand around and look solemn, fetch things and keep quiet. It will be a very good exercise in patience."

"Hmph." Laysha finished her juice and stood. "I'm going to go pack, Master."

"You do that. Don't forget your datapads for your courses. And all the parts to your formal whites."

"Yes, Master, I will, Master, don't worry, Master." Laysha flipped her tail as she left.

Qui-Gon sighed as he wondered whose patience would be the more sorely exercised.

"Master?"

"Hmmm?" Qui-Gon stirred in his bunk.

"Master? I can't sleep."

"What's wrong, Padawan?" Qui-Gon reached for the light switch, then leaned up on one elbow.

"I've been trying to meditate, Master, but I can't find my center. It's so cold, and the Force is so far away," whispered Laysha.

Qui-Gon felt the trembling in her hand on his arm and across their bond. "Come here," he said quietly. He waited a moment as his apprentice climbed into his bunk, then drew the blanket up to cover them both. "This is your first time in space since you came to Coruscant as an infant, isn't it?"

"Yes, Master. I didn't get to go on any of the initiate field trips."

"What you are feeling is normal, Padawan, especially for those of us who are closely attuned to the Living Force. In space, the Force can be very thin and elusive where there is precious little life to sustain it. As you get older and more experienced, you'll find it easier to center and draw upon the Force wherever you are."

"It feels so... lonely, Master."

"I won't lie to you, Padawan, there are times when the isolation is difficult to bear." Qui-Gon held his trembling apprentice close. "You can stay with me, and we can work on a shared meditation in the morning."

"Thank you, Master."

Despite Qui-Gon's reassuring presence, it was a long time before his young apprentice fell asleep.

Laysha's initial excitement over their arrival on Goroon soon wore off under the onslaught of meetings, formal meals, and bouts of standing or sitting in respectful silence while the Senators and senior Jedi discussed the various formalities and procedures of the funeral and the subsequent ceremony to announce the new Goroonian senator with the king and numerous local government officials.

"This is boring, Master," whined Laysha as she threw herself on the second twin bed in the small room located in the farthest reaches of the palace.

"Very few missions are chock full of excitement and action, Padawan. That doesn't mean they aren't important." Qui-Gon began removing his formal whites. "Why not work on your course assignments? You have to keep up with your academic requirements as much as possible even when we are on missions."

"I've already done the paper and all the math problems, Master." Laysha stood and began bouncing on the bed, doing slow flips.

"Please don't do that, Padawan." Qui-Gon stopped in the middle of taking off his leggings. "When did you accomplish all that? I haven't seen you take out a datapad since we got here almost three days ago."

"Mostly during all the standing and sitting around." Laysha hopped off the bed. "I memorized the assignments on the trip out and then did the work in my head. I figured I could write it all down on the trip back."

"Padawan, you are supposed to be observing and learning while we are on these assignments," said Qui-Gon. He finished undressing and carefully hung up his uniform. "You have wasted an excellent opportunity."

"All they did was talk at each other," pouted Laysha. "Besides, I couldn't see half of what was going on anyway." She pulled off her clothes and tossed them on the bed. "So it was doubly boring."

"Please put your whites away properly," said Qui-Gon automatically as he put on his regular leggings and a tunic. "If you focus on what is happening during the discussions, what is said, what is not said, and the body language, there is a great deal to be learned."

"It's too warm and stuffy in here, Master." Laysha draped her uniform over a chair. "Can we go out to the garden and you can explain what you thought you saw?" She tossed her boots into a corner.

"Only if you put on some clothes first, Padawan. We are not home in the Temple - if you had paid attention to the mission briefing, you would know that the local customs do not condone nudity."

"It's hot out, Master." Laysha headed for the door.

"Now, Padawan." Qui-Gon put on his boots, outer tunic, sash and belt. Despite his own desire to be outdoors, he was not about to budge on this lesson in protocol.

"You're no fun." When the only response she got was a raised eyebrow, Laysha wrinkled her nose, put on a loose blue caftan she pulled from the bottom of her pack and fastened her utility belt over it. "Now can we go, Master?"

Qui-Gon sighed as he decided it wasn't worth the battle to force her into a full uniform. "Very well, but please remember to be quiet in the halls."

"Yes, Master," the apprentice replied as she took her place behind Qui-Gon.

The two Jedi found a quiet spot on some benches among the orderly flower arrangements near the wall separating the garden from a wooded parkland. Parts of two moons lit the warm evening as Qui-Gon tried to explain the significance of eye contact or lack thereof and degrees of intrusion into personal space.

"Padawan?"

"Hmmm?"

"You've been fidgeting from one end of the bench to the other. Have you been listening to anything I've been saying?"

"Sorry, Master. Ever since we left the Temple we've been cooped up in the ship or the palace." Laysha slipped off the bench and stood in front of her master. "It's hard to concentrate and I feel all edgy, Master. Can we go for a run in the trees, or at least do some katas?"

"Padawan, there will be many occasions when you will need to exercise patience and will be indoors for extended periods, particularly in hostile environments."

"Please, Master?" Laysha put a hand on Qui-Gon's knee. "I want to live in this moment, not worry about something that hasn't happened yet."

Qui-Gon pursed his lips as he looked down into the pleading green eyes, then relented. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a break, and it's always good to practice your katas. Alright, let's go."

"Thank you, Master."

They decided not to bother trying to find a gate and instead climbed over the wall between garden and woods. They jogged deep into the trees, finally stopping in a large clearing. Qui-Gon led them through three fast, strenuous katas followed by several progressively slower exercises. His mood was mellow as their training bond practically vibrated with his apprentice's sheer joy in the simple pleasures of physical movement and being outdoors.

"That was fun, Master!" barked Laysha. She unhooked her lightsaber from her belt and did several flips. Her 'saber flashed as she uncorked a Force-enhanced aerial twist that she had recently learned.

Qui-Gon smiled at the exhibition. It still amazed him how fast his little cub was growing up while still retaining so much of her child-like exuberance; he only hoped he could keep her on the right path in their journey toward her knighthood.

A sudden snapping of a branch and muffled curse sent Qui-Gon into a defensive crouch, his own lightsaber ablaze. He felt Laysha move into position behind him, just as they had practiced during training. Qui-Gon scanned the treeline warily.

Four uniformed soldiers emerged into the moonlight, weapons at the ready. There was a tense moment of silence.

"Stand down," said a deep voice. A tall man walked into the clearing; he was followed by more soldiers. "It's just the Jedi."

Qui-Gon straightened and put away his lightsaber. He heard his apprentice's weapon deactivate as he stepped forward and bowed.

"Good evening, Your Highness," said Qui-Gon to the ruler of Goroon.

"Greetings." Light glinted off silver hair as King Reanno nodded. "Master Jinn, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Majesty. Qui-Gon Jinn, and this is my padawan, Laysha Vik." Qui-Gon inclined his head as his apprentice bowed.

"Ah, the little Jedi." The king's somber expression lightened momentarily. "I have seen you with your master at several of the meetings. This must all seem very boring to you, I would think."

"Yes, Your Highness," said Laysha promptly. "I'm sorry you lost your senator and cousin, but I don't understand what is being accomplished with everybody talking at each other all day."

Qui-Gon watched carefully, concerned with his apprentice's frank answer but pleased that she had remembered the discussion during the mission briefing about the family relationship. He relaxed a little as he saw a smile tug at the corners of Reanno's mouth.

"I appreciate your concern, and there are certainly times I can share your mystification at what all the words really mean. It makes me want to escape to my favorite park."

"Your Majesty, it was not our intention to intrude. The chamberlain had indicated this area was open to all, so I brought my padawan out here to practice katas," said Qui-Gon. "We will return to the palace and leave you in peace."

"Not to worry, Master Jinn." The king waved an arm. "This is a public space, and it is a very unofficial habit of mine to walk out here when I need to think or make decisions."

"Do you need to make a decision tonight?" Laysha cocked her head. "I thought everything was all decided."

"Not quite. I still have to designate somebody to fill the remaining three years of Senator Brynag's term until the next election." Reanno sighed. "That's what so many of the words have been about, little Jedi. Goroon is a very rich and powerful system, and there are many people who want the position or who have an opinion about who should have the position."

"I understand why you came outside, Majesty." Laysha walked over to Reanno, took his hand and patted it. "When I am troubled or need to make a decision I go outside to meditate and talk to the Force and then I feel better."

Qui-Gon tensed, his hand hovering near his lightsaber as six weapons suddenly pointed toward his apprentice.

"Steevot, it's alright." The king waited a moment as everyone relaxed. He looked down, a bemused half-smile on his lips. "I have heard of this 'Force'. What is it, little one, that brings you such guidance and comfort?"

"The Force is wonderful!" Laysha's eyes lit up with enthusiasm as she tugged on Reanno's hand. "Let's walk together and I'll tell you about it!"

Qui-Gon exchanged glances with the head guard, then both shrugged as the king and apprentice wandered off. The Jedi master stayed close, occasionally injecting a quiet comment if Laysha had trouble answering a question. He was impressed with the king's thoughtful queries and delighted with the amount of information Laysha seemed to have collected during her short but intensive education so far. After a half hour they ended up sitting on the bank of a stream, listening to the quiet murmuring of the cool water.

"This has been a very enjoyable discussion, Padawan Vik," said the king. "Thank you very much." He looked at Qui-Gon. "And I thank you, Master Jinn, for indulging me with the loan of your apprentice. It has been very refreshing to meet someone who has such an innocent and, may I say, enthusiastic joy in life."

"It is our pleasure to serve, Your Highness," replied Qui-Gon. He smiled. "And to occasionally spread a little light."

"So are you going to pick somebody to be the new senator?" persisted Laysha.

"I will have to make that decision soon." Reanno sighed. "It is difficult as there are many qualified candidates, and many strong arguments for or against each of them."

"You should pick somebody you feel good about," said Laysha solemnly.

"What does that mean?"

"Um... it's hard to explain." Laysha touched her tongue to her nose. "It's like, well, like when you connect with someone in the Force. It's a warm and tingly feeling."

"Since I have no experience with the Force, or how that might feel, I'm afraid your description does me little practical good." Reanno shook his head.

"My padawan's intention is sincere, but she lacks the experience to express her thought clearly," said Qui-Gon quietly. "May I offer a few words, Your Highness?"

The king regarded the Jedi for a long moment, looking into the steady blue eyes. "Proceed," he finally said as he inclined his head.

"Senator Brynag was highly regarded for following her principles and for her concern for your people. A concern which I believe you share, Your Highness." As he swung around to sit cross-legged facing the king, Qui-Gon gave a passing thought to what Master Bornja might think about this conversation but quickly dismissed it. "I had the opportunity recently to closely observe the Senate when I served with the Jedi liaison office to that body. It is a difficult place, contentious and rife with egos and rivalries. Someone that you would 'feel good about' appointing as senator for Goroon will share your principles and concerns. That person will need the strength to be honest, the tact to deal with a host of beings with opposing interests, and a willingness to work hard even when the task seems thankless." Qui-Gon smiled fondly at his apprentice for a moment before continuing. "More than anything else, there must be trust between you and this person, trust even when you disagree, trust that both of you are working for the good of your people."

"Do you have someone in mind that you wish to recommend that you believe has these wonderful properties, Master Jinn?" Reanno's expression was reserved, his eyes dark.

"No, Highness." Qui-Gon shook his head. "I wish the best for you and your people, but I respect you far too much to attempt to exert an influence I have no right to claim. My duty is to support whatever decision you make, and I will do so gladly."

"Indeed." The king nodded to himself, then stood. He waited a moment until the two Jedi were also on their feet. "Master Jinn, I shall consider your words." Reanno smiled as he reached down to rumple Laysha's ear. "And yours also, little Jedi. I thank you both for this respite from my other cares, and wish you good fortune."

Qui-Gon and Laysha bowed. "May the Force be with you, Your Highness," said Qui-Gon. They waited until the king and his guards were out of sight before they turned away and began walking back toward the palace.

"He is a nice man, Master." Laysha said after they jumped down from the wall into the garden. "I like him."

"Padawan, do you fully understand who that was?" asked Qui-Gon.

"That was King Reanno." Laysha stopped and looked up. "Just because he's important doesn't mean he can't be nice."

"That is true, but what just happened was very unusual. On future missions you may often find that important people are not always very nice and often not at all interested in what a Jedi has to say."

"Well, we'll just have to figure out how to get them to listen, right, Master?" Laysha put her hands on her hips and cocked her head.

"That is a good point, Padawan." Qui-Gon chuckled. "I guess that's one of the things I'm supposed to teach you."

"Yes, Master." Laysha nodded sagely, then laughed in turn. "You're going to be awfully busy the next several years!"

Qui-Gon watched, a bemused smile on his face, as his apprentice ran ahead and hopped up onto the railing of an ornamental bridge, then flipped to her hands to walk along the narrow surface.

"Master Jinn." A cold voice caused Qui-Gon to turn.

"Yes, Master Bornja?"

"You were not in your room as you had indicated you would be. What do you think you are doing out here?"

"I brought my apprentice outside to practice her katas, Master Bornja. I felt she needed to continue her instruction and it would provide a useful break." From the corner of his eye Qui-Gon saw Laysha come up beside him.

The head of the Jedi delegation looked sourly at the young master and his apprentice. "Your uniform is dirty, your padawan looks like a street urchin and your sense of priorities is greatly misplaced. You are on a mission, not a holiday, and there is work to be done." Bornja glared at the two offenders.

Qui-Gon put a hand on Laysha's shoulder to keep her still. "My apologies, Master Bornja, I was not aware that my assistance was needed or I would have made myself available."

"The king has granted us an audience in the morning before the funeral and we need to work with the Senators to prepare our final recommendations for a replacement for the Goroonian senator. You will come with me immediately."

"But the king -" Laysha started.

"Padawan." Qui-Gon firmly overrode her. "You will return to your room and work on your academic courses. I want to see a draft of your paper before we leave the planet." He squeezed her shoulder and put on his best 'no nonsense' face.

"Yes, Master." Laysha hesitated a moment, then bowed to the senior Jedi. "Good evening, Master Bornja."

Qui-Gon followed the master as they headed back into the palace, suppressing a sigh. He suspected it was going to be a long and boring night.

Early the next morning the king and his senior ministers graciously received the Senate and Jedi delegations. Qui-Gon and his apprentice dutifully carried datapads, fetched refreshments or stood by the door in respectful silence while the challenges of the Senate position and the merits of various candidates were reviewed. Laysha was actually paying attention after her master had cautioned her to be quiet and listen to the proceedings. King Reanno seemed to ignore the presence of the junior Jedi except for one fleeting second near the end of the meeting when he caught their eyes and a ghost of a smile twitched one corner of his mouth.

Almost immediately after the meeting everyone left to attend the funeral ceremony. It was a solemn affair, with many speeches about the deceased and a grand procession on foot accompanying the large coffin to its final resting place. Afterwards there was a break of two hours to allow people to change from their somber garb to brighter garments to attend the state luncheon; for the Jedi it was a simple matter of removing their cloaks to reveal their formal white uniforms.

During the banquet the splendid efforts of the culinary staff seemed to be largely wasted as most people appeared to be more concerned with the rampant speculation about Senator Brynag's replacement. Qui-Gon and Laysha were seated with the Senate and Jedi delegations at one of the large tables near the small head table; Qui-Gon occasionally murmured a reminder about table manners and not drinking the fizzy beverages too fast. Laysha gave an exasperated glance up as she methodically plowed through everything on her plate and any delicacies she could cadge from the orbiting servitors.

The strain mounted as the king lingered over dessert, chatting and laughing, almost appearing to be enjoying drawing out the tension.

"Why doesn't he just get on with it?" whispered Laysha. "Doesn't he know who he's going to appoint?"

"I'm sure he does, Padawan, but I suspect he doesn't often get the opportunity to have a little fun," Qui-Gon whispered back.

"Fun? Why is this fun, Ma-"

"Shhsshh," glared Master Bornja.

The room grew quiet as tables were cleared and the king shuffled a few papers. He rose and walked over to a dais at the end of the table.

Reanno spoke for several minutes, extolling the virtues of the late Senator Brynag, declaiming about the challenges of the days to come, and the need for a strong and virtuous person to represent the interests of Goroon.

"And now the moment we have all been waiting for. It is my very great pleasure to introduce to you a person I feel very good about, a person who has my full confidence and trust that she will best represent the interests of our people, the new senator for Goroon, Maleena Chroo."

There was a stunned silence as a woman rose from a seat along the wall and walked forward. Tall, with plain features and dark red hair pulled back from a long face with a touch of grey at her temples, she moved with grace and a strength born of self-confidence. All eyes followed her progress as she reached the dais.

Laysha poked her master and grinned. She mouthed the words "He said he feels good about her."

Qui-Gon nodded, let a smile slip over his face, then settled back to watch the rest of the presentation and speeches.

As soon as the event changed to a congratulatory general milling about, the senior Senators and Jedi broke into animated and unhappy conversations, their voices low but clearly displeased with this unknown new member of the Senate. Qui-Gon and his apprentice were content to observe and listen, with Laysha taking advantage of the situation to snag several sweet rolls from a side table.

As things wound down, King Reanno made a final circuit of the room with Senator Chroo. They chatted with the delegations from Coruscant, and made a point of speaking to each member.

"Master Jinn, it is good to see you again," said the king as he shook Qui-Gon's hand. "Maleena, this is Qui-Gon Jinn, the young Jedi I told you about."

"My pleasure, Master Jinn," said the new senator. "I look forward to this challenge, and hope to have the pleasure of working with the Jedi more closely." She shifted her gaze, and her face lit up. "And this must be the little apprentice. How do you do?" She extended a hand.

"Very well, thank you," Laysha replied as she shook hands. "Are you a friend of the king?"

"Most of the time, when I'm not poking at him about one of his policies I don't think is right." Maleena glanced up and exchanged a private smile with Reanno. "I have been governor of our southern province for many years in between taking a few years off here and there to have children."

"We need to go, but I enjoyed meeting both of you," said Reanno. The king smiled as he reached down to rumple one of Laysha's ears, then he and the senator nodded and moved on.

Master Bornja stopped Qui-Gon. "What was that all about?" he hissed.

"His Highness seemed to find Padawan Laysha amusing," said Qui-Gon blandly.

A long moment passed as Bornja regarded Qui-Gon with narrowed eyes. Finally he frowned, "Very well. Begin preparing your notes; our ship leaves at eighteenth hour and I wish to start work on the final report after we are in space."

"Yes, Master Bornja." Qui-Gon bowed, nudging Laysha to do the same.

Back in their room, the two Jedi packed their gear.

"Master, aren't we going to tell Master Bornja about our chat with the king last night?" asked Laysha as she folded her formal uniform and stuffed into her bag.

"Some things are sometimes better left unsaid, Padawan." Qui-Gon sat on the edge of the bed and gestured his apprentice over. He put his hands on her shoulders. "Did you understand the discussions between the Senators and the other Jedi these last few days?"

"Yes, Master. I think they wanted to try to get the king to appoint somebody they felt would support their policies and that they could control."

"Very good, Padawan. Maleena Chroo was not on any of the lists of their preferred candidates, and I suspect she will not be easily swayed. We had a unique opportunity to speak with the king privately; I don't know if our advice had any effect but it seemed to me the right thing to do. How did it feel to you?"

Laysha thought a moment before answering. "It felt right to me also, Master. I know I just wanted to help."

"Then you can feel good about what we did, Padawan. Unfortunately, there are those who would say we should have used that opportunity to try to sway the king to their preferred position." Qui-Gon smiled and hugged Laysha. "If asked directly, we shall not lie about our encounter, but discretion would indicate that we don't need to make a big point of bringing it up." He leaned back. "Do you understand, Padawan?"

"I think so, Master." Laysha grinned. "It will be our little secret between us and the Force."

After their return from Goroon, Qui-Gon and his apprentice had an extensive discussion with Master Frayma. She was very interested in how Laysha had fared on her first mission, her reaction to being in space, and her ability to continue her academic work. Afterward they reviewed the proposed regime the padawan training team had put together.

"I know this past year has been difficult and there were several bumps in the road, so to speak, but Padawan Vik's overall success is very encouraging," said Frayma. "The next five to six years will also be challenging in different ways. There will have to be periodic intense sessions in Temple for classes, which will limit the number of missions you will be able to go on." She smiled. "I suspect missions will come to be a welcome diversion, even with trying to do academic work during them."

"This is a tremendous amount of work," said Qui-Gon as he perused a datapad. "Is five to six years a realistic goal?"

"We need to keep in mind that in another five years Laysha will be ten years old and you will be thirty," said Frayma softly. "Both of you will have reached approximately one-third or more of the average life span of your respective species, quite a bit more in her case."

Qui-Gon pursed his lips as he stared at the 'pad, his jaw tight. There was silence for a long moment until he felt a small hand on his.

"I know that bothers you, but it's alright, Master. We'll have lots of moments to share together." Laysha hopped up on the couch next to Qui-Gon and snuggled into his side.

"Thank you, Padawan. It seems there are times you have more wisdom than I." Qui-Gon smiled and put an arm around his apprentice.

"Master Frayma, if I do all of this, I get to become a knight?" Laysha pointed to the datapad her master still held in his other hand.

"If you are able to complete the training, continue to make suitable progress with your Force and physical skills, and acquit yourself well on missions, you will be evaluated for promotion to senior padawan in three to four years and you may be considered to take your trials in five to six years." Frayma arched an eyebrow. "You will have to continue to work hard and there are no guarantees, just as there are no guarantees for any other padawan. We will provide the opportunities, but you must earn each promotion."

"I understand, Master Frayma." The young Jedi dropped her gaze.

"We'll give it our best effort, Padawan." Qui-Gon hugged Laysha. "We'll do it together."

The training master's words proved prophetic. The intensity of their work did not change, but the rhythm of their life moved in a new direction. Periods of two to six tens of intense academic and practical work were interspersed with a variety of missions. Master Drenjaq seemed to take a perverse pleasure in assigning Qui-Gon to assist the Senate Liaison office whenever the pair was on Coruscant more than a few tens, a situation which pleased neither the knight or Master Tolarv, although it did provide an opportunity for Qui-Gon and his apprentice to develop a pleasant relationship with the new Goroonian senator after King Reanno had recommended she come to them for advice and a friendly face.

In deference to Laysha's age and inexperience, their next several missions found them paired with other Jedi for routine matters such as witnessing weddings, treaty signings, and coronations. The young padawan learned to handle the emptiness of space more easily, though she still preferred the comfort of her master's bunk at night, and her impatience with endless pomp and ceremony only marginally abated. Laysha had little difficulty keeping up with the academic taskings during their assignments - indeed, she devoured the math and engineering texts, although history and philosophy drew sour faces. Qui-Gon did have to occasionally rein in his padawan's proclivities for tinkering, especially after he found her in the hangar on Iyvnn Three debating with several of the mechanics on the best way to rewire the remote cannons on one of the military flyers. On the whole, however, Qui-Gon felt they were making progress and he tried to steal the odd moment wherever he could for relaxation and extra meditations for both of them to break the unrelenting demands of their heavy schedule.

Their sixth mission turned out to be with Plo Koon serving as independent observers for a senatorial election on a lush jungle planet named Vuthaa. Plo's padawan, Avo Tog, was both horrified and fascinated with Laysha's blithe lack of concern over the finer details of protocols and 'civilized behavior'. Laysha enjoyed chatting up members of the various candidates' parties and electoral workers with a great disregard for rank, extending her range even down to getting grubby with mechanics, cooks and gardeners. It turned out most people either didn't take the 'happy little Jedi' seriously or else were flattered by the attention from any Jedi, and she was able to gather a surprising amount of information from unguarded comments or overheard conversations, information which the knights put to good use in determining which electoral locations to watch most closely. Since Plo did not object, Qui-Gon let pass much of the obvious glee Laysha took in poking at Avo's serenity with acerbic comments on the shortcomings of the senatorial aspirants.

After the successful conclusion of what all deemed to be a reasonably clean election, Qui-Gon and Laysha took advantage of the conjunction of a spectacular full moon and the lush plant life to partake in what had become their favorite activity together. Plo had politely declined the invitation to join them after deciding that poor Avo wasn't quite ready for naked free-form dancing with the Living Force.

Master and padawan were rewarded after many months for their diligence and Laysha's continued academic success with their first solo mission. They had a good laugh together when the much-anticipated event turned out to be overseeing negotiations for garbage pickup rights in the Zhiig system, where it was a very lucrative and competitive business between three clans with historical claims to certain areas. They passed the time on their outbound trip reviewing their mission briefing, in particular discussing their respective roles on this mission.

The negotiations turned out to be quite peaceful after they ironed out a few misunderstandings which had built up over the four years since the last agreement was signed. Qui-Gon was pleased to note that his status as a master seemed to offset his youth with the seasoned heads of clans; he was even more pleased to find that his apprentice appeared to be quite determined to make their first solo outing a success and was remarkably studious and attentive during the discussions or in undertaking the research he requested.

At the end of their second ten on Zhiig, they were nearing success after many long sessions. Early that evening Qui-Gon went out to the small balcony off their assigned quarters and found Laysha asleep on a lounger, curled around a datapad. He gently shook her awake.

"Hmm?" Laysha stretched and sat up. "What's up, Master? Is there more we need to do for tomorrow?"

"No, Padawan, we have everything we need to complete the treaty signings."

Laysha yawned. "I have to finish this reading assignment if there's no other work, Master."

"Tomorrow is your sixth Nameday, Padawan," Qui-Gon replied. "If everything goes well, we will be leaving the planet tomorrow afternoon, so I thought we'd celebrate tonight."

"Do we have chocobar cake, Master?" Laysha jumped up. "And tallaberry frost?"

"I couldn't find any tallaberries, but we do have toasted grubs, cake and that fizzy glunp juice you said you liked." Qui-Gon smiled as Laysha hugged him. "Before we eat, we're going out because there is something special I want to show you."

"Can't we bring the food, Master? Please? I promise not to make a mess."

"Don't worry, it will still be here when we get back." Qui-Gon grinned at her single-minded enthusiasm. "Bring your cloak; where we are going it will be much colder after the sun goes down." He gently ignored Laysha's questions with a mysterious little smile and a quiet "You'll find out when we get there."

They borrowed a small ground transporter and headed up into the nearby mountains. After a half-hour of steady driving, they pulled off into a park and left the vehicle. Qui-Gon and Laysha hiked for almost another half-hour along a narrow trail. Full darkness had fallen by the time they emerged above the treeline on a high ridge. It was clear and frosty, the stars twinkling brightly in the blackness.

"This is a nice view, and the stars are pretty, but I can see the same things on lots of other planets, Master." Laysha planted her hands on her hips and looked around. "Is there some point to this aside from the exercise of getting here? We could've stayed in our quarters with a perfectly good cake."

"Patience, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. "Let's find a comfortable spot to wait. We can talk about the signing ceremony tomorrow. Tell me about the contents of the new treaty." Suiting action to words, Qui-Gon located a soft patch of moss at the base of a large tree and sat down.

Laysha rolled her eyes, gave a long-suffering sigh and wandered about for a few moments before deciding on a spot near her master. She fidgeted about a bit, then settled in to begin a recitation of each section, promptly responding to Qui-Gon's questions.

Twenty minutes later Qui-Gon noticed that his apprentice was shivering in the rapidly increasing cold despite her cloak. "Enough, Padawan," he said. "It's almost time. Come join me." Laysha gratefully moved into the welcome warmth of his cloak, sitting with her back to him as he wrapped the heavy material about both of them.

"What are we waiting for, Master?"

Qui-Gon scanned the sky until he found what they had come to see. "Look up there, Padawan." He pointed high and to his left. "It is just starting."

A faint streak of light slipped across the sky.

"Did you drag us all the way up here for that?"

Qui-Gon smiled at the mild disappointment in Laysha's voice; their bond dripped with an emotion rather more pointed. "Wait, my impatient padawan," he said softly.

The silence that followed was punctuated by the small sounds of the night, birds and insects calling, a faint crack of broken wood.

Another dim flash was followed by several quick trails of white.

"Almost there," whispered Qui-Gon. "Watch closely."

As if the Jedi's words were a trigger, a burst of silver exploded in the night sky. Bright streaks dashed across the sky by ones and twos, then by threes, fours and fives. Within minutes the trails of light became too numerous to count. The fantastical fireworks continued, mounting in intensity as the Jedi watched.

"This is great, Master," exulted Laysha. She strained forward to take in the sight.

"The end is the best part," replied Qui-Gon. A grin split his own face as he shared his apprentice's excitement.

The individual veins died down to a mere handful. As clear blackness reclaimed the sky, a hush seemed to fall.

"Oh!" exclaimed Laysha as a meteor flew across the heavens with a sparkling tail of scintillating colors.

Qui-Gon held his apprentice as they watched the fiery show. He took as much pleasure in Laysha's obvious enjoyment as he did in the brilliant display in the heavens above them. She practically vibrated in his arms as she exclaimed her glee and their bond thrummed with her delight.

"Oooooh, awesome!" Laysha clapped as a particularly large flaming rock crawled into view. It picked up speed and splendor in its journey across the firmament, eventually filling almost an entire eighth of the sky before a final spectacular blast heralded its final destruction.

A pensive melancholy fell over Qui-Gon as he watched the remainder of nature's exhibition. He stayed very quiet as the last of the cascade faded away.

"That was really fantastic, Master!" Laysha twisted around to hug Qui-Gon. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, Padawan," replied Qui-Gon quietly, "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Is something wrong, Master?" Laysha leaned back a little, trying to see his face in the dim light.

"No," said Qui-Gon. He was silent for a moment longer before pulling her close for a quick hug. "Have I told you lately how wonderful you are, Laysha Vik?"

"You don't have to do that, Master, but it's nice when you do." She snuggled into the warmth of his embrace.

"I mean it, Padawan. We've been together less than two years, but you've come so far so fast, much faster than I think anyone truly believed you could." Qui-Gon let a smile slip into his voice. "You've even managed to finally sit through entire days of negotiations, my fidgety little one."

Laysha laughed. "I couldn't have done it without you, Master." She paused before continuing soberly, "I know I've still got a lot to learn and not very many years to learn it in, and I still have trouble understanding why we have so many rules to follow, but I want to be a good Jedi, Master. I want to become a knight and make you proud."

"You will be a good Jedi, and I think you can achieve anything you set your mind to. You should be working to become better because it is the right thing to do, though, not because you think I will like it."

"Master, are you sure there's nothing bothering you? You got awfully quiet before you started talking about me."

"Well, I was looking at that last big meteor�" Qui-Gon stopped and ran his hand along Laysha's back.

"Is this about how short my lifespan is supposed to be?" Laysha's voice held a touch of irritation. "You keep telling me to live in the moment, but then you worry about what might happen years from now. I like the part about living in the moment better."

"I couldn't help thinking of you, though. You remind me of that shooting star, my padawan." Qui-Gon sighed. "You are full of life, but you burn bright and hot and will burn out so fast. There is so much I want to do for you, so much we need to do in the few years that we will have together."

There was a long silence before Laysha stirred.

"There are times I feel the same way, Master," said Laysha softly. "I think that's why I get so impatient so often. I want to see and do everything while I have time."

"I know it's difficult for you, Padawan, but you have done well." Qui-Gon reached up to ruffle the fur on the top of Laysha's head, then stroked the yellow stone in her ear. "We'll keep working hard, and we'll have many moments together to enjoy."

"In the meantime, your shooting star would like some fuel, Master. Can we go back and have my cake now?"

Qui-Gon laughed. "Never let it be said that you don't have a fine sense of the priorities of life, Padawan." He stood and swung Laysha around before setting her down. "Let's go finish celebrating your nameday."

"Yes!" moaned Qui-Gon as he pushed hard inside his lover. The bed shook from the force of his efforts.

Reej gasped and let his upper body fall forward from his hands and knees, one hand rapidly fisting his rigid organ to a quick orgasm.

Qui-Gon was almost frantic as he thrust repeatedly, faster and faster until he climaxed with a groan, the force of his grip on Reej's hips leaving deep white prints. He pulled out and collapsed to one side, pulling Reej into his arms and holding him tight as he tried to catch his breath.

"Daggo, Qui, I don't want to sound unappreciative, and these last couple of nights have been fantastic, but are you trying to make up for lost time because I've been away for seven months?" Reej ran a finger down Qui-Gon's face, brushing aside rivulets of sweat.

"Sorry. Was I too rough?" asked Qui-Gon as he caught Reej's hand and kissed the palm apologetically. "I didn't mean to be."

"No, I like it when you are so focused on me. I was just wondering what brought all this on so suddenly."

Qui-Gon rolled to his back and lay silently for a long moment before speaking again.

"You remember those twin brothers I was seeing right after I got promoted to senior padawan?" asked Qui-Gon as he stared up at the ceiling.

"You mean Vog and Wog, the albinos?" Reej leaned up on one elbow, a wicked smile on his lips. "They were so short I always wondered if one of them had to sit on the other's shoulders to reach up to kiss you."

"Believe me, they were not short where it counted," snorted Qui-Gon. His grin quickly faded. "The sex was great, but I had to stop seeing them because it got to be too intense."

"What do you mean?"

"They had such a tight bond, it started to feel like both of them were in my head when we had sex, and I couldn't deal with that."

"And your point is?"

"Several days ago I started having very erotic dreams, and I was waking up hard as a plasteel rod." Qui-Gon grinned sheepishly. "When you showed up back in Temple, I'm afraid I was getting pretty desperate for sex. Meditation and masturbation just weren't enough and none of my other usual friends were onplanet."

"That first night you certainly didn't waste any time hustling your padawan off to her room and me into your bed," Reej grinned back as he poked Qui-Gon in the side. "So what does this have to do with the 'og boys?"

Qui-Gon hesitated, licked his lower lip. "Two nights ago," he said softly, "I started getting that feeling again, like there were other people in my head while we were making love."

"If there's somebody else in there, tell them to get out," said Reej firmly. "I don't go for group sex."

"I'm serious." Qui-Gon turned up on his side, cradling his head on his forearm. "There's something strange going on, and I don't understand it."

Reej sat up cross-legged and looked at his lover. "What does it feel like?"

"It's hard to describe... it started like a light slowly turning warmer and brighter in the back of my head." Qui-Gon took a deep breath, let it out slowly. "Lately, though, it's like a hunger, a hot yearning. When I was making love to you the feelings were much more intense than usual."

There was silence as both Jedi looked at each other.

"Qui, how old is Laysha now?" asked Reej slowly.

"Laysha?" Qui-Gon leaned up on one elbow. He thought for a moment. "She's about six and a half. Why?"

"You may not be noticing it because you see her every day, but I only get back to the Temple a few times a year. Every time I see her, she's different." Reej shook his head a bit wistfully. "I still call her short stuff because it's become a private joke between us, but she seems older now than that sperky little cub you brought home two and a half years ago... a lot older."

Qui-Gon stared at his lover as a thought very reluctantly started to coalesce in his head. "I'm not sure I want to go where I think you're heading."

"Your little padawan is growing up, Qui. She may not ever get any bigger physically, but mentally, emotionally... yeah, I'd bet a month's stipend the two of you are triggering each other over your training bond because baby Laysha is becoming young lady Laysha."

"Oh, Force," groaned Qui-Gon. "That is not a conversation I want to have with her."

"Has she had the humanoid sexuality course?"

"Last year." Qui-Gon shook his head. "I remember that she said it was incredibly boring. She did ask how large my penis became when it was fully erect and if I preferred to penetrate or be penetrated."

"She can be pretty blunt," Reej chuckled. "Did you show her your private assets and give her a demonstration of just how big your leggings snake really gets?"

"No, I did not," huffed Qui-Gon. "She can ask those kinds of questions to her peers or see plenty of examples of different sizes in the communal locker rooms and in the clothing-optional gardens or pools; she doesn't need to be checking out mine."

Reej leaned closer with a wicked grin. "So when are you going to do your duty and have the talk about where baby Jedi come from with your padawan, 'Master' Jinn?"

"Shett, you're enjoying this, aren't you?" growled Qui.

"Immensely." The knight tickled Qui-Gon in the side. "Can I watch while you squirm your way through the ordeal?"

"Not if you ever again want to see how big my 'leggings snake' gets." Qui-Gon groaned again. "Force, why can't there be a way to sleep through these parts of having an apprentice?"

Qui-Gon decided to forge ahead and get 'the talk' over with quickly. The next day he cut short their afternoon training and took them out to a quiet part of the Temple gardens. He sat leaning against a tree looking at Laysha as she reclined on one elbow in the grass, munching on a vreefruit.

It was very peaceful in the garden as Qui-Gon gathered his thoughts. Once again he went over his prepared words, trying to decide how to make this conversation as painless as possible. He gently probed at the training bond to gauge his apprentice's mood before speaking but found only vague boredom.

Laysha finished her fruit with a last crunch. She licked her fingers, then extended one of her claws to remove a bit of seed from between her front teeth. She sat up cross-legged and leaned back on extended arms.

"So, are you going to spit it out or are we just going to park our butts out here and stare at each other until lastmeal, Master?"

"What are you talking about, Padawan?" Qui-Gon sat up straighter.

"All afternoon you've been distracted, Master. Is there something going on that I need to know about or are you just lusting after Reej again?"

"My relationship with Knight M'vlano is none of your business, Padawan."

"Then maybe you should put better sound-proofing on your sleeping room, Master." Laysha waggled her eyebrows with a cheeky smile. "It's a little hard to study the way you two have been carrying on the last few nights."

"Never mind that, and you need to be more respectful of Knight M'vlano." Qui-Gon glared testily, aware that he had let himself get caught on his apprentice's barbed wit. "We need to have a discussion about you, young padawan."

"If it's about Knight Aqiro's comm unit, I didn't do it, Master," said Laysha as she sat upright.

"What about his comm unit?" asked Qui-Gon warily.

"Um, nothing, Master," said Laysha hastily. "What did you want to talk to me about, Master?"

Qui-Gon looked at Laysha for a long moment, eyes narrowed, before deciding to get back to more important matters. He cleared his throat. "We need to talk about you, Padawan. About the fact that you are growing up. I've been getting some odd feelings over our training bond lately, and I am concerned about you. Have you been feeling different?"

"Different?" Laysha wrinkled her nose. "What do you mean by 'different', Master?"

"Well, as your body matures, you may experience new feelings or new sensations that you may not understand."

"The healers said I've finished growing, Master." Laysha cocked her head. "I'm not supposed to get any bigger."

"This is not about getting taller, Padawan, this is about changes inside," said Qui-Gon. He hesitated a moment before continuing, trying to pin down the faint hints of deception and discomfort he felt over their bond. "This has to do with hormones and how you feel about others and your relationships with other beings. About... intimate relationships."

"Do you mean like that stuff they talked about in the humanoid sexuality class?" Laysha stared steadily up at her master. "Or like the things that you and Reej do?"

There was a long silence as Qui-Gon shifted under the onslaught of that steady gaze. "Yes." He cleared his throat again, then decided to plunge ahead. "Intimate relationships and sexual activities. I've been getting odd dreams and feedback over our training bond about erotic feelings. I think it was coming from you, Laysha, so if you have any questions or want to know about..." he paused delicately, "what to do about those feelings, I want you to know that you can come to me to discuss it."

"Oh."

There was another silence as it was Laysha's turn to squirm and look away. She worried at one canine with her tongue while she wrestled with her thoughts.

"It's alright to be self-conscious, Laysha. Coming to terms with your sexuality is simply part of growing up," said Qui-Gon softly. He hid his surprise at the sudden reticence of his normally brash apprentice. "As we go on more missions you will encounter quite a few varieties of sexual attitudes that you will need to deal with, but first you need to understand your own feelings about this. Sex and intimacy are very individual things; some beings choose to remain celibate, some use it for physical pleasure and for others it is part of emotional connections to another. If you wish to explore this aspect of yourself, I understand and will try to help guide your exploration." He paused, then tentatively began, "I am assuming that you haven't yet... um..."

"No, Master, I haven't done it with anybody, if that's what you're asking," said Laysha. She looked up. "I understand the mechanics, and you're right, I have been getting some weird feelings later, sort of hot and tingly." Laysha hesitated, then averted her eyes as she fiddled with a blade of grass. "It's just� I did something I probably shouldn't have," she mumbled.

"Would you like to discuss it, Padawan?" Qui-Gon leaned forward.

"Are you sure you won't get mad?" asked Laysha. She plucked several blades of grass and began twisting them.

"I promise." Qui-Gon put a hand over his heart. "I just want to help you sort things out."

"Last night I couldn't get to sleep," said Laysha. "I was feeling... unsettled, I guess, and funny inside. I got up and went to get something to eat, but I could hear noise coming from your room." She scratched at the base of one ear as she shifted about. "I didn't mean to be nosy, but I couldn't help it." Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. "I pushed the door open a little... I just wanted to see what you were really doing... and I watched."

"How long were you watching?" Qui-Gon's voice was flat. He remembered his promise not to get angry, but he was finding it easier said than done after this revelation.

"I didn't mean to pry, honest, Master," said Laysha as she snapped the twisted blades. "I saw you and him together, and I felt things over our bond that made me feel like the things we had talked about in the sexuality class. Urges and longings... I started rubbing myself while I watched you on top of Reej, and it felt so good I didn't want to stop. Then I heard you yell and everything sort of exploded, like when you bite into a sarsajelly, only a lot better. I closed the door and went back to my room after that." Laysha dug a few claws into the dirt as she stared down. "I'm sorry, Master."

"There is nothing wrong with the feelings you had. You are simply going through normal changes as your body matures. Do you understand, Padawan?"

"Yes, Master." Laysha excavated a bit deeper in the ground.

"What I am concerned about is not that you were curious, but that you spied on a very private activity. While there may be times and places where those activities are conducted publicly, this was clearly not one of those. Invading privacy, whether it is sex or any other activity, is not generally acceptable behavior among friends. I think you owe Knight M'vlano an apology, Padawan," said Qui-Gon sternly.

"Yes, Master. I will."

Qui-Gon sighed. "Padawan, look at me."

Laysha slowly raised her eyes.

"While I don't like what you did, I understand the attraction and I think you realize what you did wrong. You are forgiven, but I want you to do an extra meditation each night for the next ten about relationships and respect for others."

"Yes, Master. I'm sorry."

"In the meantime, we need to move forward. I want you to come to me with any questions you have, and we'll work out the answers. I'm also going to add training on shielding to our afternoons. It's probably time to work on your shielding again anyway as your Force skills keep improving." Qui-Gon held his arms out. "I still love you, Laysha. I just want you to develop better self-discipline, alright?"

Laysha scooted over for a hug. "Yes, Master. I love you, too."

When Reej came to Qui-Gon's quarters that evening, there was a strained silence as Qui-Gon nudged his apprentice.

"Isn't there something you want to tell Knight M'vlano, Padawan?" Qui-Gon nodded toward the knight sitting next to him on the couch.

Laysha slowly approached and stood before Reej. "I want to apologize, Knight M'vlano."

"For what, short stuff?" Reej looked at Qui-Gon, then back at the apprentice scuffling a foot on the carpet.

"Um, last night I opened the door to your sleeping room and watched you and my master making love," replied Laysha, her voice low. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"You watched us?" Reej frowned.

"Uh-huh. I was curious, but I realize now I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

"Have you talked to your master about this?"

"Yes, Knight M'vlano. We talked about growing up and sex and stuff. And I have to do extra meditations 'cause I shouldn't have been peeking." Laysha glanced at Qui-Gon for his reaction, relaxing a bit as he nodded his approval.

"Ah, I see." A smile twitched the corners of Reej's mouth, but he quickly hid it. "Yes, I know it can be difficult growing up. Your apology is accepted." He leaned forward. "Females are usually smart about this sort of thing, but if you need any advice about how to deal with males, you can ask me if you like and I'll be happy to tell how we think about things."

"Really? That would be awesome. Thanks." Laysha moved up close and said in a loud whisper. "I already decided I'm going to go figure out this sex stuff, but I'll let you know if I have any questions."

"Hold on, let's not get carried away with all this," said Qui-Gon. Knowing Laysha's tendency to aggressively go after something once she set her mind on it, he was decidedly uncomfortable with her last declaration. "There's no rush, Padawan. I don't want you doing anything to get hurt or in trouble."

"Don't worry, Master, I won't." Laysha smiled. "May I be excused? I have lots of homework tonight."

"Yes, of course."

"Thank you, Master. Good night, Knight M'vlano." Laysha bowed to both of them and then headed to her room.

"I suspect things are going to get interesting for somebody quite soon." Reej had a big grin as he poked Qui-Gon in the side.

"You didn't have to encourage her," growled Qui-Gon. "And what's all that nonsense about telling her about how males think about things?"

"Just trying to make sure she gets both sides of the story." Reej grabbed Qui's head and kissed him hard. He then stood up, tapped him on the nose and said, "Sorry to run, but I've got to get started on research for my next assignment. I have to leave in four days."

"So soon?" Qui-Gon stood up and walked to the door with Reej. "How long will you be gone this time?"

"Not sure yet, it's some sort of undercover job." He paused at the door to shrug into his cloak and give his lover another quick kiss. "Don't worry, I'll stop by before I ship out."

The next few days seemed normal enough with the usual rounds of classes and training. Qui-Gon closely monitored the training bond, but it was quiet and Laysha didn't bring up any questions, so he didn't push the matter. For Reej's last night, the three of them had a quiet meal together in Qui-Gon's quarters. Afterwards Laysha left, saying she had to go to the library to look for some references for a paper.

Qui-Gon and Reej took advantage of the time alone for a long, slow session of love-making. They were cuddling in Qui-Gon's bed afterward exchanging kisses.

"How's Laysha doing since the big talk?" murmured Reej as Qui-Gon nuzzled the base of his throat.

"She's been very quiet." Slow licks along Reej's neck. "Which is probably not a good sign." Qui-Gon nibbled on his ear. "She's up to something," he whispered.

"Too bad I have to leave tomorrow." Reej ran his hands along Qui-Gon's chest.

"Mmmhhmm... I think -" Qui-Gon gasped and sat up. "Shett!"

"What's wrong?" Reej leaned up on one elbow.

"Oh Force! That little minx." Qui-Gon took several deep breaths and blew them out slowly. "We are definitely working on her damned shielding!"

"Wait a minute, are you telling me...?"

Qui-Gon looked at Reej and grimaced. "I don't think my padawan is a virgin any more."

"She sure didn't waste much time." Reej grinned. "I wonder who the lucky being was?"

"You're as bad as her," growled Qui-Gon. "I'm getting up. I want to be out there when she comes in."

"Killjoy." Reej stuck his tongue out, but followed him out of bed for a quick shower.

Qui-Gon and Reej were sitting at the table sipping tea when Laysha came in an hour later.

"Good evening, Master," said Laysha as she hung up her cloak.

"Did you find what you needed at the library?" asked Qui-Gon.

"Sure did, Master," replied the apprentice cheerfully.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" Qui-Gon queried, carefully keeping his tone casual.

"They have some interesting rooms at the very back of the library, Master. Nice and quiet."

"And the significance of that is?" Qui-Gon scowled at Reej, who was not very successfully trying to stifle a snigger.

Laysha paused thoughtfully as her tail moved in slow stately arcs. She finally stepped close to her master and said gravely, "You know, Master, it was nice, but I don't feel that this breeding stuff is really everything it's cracked up to be. All those holovids are definitely more fantasy than fact." She shook her head. "So much fuss and mess about a simple act of biology." She patted his knee kindly. "I think I can take it or leave it, but it's okay with me if you want to keep doing it." Laysha smiled at Qui-Gon and Reej. "Good night, Master, Knight M'vlano." She bowed and went to her room.

Qui-Gon and Reej looked at each other. Reej let loose the laugh he had been holding as Qui-Gon groaned and held his head in his hands.

"All that fuss -" Reej chuckled and punched Qui-Gon's arm. "About biology!"

"I suppose I should be grateful she hasn't decided she loves it and wants to go out and screw anything that moves." Qui-Gon looked sourly at Reej. "I can just imagine the dressing down I'd get from the padawan disciplinary master over that."

"Don't worry, Qui. She'll be fine." Reej leaned over to kiss his nose. "And so will you." He trailed kisses over to Qui-Gon's ear and whispered wickedly, "I still like biology."

"Master Drenjaq, with all due respect, I don't understand why we continue to be assigned to such basic missions. We've been getting mostly things like weddings, funerals, witnessings and standard treaty renewals." Qui-Gon stood in front of the mission master's desk in his private office. "I do realize that it was necessary initially, but we've been on the mission roster for almost two and a half years now. I was under the impression that we were consistently successful in those assignments, and I would like to receive more challenging experiences to further my padawan's development as well as my own."

"Every one of those assignments was valid, and needed to be done by somebody. And you get additional valuable work with your tours with the Senate Liaison office here on Coruscant."

"I am not disputing that." Qui-Gon firmly repressed a desire to repeat some of Master Tolarv's acerbic comments about the value of Qui-Gon's part-time stints with his group. "I am only trying to point out that it is not easy to learn how to handle more difficult missions if you never get to go on any. I don't believe I am being unreasonable, sir." Qui-Gon pulled out a datapad and placed it on the desk. "I've been looking at the published mission reports and potential mission situations; it seems to me that there are always more jobs that need to be done than qualified Jedi available to do them. I want to help do my part."

"Qualified Jedi is the key, Jinn. I would have happily sent you out anywhere to get your sorry arse shot at, but you had to go and get yourself a padawan. And not just any padawan, but THIS padawan." Master Drenjaq scowled as he pulled up a screen on his terminal and stabbed a finger at the text. "Shett, look at that - she's only seven and a half. I can't send a child out on a dangerous mission; you'd probably both get killed." Drenjaq snorted. "And if I know you, you'll be wanting missions I won't even normally allow any junior padawan to go on."

"We can handle more advanced missions, Master Drenjaq. Laysha Vik is not a child but is in fact quite advanced beyond her years. Her chronological age has nothing to do with her level of maturity - at her evaluation last month the soul healers determined that her development is currently equivalent to between 17 and 19 years on the standard scale. She's been a padawan for three and a half years and we've been going on missions for two and a half. If you talk to Master Frayma I know she'll tell you that Laysha has been devouring training at a faster rate than anyone thought she could possibly manage."

"Academic training doesn't teach you field skills and common sense," said Drenjaq with a dismissive wave of one hand.

"She's also made tremendous strides with her Force skills. And both the Swordmaster and Master Yoda have worked with her on her lightsaber skills to maximize her ability to take advantage of her quickness and Force-leaps to offset her size disadvantage. She's learned to fight in three dimensions and we've done very creditably in pairs and team sparring." Qui-Gon leaned forward, putting his hands on the edge of the desk. "She did remarkably well on the last five-day padawan survival exercise, even surpassing some of the senior padawans. She's pragmatic and works hard. All I'm asking is to give us a chance."

"She's too young, Jinn. And you know damn good and well I'm not the only one who thinks that. I heard what you said about her rating on the development scale, but she still looks like she should be an initiate and still acts like one too often. I've heard about some of the pranks she gets up to and how little patience she has for Temple traditions." Drenjaq shook his head emphatically. "It would be irresponsible for me to let her get in over her head."

"Master Drenjaq, on her home planet of Theris most young people of her age are expected to be working fulltime, even in dangerous jobs like mining, or married having children. Appearances are irrelevant; she may be a bit unconventional, but she is a capable and competent being." Qui-Gon straightened to his full height, his eyes dark with anger and his jaw set. "Laysha Vik is my padawan, sir, and I will take full responsibility for what does or does not happen on our missions. All I'm asking for is an opportunity."

The mission master leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. He shook his head again as he gave a subvocal growl of disgust. "You aren't going to let this drop, are you?"

"No, Master Drenjaq." Qui-Gon stood his ground in the face of the master's obvious displeasure.

Drenjaq slapped a hand on his desk. "Alright, damn you, but be careful of what you wish for. Now get out of my office."

"Yes, Master Drenjaq. Thank you." Qui-Gon bowed and made a quick exit before the irascible master could change his mind.

Qui-Gon skipped lastmeal at the dining hall and headed back to his quarters instead. He was greeted by the sight of his apprentice, sans uniform, doing a headstand on the couch while a dozen objects floated in a lazy horizontal figure-eight above her.

"Good evening, Master," said Laysha cheerfully. "I'm ahead of schedule so Master Deead said we can finish my classes in three days instead of four. Did you have any luck with the mission dragonmaster? I swear if we have to go to one more wedding I'm going to abduct the bride myself just to make it interesting."

"Now, Padawan, some of our missions WERE interesting," said Qui-Gon. "We got to meet a lot of different people, see a lot of different planets and you gained valuable experience dealing with space flight and treaty negotiations."

"Right, Master, and you never complained about a single one of those days of excruciating boredom," replied Laysha sarcastically. She shifted her objects into a fast vertical triple loop.

"Regardless, you will be pleased to know that Master Drenjaq seemed amenable to giving us something different." Qui-Gon started to get cheese, fruit and bread for his meal, but stopped to take a closer look at the things Laysha was casually manipulating. "Padawan, are those my new gheyshav plants?"

"Yes, Master." Laysha carefully sailed the three small potted plants back to their shelf and dumped everything else in a corner before dropping out of her headstand and onto her feet. "I wasn't hurting anything and they were enjoying the ride."

"I would prefer if you play with your own things, not mine." Qui-Gon shook his head. "And you know, it wouldn't kill you to wear some clothes occasionally in our quarters, Padawan."

"But that would mean more laundry, Master. Laundry is boring. Besides, I was hot 'cause Master R'Teara had us doing new unarmed hand-to-hand drills before lastmeal." She arched an eyebrow. "May I remind you that some of us do have quite nice fur, thank you very much, and don't need those silly coverings all the time." She preened as she ran a hand slowly down her side.

"And I will remind you that you will have many occasions to wear your uniform when it is hot, Padawan, fur or no fur." Qui-Gon finished preparing his food and brought it to the table. "In any event, you don't actually wash clothes while we're in Temple, the droids do. You just bag it and send it down the chute." He paused, then continued thoughtfully, "Although I could arrange for you to help in the laundry room to make sure you stay in practice." He smiled at the face that Laysha pulled. "How is that unarmed combat class coming along?"

"It's excellent, Master, thank you for letting me take that." Laysha grinned as she collected a glass of fruit juice and joined Qui-Gon. "I'm learning some new techniques and Master R'Teara is wonderful. She knows an amazing number of ways to hit people so it incapacitates them."

"I'm glad to hear that it seems to be useful." Qui-Gon began eating. He had gotten halfway when a sharp twinge over their training bond caused him to pause. He looked at his apprentice, who was toying with her empty glass. "Is there something I should know, Padawan?"

"It's possible that you might be getting a call from Master Brojaw." There was a studied silence as Laysha carefully placed the glass exactly centered in front of her on the table, then extended a claw and gently tapped on it. "I don't think his padawan is very happy with me."

Qui-Gon put his piece of bread down and counted to three before speaking. "Now why would that be, Padawan?"

"Um..." Laysha looked around the room, letting her gaze roam before staring back down at her glass. "He didn't think I was old enough or big enough to be in Master R'Teara's class. We stayed after everybody left and, uh, sort of did some extra training." She glanced up defensively. "He wasn't bleeding or anything when we finished. And we kept it in the salle on the mats." She shrugged. "He might have broken something, though."

"Padawan, you need to learn other ways to -" Qui-Gon's words were interrupted by the door chime. He gestured to Laysha to stay put and went to answer it.

A tall, broad-chested humanoid master stood at the door. Beside him stood a slightly shorter and much thinner apprentice.

"Can I help you?" asked Qui-Gon as he ushered them in. He noticed that the apprentice was limping.

"I am Master Brojaw," rumbled the other master. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but my padawan has reported to me that Padawan Vik injured him."

"May I ask what happened?" Qui-Gon felt Laysha hovering behind him.

"Vik doesn't fight fair, and she tripped me up while we were practicing," said the apprentice. His voice was distinctly irritating.

"Was this during a supervised training session?" asked Qui-Gon mildly.

Laysha stepped out beside her master. "We were practicing some of the new moves Master R'Teara had just covered in class," she said sweetly, "but she had already left. Perhaps we were a little too enthusiastic. Are you hurt, Urok?"

The older apprentice glared as Brojaw adjusted his line of sight downward. He stared at the diminutive Theristan for a moment. "You're Vik?"

"Yes, Master Brojaw," Laysha replied as she bowed. "I apologize if I inadvertently damaged your apprentice, sir."

The burly master looked at Laysha, then looked at his own apprentice. "Urok K'lun," he said incredulously, "are you trying to tell me this is the padawan that put you on the floor?"

"Yes, Master. She cheated," pouted the apprentice.

Brojaw looked at Laysha again, then shook his head in disgust. "Sorry to have bothered you, Master Jinn, Padawan Vik." He jerked his head. "Come along, Padawan." He headed for the door.

"But, but - " sputtered the apprentice.

"For Force sake, you're twice her size, you idiot. If you can't handle a simple little -"

Qui-Gon looked at Laysha as the door closed on the conversation. He raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, Master, is it my fault the clumsy oaf didn't know how to deal with a tail sweep?" Laysha looked indignantly innocent.

"Padawan, one of these days you're going to bite off more than you can chew." Qui-Gon sighed. "Don't you have homework to do?"

"Always, Master. 'Tis the never-ending burden of padawanhood." Laysha gave a melodramatic sigh, then grinned and flicked her tail as she went to her room.

Qui-Gon went back to his meal, but he couldn't help a little bit of a grin himself as he looked toward his apprentice's room.

Mid-morning four days later, Qui-Gon and his apprentice found themselves in a small conference room, meeting with two knights for a mission briefing. Master Drenjaq had been true to his word in giving them a new mission to help a team that had been tracking weapons smuggling. He had certainly not been generous in his timing, however; their ship was leaving that very night without even a full day's break after Laysha's classes, and his words to Qui-Gon had been a brusque "Take it or leave it."

Qui-Gon, of course, had jumped at the opportunity regardless. It had meant hustling about to get ready and to obtain new coursework assignments for his apprentice, assignments which he strongly suspected they wouldn't have much time for, but he greatly enjoyed Laysha's enthusiastic whoop of joy and grateful hug when he announced the good news. He cherished that memory even as he turned his attention to more serious business when he sat down at the long table in their meeting room.

"Good morning," said a husky humanoid with a touch of grey at his temples. A white scar trailed down the side of his face and under his tunic. "I am Knight Neethon." He pointed to a short, lean dark-skinned Jedi. "This is Knight k'Varz. You are Master Jinn and Padawan Vik?"

"Yes," replied Qui-Gon. "I'm afraid we just received the assignment and don't know much about it yet, but we look forward to working with you."

Both knights looked down warily at Laysha, who was sitting demurely with both feet tucked under her to provide a few extra inches of visibility over the edge of the table. "Master Jinn, are you aware that this mission entails a high degree of risk and potential physical danger?" asked Neethon.

"Yes, I was informed of that before I accepted the mission," said Qui-Gon gravely. "I understand your concern since you have not worked with us before, but I can assure you that my padawan is quite capable of handling herself. Please do not let her size and apparent youth deceive you."

"You can handle a lightsaber, Padawan Vik?" asked Neethon. "And hold your own in a fight if necessary? Or be discreet instead of fighting if necessary?"

"Yes, Knight Neethon," said Laysha with a grin. "I can also use a knife, pick locks, climb into tight spaces, fight dirty or look disarmingly innocent."

Knight k'Varz laughed. "She might be useful at that, Guri. Spunky little thing, isn't she?"

"And I don't like being called spunky," said Laysha quietly, her ears laid back. "I will be happy to discuss that issue with you in the training salle."

"Enough, Padawan," said Qui-Gon sharply. "That is no way to start a new mission."

"It's alright, Master Jinn, that comment did sound rather patronizing," said Neethon with an apologetic nod for his partner. "It's better to know where we stand with each other from the beginning. Speaking of which, I have been involved in this investigation for many months and will be leading the mission. Is that a problem for you, sir?"

"Not at all," replied Qui-Gon with a smile. "We are a team; the best qualified person should lead the team without regard for rank. I'm just a first-apprentice master anyway and I would be very comfortable with being on a first name basis with both of you, if you don't mind. Mine is Qui-Gon."

"That will be fine with us," said Neethon. "I'm Guri, and this scalawag is Keekee."

K'Varz grinned, a wide sparkling beam. "Pleased to meet you, Qui-Gon."

"Likewise." Qui-Gon nodded.

"Hey, what about me?" pouted Laysha. "Don't I get to join the lovefest?"

"No," said Qui-Gon firmly, "padawans should be seen and not heard."

Both knights laughed as Laysha wrinkled her nose and muttered a few choice words under her breath.

"Did you have something you wanted to say, Padawan?" asked Qui-Gon with a glint in his eye.

"Just how much I am looking forward to this mission, Master," said Laysha blandly. "I'm sure it will be a wonderful experience."

"No doubt," replied Qui-Gon, carefully keeping his expression serious. "Speaking of the mission, Guri, what exactly will we be doing? Master Drenjaq said we would be looking for weapons smugglers."

"The basic concept is simple," said the knight. "Keekee and I have spent most of the last several months undercover trying to locate a group of smugglers who have been supplying weapons to different gangs in the Lawvim sector. We think we've finally located their headquarters on Ernzok and we want to go in to try to get evidence about their sources, routes and customers. You two will be the distraction that will draw their attention to the front door while we go in the back door, so to speak. Keekee and I already have established identities as mercenaries for hire and we will be hooking up with a local contact on Ernzok who can get us in as guards."

"And the distraction?" asked Qui-Gon.

"Officially, the Jedi are sending a team to mediate a border dispute on Ernzok at the request of the planetary government." K'Varz winked. "Unofficially, it seems the word is getting around that the Jedi are interested in a bit more than a stuffy negotiation."

"During the day, you meet with the two groups and talk about a line on a map," said Neethon. "In the evenings, you poke around some of the less savory parts of town. Stay in uniform, be visible, ask questions, but don't try to be too good at your job so they feel overly threatened."

"That will certainly be an interesting challenge, but I think we can manage," said Qui-Gon. "How much time will we have to research the situation?"

"You're not scheduled to arrive on Ernzok for seven days. We're all leaving tonight because we've set up a roundabout route to get there which will help support the idea that you're sniffing around; Keekee and I will be on your ship for the first two days so we can spend that time going over all the background information. I'm afraid it will have to be a pretty intense review because we'll be leaving you at Timqo. There you can do some wandering around in the places we'll tell you about while the two of us disappear into our other identities."

"Right, then we'll be making our own way to Ernzok and will arrive well ahead of you," continued K'Varz. "You'll have one other stop, on Bsam, then show up on Ernzok to start the official business. We're hoping that we can get what we need within a tenday, but we'll have to adjust the schedule depending on what we find, of course."

Qui-Gon nodded thoughtfully as he glanced at his padawan. Her eyes were as bright as the grin she sported, and he could feel the thrum of excitement over their training bond. The prospect of danger was both enticing and sobering; it would be a wonderful opportunity for teaching, but at the same time he worried about her impetuosity and stubbornness, which she still had in abundance despite her rapidly increasing maturity. Qui-Gon held those thoughts for his next meditation as he said, "We look forward to supporting you, Guri."

"Excellent. Our ship leaves tonight at twentieth hour from berth A31," said Neethon as he stood and handed out datapads. "Your standard mission equipment should be all you need, these 'pads include the initial basic data, and if you have any questions before departure you can comm us. We'll see you tonight."

"Clearance granted. Proceed to docking level two, slot 38," said the tinny voice on the radio. "Welcome to Ernzok."

"Thank you," said Qui-Gon. He turned to his apprentice, "Take her down, please." Qui-Gon watched as Laysha carefully guided the small corvette into the designated landing spot, then went through the shutdown procedure.

"Very good, Padawan."

Laysha grinned and saluted. "Easy as slicing fruit, Master." She stood and stretched. "Speaking of which, we have plenty of time to eat before we have to meet with the government representatives this afternoon."

"I'll keep your suggestion in mind, Padawan," said Qui-Gon with an arched eyebrow. "First we need to secure the ship and check in to our lodgings."

"Yes, Master," replied Laysha mournfully. "I shall just have to starve in the service of the Jedi Order." She rubbed her belly as she edged toward the door.

"You think not eating for an hour is starving," retorted Qui-Gon. "Now go get our bags before I assign you meditations on the spiritual value of fasting instead of any meals the rest of the day."

"You wouldn't!" Laysha stopped, hands on her hips.

"Do you really want to find out?" Qui-Gon stood up and looked steadily at his apprentice.

"No, Master, that's quite all right. I'll get the bags and meet you at the door." Laysha hurried out the door.

Qui-Gon just smiled as he casually strolled behind her.

"I feel like I need a bath, Master," said Laysha. "I don't normally mind getting down and dirty, but gagh, that was an appallingly sleazy bunch of drunken shankers."

The two of them walked carefully down a dimly lit street filled with dingy bars and brothels. For five nights they had frequented these poorer sections of town surrounding the spaceport, sitting and listening, asking questions, and poking into places that were starting to get defensive about being poked. They had actually uncovered some interesting information, but were very aware of the fine line they were walking between too aggressive and not obvious enough.

"I would have to agree that was probably the worst yet," nodded Qui-Gon. "We didn't get anything useful from them, but it kept us visible." He smiled. "I think the Kedarian was trying to proposition you, Padawan. You showed good restraint in not punching him in the groin."

"I'd sooner kiss a Jawa." Laysha shuddered. "Actually, Master, I was trying to practice my Force persuasion to get him to move on, but either I need a lot more work on that or he was too drunk to notice."

"Perhaps a little of both, Padawan. We can work on it as part of your training schedule."

"Master?"

"Yes, Padawan?"

"Have you heard anything from Knight Neethon or Knight K'Varz? I think they probably should be told what we found out about those possible incoming weapons shipments."

"Not since that brief message the day we arrived. I agree the information might be useful, but it is more important not to break their cover. We'll simply have to keep dragging out the negotiations until we do hear from them."

"I don't think we need to worry about that, Master." Laysha snorted. "That boundary dispute has been going on for ten years, so I don't think a few more days will make any difference." She slowed down and turned her head.

"Keep walking, Padawan," said Qui-Gon quietly.

"But Master -"

"I heard them, Padawan. Keep walking, but stay alert."

"Shouldn't we find out what they are doing, Master?"

"If they intend to try to harm us, we'll find out soon enough. We will defend ourselves, but not attack." Qui-Gon kept his gaze straight ahead, but his focus was on his apprentice for the moment. "Can I trust you to follow my lead and not rush off into anything, Padawan?"

A brief hesitation, then a firm, "Yes, Master, you can count on me."

"Good." Qui-Gon cast his senses outward. "There are several more in that alley ahead, and I sense a disturbance further on among those old warehouses to the right." He moved off the sidewalk and continued his stroll in the trash-strewn roadway.

A heavy-set figure in grimy coveralls stepped out in the faint light of a flickering streetlamp. The wide belt he wore over the coveralls held a blaster and knife.

"You, Jedi," the man snarled. "You ain't welcome around here."

Qui-Gon stopped two meters away. "I wasn't aware that this was private property," he said mildly. "Are we trespassing?"

"Cut the frackin' jokes." A meaty hand rested on the butt of the blaster. "Turn around and leave now, and ain't nobody gonna get hurt."

"I do not wish to harm you, either, so if you let us pass we will be on our way." Qui-Gon felt the tension rising, a Force tingle along the back of his neck warning him to stay on his guard. He was acutely aware of his padawan to his left as he unhooked his lightsaber under his cloak, holding it in readiness.

"I said leave, and I meant it, you stupid bastard!"

Before Qui-Gon could reply, two blaster shots came from the alley. He deflected both, hearing more shots zwinging off Laysha's lightsaber behind him. More men poured out of the alley and a nearby doorway. The Jedi held a defensive stance, back to back, working their way away from the mob, lightsabers flashing and humming. Qui-Gon called to his apprentice, and they charged through the left side of the group in a furious rush, then broke away to speed down the street and around a corner. They raced through several alleys, cutting back and forth until they found refuge in an abandoned building.

"We've lost them," said Qui-Gon. He drew several deep breaths as he looked around the empty room in the faint light coming in through several broken windows. "Are you alright, Padawan?"

"Yes, Master." Laysha slid down along a wall to sit on the floor, panting heavily. "My robe is singed in a few places, but nothing got through to me."

"Good." Qui-Gon went to one of the windows and cautiously looked out.

Laysha sucked in a deep lungful of air, then slowly let it. "We seem to have hit somebody's nerve tonight, Master. Do you think we might have gotten too close to one of their operational areas without knowing it?"

"Possibly, or else they've gotten tired of us snooping around." Qui-Gon joined his apprentice on the floor. "I'm inclined to think there's something important in this area, though. This is the first time we've been openly challenged, and I suspect it was related to the disturbance in the Force I felt about that same time."

They sat together quietly for a few minutes, resting and thinking.

"Master, are we going to go investigate some more?"

Qui-Gon paused slightly at the thought of deliberately taking his apprentice into what was highly likely to be a dangerous situation, but they were Jedi and he was all too aware that danger was sometimes part of their calling. He decided to put off that decision a few minutes longer and take advantage of this teaching moment. "Tell me what you think we should do and why, Padawan."

"Daggo, you're going to make this hard, aren't you," muttered Laysha. A little louder, she said, "I don't suppose you'd accept that we should do it because it would be fun?"

"No, Padawan. You'll need to do a lot better."

"Yes, Master." Laysha wrinkled her nose and idly drew squiggles on the dusty floor as she thought. "Our part of the mission is to provide a distraction," she said slowly. "We want to draw attention to things going on outside wherever the headquarters is so Neethon and K'Varz will have a better opportunity to investigate inside the headquarters. Based on tonight's incident, there is a good probability that some sort of criminal activity is going on in this area, whether it is the gunrunners or something else."

Laysha paused and looked at her master, but Qui-Gon kept his expression inscrutable and tamped down their training bond so as to give her no indication of his thoughts. "Go on."

"The alternatives are to do nothing or to investigate. If we do nothing, there is no benefit to the mission except we get to go home, eat and get more sleep. If we investigate and find nothing, there is no harm except lost sleep. If we investigate and find something that is not related to weapons, we can turn that information over to the local authorities. Again, there is no harm to the mission and some possible general good in fighting local crime." Laysha paused, her tongue worrying at a front canine. "If we investigate and find something that is related to the weapons smuggling, we can leave quietly or we can do something to draw attention to ourselves. In either case, we have helped the mission by gaining information or by increasing the distraction." She looked up triumphantly. "All courses of action will result in either no harm to the mission or potential good outcomes. The best course of action is to forego personal pleasure and maximize the potential benefit to the mission by investigating."

"Anything else?"

"There is, of course, the additional benefit of providing an excellent opportunity for you to continue my training in how to respond to difficult situations, Master."

Laysha's eyes were modestly downcast, but Qui-Gon felt the humor and eagerness bubbling over their training bond. "An interesting analysis, Padawan, but now that you mention it, I am feeling a bit hungry and tired. And, of course, I need to consider your welfare since you always seem to be hungry." He shook his head, working at controlling the grin threatening to break loose. "Perhaps we should return to our lodgings and be done with this for tonight."

"Master! That's no f-" Laysha scowled, then caught herself and cleared her throat. "As you wish, Master." She dug around in her cloak and utility belt and began pulling things out. "I don't think we should quit, but a brief rest might be in order, and if you are hungry we can eat now and then investigate. Would you like the julonberry energy bar, the cheese, the chocobar, the bag of teeka grubs or the janjafruit?" She looked at her stack. "The cookies are a bit broken, but you can have those instead if you prefer, Master. Or of course there are always ration bars if you are feeling masochistic."

"You must want to go hunting pretty badly if you're willing to give up part of your cache," said Qui-Gon dryly as he surveyed the offerings.

"I've got lots more back in our room, Master," Laysha replied blandly. "Can we go?"

"Patience, Padawan." Qui-Gon grinned as he picked up the wedge of cheese and the janjafruit. "We'll leave after I eat."

"Yes, Master." Laysha opened the bag of teeka grubs and began munching as they sat in companionable silence.

The Jedi peered over the edge of the roof parapet. On the street below two tracked carriers moved slowly along; the first stopped outside a dilapidated warehouse. A guard appeared from a small doorway and appeared to be talking to the driver; after a few moments the guard waved an arm and a large metal door slid open. Bright light spilled out as the carriers moved inside.

"Over there," whispered Qui-Gon. "We can get in through those upper vents."

Laysha nodded, and they moved silently along the rooftops. They swung around under the overhang of the three-story warehouse roof, pried open air vent covers and crept onto the metal tresses under the roof. They dropped to the floor and moved through the darkness to the top of a ladder. Sounds of conversations and laughter drifted up from below.

Qui-Gon put a finger to his lips, then inclined his head. Laysha followed as they stealthily descended the ladder. They passed several locked doors, slipped past open doors, found a back stairway and headed down to the blackness behind stacks of cargo boxes. They Force-lifted several boxes to the floor and opened them.

"These have blasters and grenades, Master," whispered Laysha.

"More blasters, rifles and thermite balls in mine," replied Qui-Gon. He looked around. "This must be a major storage point. We'll make note of the markings on the boxes, then go back upstairs and check some of those rooms we passed if there's nobody there. Remember that we just want information, not confrontation."

"Yes, Master."

They moved along the back of the rows, noting various labels and stenciled markings. They had just started up the stairway when a shout rang out. The next moment a harsh klaxon began blaring.

"I got alarms going off over here!" came another yell.

"Spread out! Keep an eye on all the exits!" Heavy boots pounded on the stairs above the Jedi.

"Back behind the stacks!" hissed Qui-Gon. He and Laysha ran back along the rear of the warehouse, dodging between the rows. They came out between two tall stacks and ended up face to face with four guards.

Blasters whined and lightsabers buzzed for the next minute as more guards joined the chase. Back and forth the battle raged as the Jedi sought a way to get out of the building. They ended up along the back wall again.

"Padawan, cut a hole in the wall while I hold them off!"

Laysha plunged her lightsaber into the plascrete while Qui-Gon Force-flung crates and boxes at their attackers. As Laysha finished punching through the heavy wall, Qui-Gon pushed over two towering stacks which toppled with a resounding crash. He then followed his apprentice out the hole.

"This way!" Qui-Gon set off at a run down a narrow alley, but blaster shots at the entrance forced them to double back. They appeared to have wakened a veritable stingber's nest - guards on foot and in vehicles seemed to meet them at every turn. After several close calls, they followed a nudge from the Force, broke into a small door in a malodorous passageway and raced up four stories of metal tread stairs.

"I think we've lost them, at least for now." Qui-Gon leaned against the handrail, trying to catch his breath. He sucked in air for a moment as he looked around. "Watch the stairs while I check out what's behind that door, Padawan."

Laysha waited, 'saber in hand, breathing heavily as her master cut open a cyberlock and slowly pushed open a heavy metal entrance.

"Excellent!" exclaimed Qui-Gon. "Come over here, Padawan. It's a roof garage - if we can start one of those speeders we can fly out of here."

They checked out all four of the enclosed vehicles, but every one of them was very securely locked. Qui-Gon chose a two-person craft and tried to use the Force to manipulate the mechanism.

"What are you doing, Master?" Laysha peered under her master's arm.

"I don't want to cut it open in case I damage something, Padawan, and I'm not familiar with this particular machine," said Qui-Gon. "I don't particularly fancy falling several hundred feet out of the sky if I can avoid it."

"Force! You're hopeless, Master, let me do it." Laysha impatiently pushed Qui-Gon aside. She pulled a small flat blade from her utility belt and jimmied the door open before Qui-Gon could even object. Using a toolpick she also dug from her belt, she quickly uncovered the metal plate next to the controls, then reached in and manipulated wires. "You'd better make sure your other padawans know how to fix things, Master, if you plan on getting into more of these kinds of situations."

"What makes you think I'm ever going to want any more padawans after having to deal with you?" retorted Qui-Gon, keeping watch at the open bay door.

"You know you love me, Master, and will want to have lots more just like me to keep you on your toes." Laysha grinned as the roar of an igniting engine split the air. "Your chariot awaits, Master," said Laysha as she held the door open.

"I think I'd need my head examined to want another apprentice like you," Qui-Gon muttered. "Thank you, Padawan. I will drive," he continued pointedly.

They flew out high and fast until they reached the public airlanes, then sedately made their way back to the main part of the city. Qui-Gon put the speeder down in a public lot and they walked the several blocks back to their lodgings.

"I don't think that was what Knight Neethon had in mind for a distraction, Master," said Laysha as she took off her cloak. "It was fun, though."

"You have a strange definition of fun, Padawan." Qui-Gon began undressing. "That was too spectacular and not terribly productive." He could feel the excitement still buzzing over their bond. "If you're uninjured, we need to get cleaned up and into bed. We have to be at the conference hall in four hours."

"I think we'd better put something on this first, Master. I must have missed a couple of incoming shots."

Qui-Gon shook his head as he examined the blaster burn on Laysha's left forearm. Under the tattered remains of her left sleeve an almost three by one inch patch of fur was gone, exposing the raw flesh beneath. He kept a careful eye on her as he cleaned the wound, sending a bit of healing Force when he saw her wince heavily. A final slather of bacta was covered by a clean wrap.

"That should do it, Padawan," said Qui-Gon softly. "How do you feel?"

"Not too bad, Master. It hurts, but I think the bacta is kicking in because it doesn't hurt as much as it did." Laysha gave a little smile. "My first real battle scar, Master."

"I'd just as soon you not get many more, Padawan." Qui-Gon hugged her gently. "Now, off to bed for both of us."

The beeping of his comm link woke Qui-Gon the next morning. He fumbled the device from his utility belt and found a terse recording that said only 'mission accomplished'. He smiled through his yawn as he gently woke his apprentice. It took three tries to get her very reluctantly to her feet.

"How's your arm today, Padawan?" asked Qui-Gon.

"It's sore, but I can deal with it, Master." Laysha poked at the ragged bits of her cloak sleeve. "This got blasted pretty badly. I don't think I can fix it, at least not in time for the negotiations this morning."

"You can wear your extra outer tunic, and we'll both leave our cloaks here. I had a message from Guri that they've finished their part of the job, so we just need to wrap things up and we can leave."

"Excellent, Master." Laysha grinned. "I'll get us breakfast."

Qui-Gon just shook his head as he finished dressing.

It took almost two days to drag the boundary dispute to a grudging conclusion. Qui-Gon suspected the reluctant agreement wouldn't hold up for very long, but by then he was simply happy to be heading home. When he and Laysha got to their ship, they found that the other two knights had already sneaked aboard and were waiting for them.

"Congratulations, Guri. Did you get everything you were looking for?" asked Qui-Gon as Laysha took their bags to the cabin they shared.

"We got quite a nice haul," replied Neethon. "It seems things were quite abuzz two nights ago. They sent a lot of the extra guards out and we were able to get into their computer systems more easily than we would have thought possible."

"Yes, as distractions go, that was definitely on the exciting end," added K'Varz with a huge smile. "Remind me not to take any missions with you two that require keeping a low profile."

"We weren't expecting things to get that far out of hand," said Qui-Gon with an apologetic shake of his head. "We sort of stumbled across that weapons storage site."

"It turned out alright; all's well that ends well as they say." Neethon shrugged. "How is your padawan?"

"A blaster burn, but nothing serious. I thought she did quite well for her first real firefight."

"Thank you, Master, although it sounded much more boring the way you've been writing it for our part of the mission report," said Laysha as she entered the common room where the other three were sitting. "We have clearance from the tower to leave."

"Very good, Padawan. And don't forget, pride and glory a Jedi seeks not. Nor fun." Qui-Gon smiled at his apprentice's snort before turning to the other knights. "You'd better stay out of sight a while longer. We'll take the ship out and get started on the trip back, then we can rejoin you later to provide our input for your report." He waited until Neethon nodded, then followed Laysha back to the control room.

Qui-Gon lay quietly in his bunk. In the darkness the only sounds were the mechanical ship noises and the occasional rustling of his apprentice in the bunk above. He waited for the questions he could feel prickling their training bond, questions which he had felt building over the last three days since the fighting on Ernvok. He had been mulling over the possibilities and pondering how he should answer. Qui-Gon remembered the first time he had been forced to kill; it had taken a few days for the full enormity to sink in and he suspected that might be the case now for Laysha. They had done a shared meditation the day after and Qui-Gon had been impressed with the calmness with which she had handled her first taking of life. He was confident that she understood the seriousness of her actions, but he was growing increasingly curious about what direction her thoughts and individual meditations had been taking her.

"Master, are you awake?" came a quiet whisper.

"Yes, Padawan. Is there something you want to talk about?"

There was silence for a long moment, then a soft thump as a small body swung down from above. Qui-Gon felt more than saw Laysha settle herself at the head of his bunk.

"Would you like the lights on?" asked Qui-Gon softly.

"Not really, Master, that's alright."

Another silence stretched out before Laysha finally spoke again. "I've been thinking, Master."

"About something in particular, Padawan?" Qui-Gon turned up on his side, resting his head on his hand.

"About those people I killed on Ernvok," replied Laysha. "When I meditate, I can feel the diminishing in the Living Force because of what I did. I know it was necessary, but I'm not sure I could have done it if I had had to stop and think about it first."

"There may be situations in the future when you have to injure or kill another being again, Padawan. Is that part of what is bothering you?"

"Actually, no. I have determined that it truly was self-defense, and I don't believe I would hesitate to do it again if my life or the lives of others were in danger." A pause. "I have seen this in the Force - it was the right thing to do, regrettable but needful, and it may be my duty to do it again. It is part of the price we pay as guardians of peace."

Qui-Gon held his tongue and let his apprentice sort out her thoughts.

"Master, I know we are supposed to be mindful of the Force and care for all living things without prejudice, right?"

"Yes, Padawan. With the great gift of being allowed to commune with the Force comes equally great responsibility to care for those less fortunate or in need."

"About those beings I killed, Master..."

"Yes?" Qui-Gon felt a tightening of their bond, stretching it taut with distress.

"Master, does it make me a bad Jedi if I regret the act of killing, but I don't feel any remorse or sympathy for those I killed?" asked Laysha, her voice barely above a whisper.

"How do you feel about them?"

"I think... mostly nothing." A stillness in the dark. "I can't help feeling that they did very bad things, or at least they helped to make bad things possible with the weapons they provided. Am I supposed to feel sorry for them because I killed them, Master?"

"What do you think, Padawan?"

"I don't know..." A frustrated sigh was loud in the still air.

"What have you learned about life and the Force?"

"All life is special, sentient or non-sentient, and the Force is part of all life." Laysha stirred a moment, then sat silently. "No being is inherently good or evil, but each is capable of doing good or ill to greater or lesser degrees. The direction beings turn can be influenced by many different factors which may not be under the individual's control or which they may not have the strength to change or resist."

"And?"

"It is not my place to judge others, only to strive to use the Force myself for the greatest good, to try to understand the Force and its will, to endeavor to be the best Jedi that I can, to recognize my own failings and seek to overcome them." Laysha gave a small snort. "Or at least that's what Master n'Huu always said in philosophy class."

"Is that what you believe?" prodded Qui-Gon gently.

"I think... yes, I think I do believe that." Laysha's tone held an element of surprise. "Perhaps not in those exact words, but I realize that I have been blessed with being able to feel the light of the Living Force and I am very grateful for that gift. I know I certainly am far from perfect, but I also know I will keep working to get better and to improve my understanding of the will of the Force and follow the path of good."

"So, how do you feel about the beings you killed?" Qui-Gon brought their conversation back around to the earlier point.

There was a long pause before Laysha continued. "I do regret the killing, because taking of life diminishes the Force, but it was the right thing to do under the circumstances, and the act was without intention of evil or in anger. I do feel some sympathy for any who might have cared for those I struck down; I still can't muster pity for them but I also feel no temptation to gloat nor pleasure at their deaths." The sheets rustled as Laysha scooted a bit closer to her master. "I will meditate some more on this, but I am at peace with what happened and that it was in keeping with the will of the Force. Is this part of what it means to be a good Jedi, Master?"

Qui-Gon smiled a little at the reaction he knew his familiar words were about to provoke. "If you know enough to keep asking the right questions, Padawan, then you are well on your way to understanding what it means to be a good Jedi. Your answers will lie in the questions you ask."

"Master!" came an exasperated groan. "I swear you're getting worse than Master Yoda."

The chime drew Qui-Gon's attention from the cup of tea he was pouring. He set the pot down and went to the door.

"May I help you?" Qui-Gon looked at the padawan standing in the hall. The young man was of medium height with clear brown eyes and a lean face. His braid lacked the markings indicating senior status.

"Master Jinn, I'm Padawan Grenvit Reemok." The apprentice bowed politely. "Is Padawan Vik in, sir?"

"She is." Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow, curious as to the purpose of this unusual visit. Laysha rarely had visitors at their quarters.

The padawan seemed a bit taken aback at the response. "May I speak with her, Master Jinn?"

"If she wishes." Qui-Gon went to Laysha's door. "Padawan, there is a Padawan Reemok here to see you."

Laysha put her current project down on her desk, pulled the magnifying loupe headband off and set it next to her tools. She stood and stretched, then sauntered toward the door. "Thank you, Master." She slipped past Qui-Gon and went to the outer entrance. "What's up, Gren?" she queried their caller.

"Can we talk, Laysha?"

"Sure. We'll have to sit out here; I've got pieces of stuff all over my room for my project for Master Chandro. We're trying to figure out new ways to jury-rig long-range comm units."

Qui-Gon discreetly retreated into his room, but he could clearly hear their conversation through his open door as they sat on the couch.

"You build things? I thought you told Joog you were all hot with the Lif? It's usually the Uni's who tinker," said Gren.

"Hot with the Lif?" Qui-Gon thought to himself as he had a sudden irrational bout of feeling old when he realized how out of touch he seemed to have gotten with the current slang. He sat up a little straighter in his chair, unashamedly curious about his apprentice's response.

"It is the Living I connect with, but I also love to fix things. I don't have the time or patience for plants like my master, but making something work� that's like my creative outlet instead of writing or painting or stuff like that. It makes me feel good."

"Oh, I get it, kind of like Joog's poetry, huh?"

"Something like that, only not nearly so boring or incomprehensible."

A ripple of laughter drifted in through the open door, two voices floating in harmony.

"So, what did you want to talk about, Gren?"

"Well, we've been in classes together off and on for a couple of years, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"And we're starting the last round of classes before we go up for promotion to senior, right?"

"What's your point?"

"I want to propose a deal. I need help with math to get through this last stretch, and you're always one of the best."

"Assuming I believe that you really need help that badly, what would I get out of helping you?"

Qui-Gon smiled as he pictured the skeptical expression and raised eyebrow that no doubt accompanied the snort he heard.

"I can help you with the xenology or cultural studies and I can get you some new sparring partners so you can practice against different styles before the exams. We've only got these last four tens before the testing and we could both use some help. What do you say?"

A long silence ensued. Qui-Gon felt an odd tickling over the training bond, and was almost tempted to peek around the edge of his door.

"Look, Gren, I appreciate the offer, but why me? You're popular and a lot of people like you, so you could probably get just about anybody to partner with."

"Umm... I like the way you always stand up to those jerks who try to put you down and how you're always straight up about things and... uh, you've got a good sense of humor..."

"Okay, I like you, too. You've got a deal. When do we start?"

Qui-Gon smiled as he turned his attention back to his own work; he wondered if Padawan Reemok really understood what he might be letting himself in for with his new friend.

Laysha waved across the salle, then turned back to Qui-Gon. "Gren has another new victim, I mean sparring partner, for me so I need to stay for a while, Master."

"That looks like a Puzhaq that Padawan Reemok is dragging over here," said Qui-Gon thoughtfully. "You can stay, but no more than an hour; I don't want you overworking and risking injury with only two more tens until the testing starts."

"Yes, Master. And I'll be going over to Gren's quarters after lastmeal to do homework."

"Very well, but don't forget about your curfew." Qui-Gon gathered his gear and prepared to leave. He turned his head to toss a last comment over his shoulder. "And watch out for a left lead and high aerials, those are usually strengths for Puzhaqans."

"Yes, Master, on both counts." Laysha bowed. "Thanks." She grinned and trotted toward the training ring where Reemok was waiting.

Qui-Gon hung his cloak in its familiar spot by the door, feeling quite relaxed after a pleasant evening in Plo's quarters talking with several of their mutual friends. He started toward the fresher but paused when he heard raised voices from his apprentice's room.

"But Urok K'lun is a jerk and an idiot. I don't like the way he always treats you and I was just letting him know that."

"I've been handling him for years. I don't need you getting in the middle trying to fight my battles."

"He's always disliked you and spreads malicious lies. I want this nonsense stopped!"

"You only make matters worse when you make such a big deal about it. That makes him look important with his nasty little buddies, so give things a rest and ignore him."

"It's wrong, dammit, and I don't think -"

"Is there a problem?" Qui-Gon asked mildly as he took a step into Laysha's room. She and Grenvit Reemok sat on opposite ends of her bed, several datapads scattered between them. The two padawans were glaring at each other.

An uncomfortable silence dragged on for several seconds until both apprentices looked down. Laysha sighed before answering, "No, Master, there's no problem. Gren and I were just talking about what we need to study to get ready for the promotion testing."

"Ah yes, less than a ten left before that starts, isn't there?" Qui-Gon smiled in feigned ignorance, hoping to lighten the mood. "I know that is a pretty important event, but you shouldn't work so hard that you burn out before you even get to start."

"Yes, Master." Laysha glanced at Reemok and smiled. "I guess maybe we were getting a little anxious."

"I'm sure you'll do well," Qui-Gon said. He nodded to both padawans, "I'll leave you to it. Good night."

"Good night, Master."

"May we join you?"

The question pulled Qui-Gon's attention away from his datapad as he sat in the dining hall over a late midmeal. Most beings had already left for their afternoon activities.

"Yes, please, I would welcome the company." Qui-Gon smiled at Master Frayma and the female tigroid master with her.

"Do you know Master Sheervalla?" asked Frayma after they had seated themselves.

"We've not met, but my apprentice has mentioned you. You're Padawan Reemok's master, yes?"

"Indeed, I do have that pleasure. I'm happy to meet you," Sheervalla grinned, "and I must thank you for letting Padawan Vik spend so much time helping Grenvit with his math. That has long been a troublesome topic for him, but he seems to be doing much better. He even managed to finally get a full night's sleep before they had that subject scheduled for the promotion exams."

"I think it's been a mutually beneficial friendship," replied Qui-Gon, "as Laysha got a better mark than usual on her last paper for their Xenology II class and Grenvit has found some unusual sparring partners for her to help prepare for the exams." He gestured to his datapad with a schedule displayed on the screen. "Those exams are practically the only thing I've been hearing about for the last three days. It's interesting to watch the skill tests, but I'll be glad when this is finished, one way or the other."

"It is a busy and stressful time for many," remarked Frayma. "There are only the aerials later this afternoon and then the survival exercise on Japhos before we can get back to a relatively normal life. I do enjoy seeing how well most of our young people are doing, though." She leaned forward a bit. "I know I shouldn't have favorites, but I have to tell you I have been quite impressed by your padawans. If they pass these last two events I feel confident they will have earned their promotions. They have both worked very hard, and they are so nice that I'm happy for them."

"Thank you," said Qui-Gon. "I appreciate your confidence, and I appreciate very much all the help you've given both Laysha and me to help us get this far."

"It's not been an easy path for our little Laysha." Frayma smiled a bit wistfully. Her expression brightened as she continued, "She is strong in the Force, and more than a little stubborn. If there's a way to reach her dream of becoming a knight, I have no doubt she will find it."

A large group of Jedi sat in the bleachers in the large, airy salle. The aerial trials were one of the senior promotion events which always attracted a great deal of attention, as well as the sparring and kata testing. A group of twenty-seven junior padawans dressed only in leggings and singlets milled about on the floor near the sets of Level One five-meter apparatus. A few glanced nervously at the Level Two ten-meter setup.

Laysha left the group and approached the bleachers. "Master, may I speak to you a moment?"

"Of course." Qui-Gon got up from his spot next to Frayma and Sheervalla and they moved away to a quieter spot.

"Do you trust me, Master?" Laysha looked up somberly.

"Why do you ask, Padawan?"

"I've challenged for the Level Three twenty-meter aerials, Master, but I have to have your approval."

"Padawan, you only have to pass the Level One. Three is very dangerous; would they even let you do that?"

"I'm allowed to challenge because I've already completed the training on Level Two, Master, and had the intro for Three. You know that heights don't bother me; we've both been much higher on cliffs and roofs and I certified in soargliding on Angius. This is something I'm very good at, and besides, there are always several safety guides who can catch you with the Force before you go splat."

"That is not a reassuring choice of words, Padawan." Qui-Gon knelt to look into green eyes. "Why this? And why now when it is so important to you to get promoted?"

"You've told me many times to find better ways to deal with the other padawans who still think I'm getting special privileges, Master, instead of going after them directly. Those beings over there will be my peers if we all pass, and I have a point to make to them and to myself. What better way to demonstrate my worthiness than to show them?"

"Are you sure this isn't about just showing off?"

"Perhaps a little, but I've been thinking about this for a while, Master. I also need to prove this to myself, not just them, but this is something I know I can do. It's in my people's blood and in my connection to the Force." Laysha gazed steadily into her master's eyes. "I do not intend to do anything that I feel is beyond my abilities, but I need this challenge, to stretch myself. Do you trust me? Enough to let me do this, and to let me fall if need be?"

There was a long silence, then Qui-Gon nodded. "Yes." He smiled. "I've certainly asked you to trust me often enough, and I owe you the same trust and respect. May the Force be with you in this, my padawan."

"Thank you, Master." Laysha grinned and leaned in close to whisper, "Besides, it will be fun!"

Qui-Gon stood and shook his head as he watched his apprentice run over to join the group of candidates.

A reptilian master with a datapad stepped in front of the apprentices. "I am Master Toox and will be overseeing this event today. The minimum requirement for this segment of the senior padawan promotion examinations is one complete circuit of Level One aerials." He consulted his datapad. "Today there are five padawans who have requested to challenge for Level Two. Will the masters for Padawans V'taz, Mlbj, Pozchul, T'jan and Reemok please stand?"

Five masters stood up.

"Your padawans have challenged for Level Two. The risk is greater, and they are still required to complete one full circuit to pass this examination. Each master must affirm their agreement or disagreement with the challenge."

One by one, the masters acknowledged their support for their apprentices' requests, then sat back down.

"We have one padawan who has requested to challenge for Level Three. Will the master for Padawan Vik please stand?"

There were a few gasps and several murmurs as Qui-Gon rose, and a few dark looks from some of the other junior padawans.

"Silence, please," admonished Toox. "Master Jinn, the risk is significantly greater on Level Three, and your padawan must complete one full circuit to pass this examination. Do you have any objection to Padawan Vik's challenge?"

"None," said Qui-Gon quietly. "I have full confidence in her ability to meet this challenge."

"Very well." Toox turned to the group of candidates. "We shall proceed with the Level One testing first. You will be allowed two attempts to complete the circuit within the prescribed time limit. I will remind you that at any time before an individual begins a test at the higher levels, the padawan may withdraw a challenge and test at Level One instead. Let us begin."

Qui-Gon watched the trial advance, occasionally chatting with Frayma and Sheervalla. For the most part the audience was quiet, giving soft applause to particularly excellent demonstrations or a groan of sympathy for misses. As the main group was reduced to a few last candidates, the apprentices who had challenged for higher levels began stretching.

"I would place a sizable wager that the Zabrakan will back out," murmured Sheervalla.

"He has been getting very nervous, far more than the rest," agreed Qui-Gon.

"After watching these for twenty years, I have found that asking to be excused more than once to relieve themselves is usually a good indicator that they will be moving down to a lower level," said Frayma dryly. "The aerials tend to be a particularly intimidating event for most." She looked more closely at the group. "I must say that Laysha and Grenvit seem to be handling it quite well, however. They actually look rather bored."

"Physical skills have always been one of Gren's strengths," said Sheervalla fondly. "He loves the sparring and katas."

"As does Laysha. She's always enjoyed being active far more than sitting in a classroom." Qui-Gon nodded toward the group. "That's the last of Level One."

The entire salle was still as Master Toox gathered the five apprentices challenging for Level Two. His words could not be heard, but after a moment the Zabrakan padawan stepped forward and moved to the starting position for Level One. After he successfully finished, three candidates went through the Level Two, although one of them needed two tries. When the last of the group, Grenvit Reemok, went to the base of a long rope instead of the ladder leading to the Level Two, Laysha whistled loudly and flashed two thumbs up. Gren grinned back and began hauling himself up to the first point.

"The boy is a bit of a show-off sometimes," said Sheervalla ruefully.

"Believe me, I sympathize," said Qui-Gon with a small laugh.

The masters watched intently as Gren settled himself on a long ledge, then raised one hand to signal that he was ready to begin. He moved steadily through the series of obstacles in the five to ten meter height course, negotiating each one carefully but confidently. Gren finished well within the time limit with a last leap to the starting point, bowing to the judges. There was a solid round of applause as he slid down the rope to the floor.

Laysha moved forward to the base of the twenty meter rope as Master Toox placed additional safety guides. He stopped to talk to Laysha for a moment before turning to the audience.

"Padawan Vik will now challenge Level Three. I will remind all of you that this is a risky endeavor, and this basic course will encompass sixteen obstacles in any order between five and twenty meters. I must request that there be no distractions during this attempt. In particular, there must not be any Force interference for any maneuver above five meters regardless of the appearance of danger. The safety guides will ensure that any falls below five meters are arrested." He looked around the salle to make certain his words were understood before nodding to Laysha.

Qui-Gon watched intently as his apprentice swarmed up the long rope. Aerials had never been one of his favorite activities and he was keenly aware of the danger involved at the higher levels. He made a conscious effort not to project his anxiety over the training bond, but he couldn't help thinking of how tiny his padawan looked so high and far away.

Laysha reached a walkway positioned along the wall fifteen meters above the floor and stepped off the rope. She rolled her shoulders, then stood quietly for a long moment before raising her hand and launching herself.

It became quickly evident that the young padawan had chosen a relatively aggressive route through the course, but one which seemed well suited to her strengths. Her light weight, agility and wiry strength let her float along the balance bars and ropes, swing through hoops, and maneuver between parallel rods. She used the momentum of her forward progress to propel her to the higher obstacles instead of trying to power up.

At about a third of the way through, Qui-Gon's right leg began slowly twitching. He could feel his apprentice's confidence over their bond, but it was still hard to watch her soaring through the air. One by one, he watched her conquer each obstacle, catching rings or bars and dancing atop poles or slender beams. His focus narrowed only to her presence, no longer aware of anything else in the huge salle. Qui-Gon's chest tightened as he realized that Laysha had maneuvered through the course in a roundabout manner that had put her at the highest point, twenty meters above the floor, with the last remaining obstacle far below her, a narrow balance rod only seven meters high.

"Force, she can't be serious," whispered Qui-Gon to himself. He leaned forward, a tense grip on the edges of the bench he sat on.

The tension increased throughout the salle as Laysha stood poised at the end of a beam. She gathered herself, then leaped down into the air at a diagonal angle.

Qui-Gon didn't hear the gasp of the crowd as Laysha jumped. His heart rose in his throat as she sped downward, gathering speed. His knuckles were white from the strength of his grip on the smooth plasteel below him. Time seemed to slow down as he watched his apprentice's progress, and it was only the strength of his promise to Laysha that kept him from reaching out with the Force to catch her.

Closer, closer and closer still Qui-Gon watched her approach the bar. Her aim appeared true, but her speed was rapidly increasing, and Qui-Gon was beginning to wonder if she would be able to hold on to the rod when she reached it.

"No, Laysha, what in the hells of Hadron are you doing?" Qui-Gon involuntarily stood, staring in shock, as Laysha folded her arms to her side two meters away from her goal. He watched with his heart in his open mouth as she adjusted her aim slightly and flew past under the rod.

The salle erupted in a roar as Laysha grabbed the rod with her tail, whipped around it five times and settled gracefully on top. She saluted the crowd, casually walked across the bar to the far end, waited a moment atop the support, then swung underneath to catch the rope below and slide to the ground.

Qui-Gon collapsed onto the bench and tried to catch his breath. He shook his head as he muttered, "I swear she's going to be the death of me one of these days."

It was a very warm and pleasant early morning on Japhos, a somewhat unusual occurrence given its normally cool climate. Access to the wilderness planet was restricted, with various sections for recreation and others for military and police training. The Jedi had reserved one of the largest training areas for this final exercise.

All other examinations for promotion to senior padawan to this point were completed; of the original 33 candidates, only 24 eligibles were left. All of the young Jedi were keenly aware that they needed to pass this last challenge to earn the highly coveted promotion, and tension was running high. The three day exercise would be held in heavily wooded and hilly terrain with numerous waterways, several varieties of local predators and poisonous plants.

All of the padawans were restricted to only basic standard issue equipment and two ration bars. Every one of them had gone through a rigorous search; after Laysha's inspection a large bag of tools and provisions had been turned over to her master. As he waited for the final briefing to start, Qui-Gon smiled at the memory of the baleful expression and muttered invectives his apprentice had turned on the knight who had had the misfortune to be assigned to her search.

There was a stirring among the padawans as the exercise leader, Master Wuth'k, came out of one of the several tents which had been set up for their base camp.

"Alright, everybody over here for last call," bellowed the short, barrel-chested master. He waited until all candidates, masters and support team members were assembled. "All briefings completed and candidates ready to go?" he asked a senior knight with a datapad. Receiving a nod, he turned to the group. "Okay, last reminders. This is an individual exercise. Each of you will be given a different objective as you leave camp, so it's no good trying to follow anybody else. You have three days to retrieve the item at your objective and bring it back here. You've got a long way to go and not much time to do it in, so don't dawdle. How you feed yourself out there is your problem. Don't bother the predators; they have very sharp teeth and often short tempers. If you run into problems, get injured or can't make it back out, activate your emergency comm and somebody will be sent to pick you up." He looked around the group. "Any questions?" He waited a long moment, but nobody spoke. "Alright, candidates over here to get your objectives and maps."

A line quickly formed by the knight with the datapad. Several masters assisted him as each apprentice was given a map, a description of the objective and its coordinates. After the last padawan had studied his directions and left the camp, Master Wuth'K assembled all of the remaining Jedi and issued his final instructions for the support activities.

Qui-Gon was assigned to a monitoring team with four other masters, a healer and two pilots. They were stationed on the north side of the exercise area with two flyers. They passed a quiet three days monitoring the emergency frequencies in case they needed to provide assistance, but there were no incidents in their sector and they were recalled to the base camp mid-morning after the end of the exercise.

There was quite a bit of activity at the camp when Qui-Gon got back. The healer on their team went to join the other healers who were treating the returned padawans for minor injuries. There was an enticing odor from several large cooking pots and many padawans lining up for food. Qui-Gon didn't see Laysha, so he walked to the main tent to seek information.

A large board had been set up outside the command center with a list of the candidates and their status. Qui-Gon joined several other masters who were perusing the list. He noted the names of those who had returned to the base camp with their objective, two who had returned without success, and three more who had been picked up by the emergency teams and were on their way in. He found 'Vik' at the bottom of the list, but there was nothing listed by her name.

"What's going on, Master Wuth'k? Where is my padawan?"

Qui-Gon looked around and saw Master Brojaw confronting the exercise leader. He quietly joined them, the same question foremost in his mind.

"Ah, Master Jinn, it is just as well that you are here," said Wuth'k. "We have two padawans not accounted for, K'lun and Vik."

"What the Force does that mean?" demanded Brojaw.

"It means exactly what I said. They did not come back to camp, no signal has been received from either of them, and nobody has seen either of them since the start of the exercise." Wuth'k stood with his hands on his hips. "We are organizing search parties along their most likely routes."

"Padawan Vik is alive and conscious," said Qui-Gon quietly. "Our bond is faint, but definitely there, and I am not getting any indication that she might be injured."

"Thank you, Master Jinn, that is a good sign." Wuth'k turned to Brojaw. "Do you have anything over your training bond?"

The heavy-set master stood sullenly for a long moment before replying. "No. He must be either unconscious or out of range. There's just nothing there."

"Well, we'll just have to deal with whatever we find. If you will wait here, I'll finish getting the search parties organized. We'll be leaving in thirty minutes if you wish to join us." Wuth'k didn't wait for a reply before turning away.

Qui-Gon decided to take advantage of the short break. He left his pack with the cargo being loaded for the return to Coruscant but made sure he had extra rations and bacta. He stopped by the cook pots and got a bowl of hot stew before he headed to where the flyers were parked.

"Master Jinn?"

"Master Sheervalla, Padawan Reemok." Qui-Gon nodded as he put his spoon down. "What can I do for you?"

"I heard that Laysha hasn't come back, sir," said Gren anxiously. "Is that true?"

"Neither Padawan K'lun or Laysha has come back," said Qui-Gon softly. "We're going out with search parties in a few minutes."

"K'lun? That's not good, not good at all," said Gren as he moved closer to his master. "If he thought there was a way to do something nasty to Laysha without getting caught he'd probably try it."

"Let's not leap to conclusions, Padawan," Sheervalla said sternly as she pulled Gren to her side before looking at Qui-Gon. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Not really," replied Qui-Gon with a shake of his head. "Laysha's very capable, but there are quite a few dangers out there. Our bond is quiet, however, so I'm sure we'll find that there is some explanation why she couldn't comm us."

At that moment Wuth'k's bellow sounded a call for search party members.

"I have to go now," said Qui-Gon. "Could you please return my bowl?"

"Of course," replied Sheervalla as her apprentice took the proffered items. "May the Force be with you."

Six search parties set out. Two groups went directly to the locations where the missing padawans' mission objectives had been placed and were to backtrack from there; two groups each began flying along the most likely routes the padawans would have taken on their outbound trip. The last two groups started out on foot from the base camp.

Qui-Gon went with the team heading for Laysha's objective. When they arrived a few hours later and parked, the knight who had placed the items climbed into a tree at the fork of two streams. When he descended, he held a narrow leathern bag almost a foot long. He pulled a metal rod from the bag and verified the inscription.

"This is definitely the one assigned to Padawan Vik," he reported.

The pilot of their flyer joined them. "Just got a call on the comm - they found K'lun's rod also still in place."

The head of the search team, Knight Huthov, sighed. "Alright, now we know that neither of them made it this far." He spread out a large map for everyone to see. "It looks like there are couple of places back along here where they might have been close together. See, here is where this river and that cliffline squeeze the possible routes to just a few possibilities." He turned to the pilot and other knight. "I want you to go back up and keep looking along these areas. Make sure you coordinate with the other groups." He pointed to a large swath on the map. "Master Jinn, I'd like you to come with me on foot and check out this line along the river."

"Of course." Qui-Gon nodded.

"We'll check in with the flyer every hour," said Huthov. "We've only got about three or four hours of daylight left, so let's move out."

The two Jedi kept to a steady trot in the coolness under the trees, the ground rising and falling under their feet. They were a half hour past their first communications check when Qui-Gon suddenly stopped. He closed his eyes and concentrated, then pointed to his right.

"There has been a disturbance here," he said. "Over there, towards the river." He led the way until they came to a small clearing.

"Definitely been some sort of fight here," said Huthov. "The ground's churned up, lots of tracks� look at this!"

Qui-Gon hurried over to scrutinize the body of a half-eaten canine. He turned it over and knelt down. "Clearly at least two lightsaber cuts." He looked around. "There's quite a bit of blood, but it's hard to tell where some of it came from." Qui-Gon stood up and began carefully casting about in a circle.

"These things usually hunt in large family groups," said Huthov as he searched in the other direction. "I see tracks coming from over here."

"I've got clear boot tracks!" called Qui-Gon. He waited for Huthov to join him and they began following the trace. "These small ones are probably my padawan. This other set is much larger; if that was K'lun, he was dragging one leg. Looks like more fighting here... more blood covered by animal tracks... the small boots overlay the large ones, perhaps a rearguard action." The prints petered out as the ground became rocky, ending entirely just before a drop.

Huthov stared down the small cliff into a narrow but swift river. "The trail ends here." He laid along the edge and carefully reached down along the rough ground toward a broken outcrop. When he stood up, he held a fragment of familiar brown cloth.

The Jedi looked at each other for a moment before Qui-Gon spoke. "Whatever happened here, Laysha Vik is still alive. We have to find her," he said quietly. The look in his eyes left no doubt that he would do whatever it took to retrieve his missing apprentice.

"Yes, Master Jinn." Huthov looked down again. "It's about a six meter drop, but they could have certainly have survived that." His jaw set as he looked at Qui-Gon. "If they went down the river, they could be quite a ways away and might have come out anywhere. It will be dark soon and we don't want to risk missing them. I'll call everybody in and we'll continue in the morning."

"If a pilot is willing, I'd like to take one flyer with a team and follow the river to where it empties into that lake we saw on the map. That way we'll be in position to start backtracking up the river at first light, and we might also be able to see any lights if they are able to start a fire," said Qui-Gon, looking steadily at Huthov.

The search leader thought for a minute, then nodded. "Very well, I'll arrange it. I'm sure you'll have plenty of volunteers."

Huthov was true to his word. He called in all of the flyers and had a team back in the air within twenty minutes. An hour later, Qui-Gon was peering anxiously over the side of an open flyer, scanning the dark forest below as a fellow master and a knight watched the other side, opting not to use searchlights and instead hoping to be better able to see any signs of a signal fire. They had been flying slowly along the route of the river but so far with no results.

"Hey, one of you guys using a comm unit?" called the pilot.

"No," said Qui-Gon. "Why?"

"Come listen to this. It's a weird signal... fluttering in and out on the emergency frequency."

Everyone gathered near the cockpit as they continued their journey.

"I think it's getting stronger," said Qui-Gon several minutes later. "Increase your speed."

They concentrated on the signal intently. "Definitely stronger. Still irregular, but it is the right frequency." Qui-Gon sternly suppressed his excitement over what this development might mean. "Let me know if it changes, and we'll keep watch for lights."

There was no moonlight, the black of the sky merging into the shadows below as they followed the invisible signal onward. Qui-Gon refused to let the darkness unsettle him; he focused instead on the warm steadiness of the bond that anchored him to his apprentice. He could feel the Force pulling them closer together, a heartbeat attuned to his own and growing progressively louder as they moved above the river.

"Stop!" called Qui-Gon. "We need to go back, very slowly."

"Hey, how'd you know that? We just overshot the strong point of the signal!" marveled the pilot.

The other master looked at Qui-Gon, then simply nodded in understanding. "Which side of the river is she on?"

"To the west," Qui-Gon replied. "Take the flyer around as slowly as you can and sweep along the west bank."

"You got it. This signal is strong, but it's even more erratic, like there's something wrong with the sender," said the pilot.

"Don't worry about the signal. Just keep it low and slow," commanded Qui-Gon.

The three Jedi kept watch as the flyer dawdled along ten meters above the treetops. The trees were densely packed for much of the way, the shadows impenetrable. The night seemed still and heavy.

Qui-Gon knew Laysha was down there somewhere. Their bond hummed with energy; he could feel strength, determination and a remarkable amount of annoyance. A bit of a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth; he suspected that the missing K'lun was somehow involved in this misadventure and would not hear the end of this for a very long time. Qui-Gon scanned the gloom below them.

"Master Jinn! The signal has stopped altogether," the pilot called.

"Over there!" Qui-Gon pointed to a faint light. "I think that's a fire. Take us in closer."

The flyer slowed almost to a hover as it approached what appeared to be a rocky ridge. A sudden blaze of fire streaking up from the ground startled all of them.

"That came from that small clearing! And look, there IS a fire, and it's getting bigger." Qui-Gon directed them closer. "Time for the searchlight. See if you can find a place to land."

The pilot hovered above the fire, the brilliant white beam raking the terrain below for several minutes. Finally he reported, "The only place that looks feasible is further down that ridgeline, and that will be damned tight. Do you want me to try it?"

Qui-Gon looked at the area illuminated by the light. He estimated that it was at least a thirty-minute walk from where the fire twinkled. "Put Master Urt and I down near the fire using the ropes. We'll contact you after we find out what the situation is."

The flyer descended as low as it dared while long plasten ropes, light but with great tensile strength, were snaked over the side. The two masters carefully descended. They had to drop the last few meters after they ran out of rope, but landed unharmed and began walking toward the source of light.

Joy leaped in his heart as Qui-Gon saw the short figure standing next to the bonfire, arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

"It's about damned time you got here," barked Laysha.

"It's good to see you, too, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. He laughed and rushed forward to scoop up his apprentice in a hug.

"I'm glad to see you, but don't get all mushy on me in front of that other master," whispered Laysha as she returned the hug.

"Sorry," said Qui-Gon as he put her down, smiling at her affronted 'I'm almost a senior' dignity. "Are you injured?"

"No, Master, I'm fine. Did you bring any food? I'm getting tired of roots, plangfish and roasted workins and I haven't found a decent-tasting grub yet on this stupid planet."

Qui-Gon just shook his head as he pulled out a large chocobar and handed it over.

"Excuse me," interrupted their companion, "but do you know where Padawan K'lun is?"

"Him? Yeah," Laysha mumbled around a big bite of her sweet, "I've got that worthless piece of bantha shit parked down at the bottom of the hill."

"Master Urt and I would be very interested in a clarification of that statement, Padawan," said Qui-Gon dryly. "I take it he is alive?"

"Mmmhmm." Laysha swallowed and cleared her throat. "I mean, yes, Master. He is in a state of disrepair, but still alive and still stupid."

"Take us to him, Padawan. Our first priority is to get everybody back," said Qui-Gon, "and we can get the explanations back at camp."

"Yes, Master." She bowed to both masters. "This way."

The three Jedi put out the signal fire, then carefully made their way down a steep slope covered in leaf litter until they reached level ground. Laysha led them forward to a very narrow clearing which followed a small stream on its path to the river. At one end there was a large stone pit with a fire cheerfully crackling. Next to the pit was a pile of wood within easy reach of the supine figure wrapped in a robe.

"He's got a lot of cuts and scratches, some pretty bad bites on his left leg, his right lower leg is broken and I think he has a concussion," said Laysha briskly. "I got everything cleaned after we washed up out of the river and splinted his leg, but it took all the bacta we had in our utility belts for the bites so I had to use some local herbs for the smaller stuff."

The figure moaned as Master Urt knelt to examine him.

"Who's 'at?" mumbled K'lun, trying to sit up but not making it. "Master? Is that you?"

"No, Padawan, I'm Master Urt. Master Brojaw is with one of the other search parties," said the Jedi soothingly as he examined the apprentice's injuries. "We're here to take you home."

"Good, gotta get away from that crazy vench," complained K'lun in a slurred voice. "She stole my lightsaber and tried to make me eat bugs."

"Just take it easy, Padawan." Urt stood up. "We'll need the stretcher to get him out, but I don't think the flyer can land here."

"The river is only about 100 meters that way, Master," said Laysha. "There's a nice long stretch of gravel bank."

"Even if the flyer can't land on the bank, it could come down close enough to drop the stretcher, we can haul it back up with the ropes, then climb up ourselves," suggested Qui-Gon. "That's a great deal closer than the spot up on the ridge where the pilot said he might be able to land."

"Good idea," agreed Urt.

The Jedi efficiently set to work. Within twenty minutes the injured apprentice was loaded, the campsite cleared, and they were heading back to the base camp. They notified Master Wuth'k so he could recall the other search teams and have healers standing by. It was a quiet trip as they sped back. When they reached camp, they found that everyone except the search teams, two healers and several support people had already been sent to the spaceport to board the transport for the return to Coruscant. Master Brojaw stood by as the healers examined K'Lun; when they pronounced him to be in no immediate danger Wuth'k had everyone finish securing the site and all the remaining Jedi went to the spaceport so they could begin the sixteen-hour trip home.

Qui-Gon looked around the small conference room where the hearing had been convened. Master Chokvtk had taken it upon himself to oversee the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the events on Japhos, but also included were Masters Frayma and Wuth'k, Master Jhuvb in his role overseeing the promotion padawan examinations, Master Hichuri, the newly appointed head of padawan discipline, Knight Huthov, and Knight a'tak, the healer who had first treated K'lun. Laysha sat in the chair next to him; Master Brojaw sat across the table and his apprentice was in a hoverchair to his left.

The head of the Council cleared his throat. "We will begin," he announced in his deep bass. "The purpose of this hearing is to determine the facts of the unusual situation which occurred two days ago during the final promotion exercise on the planet of Japhos. Has everyone seen the written reports which were submitted by the masters and knights regarding these events?"

There was a general round of affirmations.

"Good. I will remind everyone that you are enjoined to answer truthfully to all questions. Now then, my understanding is that the exercise began normally, all candidates received individual objectives and were released to begin the course."

"That is correct," said Wuth'k. "The objectives were assigned randomly and the assignments closely guarded. Unless a padawan chose to disclose his location after he entered the course there was no way any candidate could have known the goal given to any other candidate. The exercise was carried out with no unusual events until after the end when Padawans K'lun and Vik failed to return. This has happened on a few other occasions, so I immediately dispatched search parties. One of those parties did eventually locate both missing candidates and they were returned."

"I see. Knight Huthov, you were in charge of the search party which located the trail of the missing padawans. Did your interpretation of your findings indicate any possibility of foul play?"

It seemed that the Councilor still harbored a dislike for Laysha Vik and Qui-Gon didn't like the tenor of the question, but kept his expression neutral. He glanced at Laysha, but she seemed unconcerned.

"I found the scene where we located their trail to be very much in line with a predator interaction, Master Chokvtk. The one animal body we found, or rather what was left of the body, was a canid predator typically found in that area and had lightsaber wounds consistent with self-defense. There was blood in an area where it appeared an encounter had taken place, and more blood where it appeared that the padawans had retreated to the river edge and jumped or been harried into the river."

"Thank you, Knight Huthov."

"It was clear that the smaller footprints were overlaid over the larger ones in the retreat, and I would speculate -"

"That is sufficient, Knight Huthov," said Choktvk coldly. "We are dealing only in facts here." He shuffled several datapads on the table before speaking again.

Chokvtk turned to Laysha. "Padawan Vik, do you affirm that you were unaware of Padawan K'lun's destination and made no attempt to follow him or interfere with him during the exercise?"

"I had no information about or interest in Padawan K'lun or his activities." Laysha looked coolly at the Councilor. "I did not interfere with him, unless you wish to consider saving his life interference."

Qui-Gon held his tongue as a sudden murmur swept around the table. He had been wondering why nobody had been allowed to see the statements that he knew both padawans had submitted, and it now seemed clear to him that there must be some significant discrepancies between the two. He stared at K'lun, who had a nasty smirk on his face.

"Silence!" Chokvtk glared around the table. "Be careful of your words, Padawan Vik. I have received several independent reports that you and Padawan K'lun have had serious disagreements in the past and that you have deliberately challenged him to unauthorized combat. Is this true?"

"We have had disagreements, yes. I have never asked him to do anything outside a training salle, however, Master Choktvk," replied Laysha.

"Hmmmph," grunted the Councilor. He fixed a steely glare on the young apprentice. "Padawan K'lun has made some serious accusations in his statement. He said that you stopped him on his way to his objective, that you incited a pack of predators to attack, that he had to rescue you despite injuries to himself, and that you stole his lightsaber despite his strenuous attempts to resist, thus causing additional injuries to himself. He states that your direct interference is the reason he was unable to complete the promotion exercise and has petitioned for a waiver to the exercise. What do you have to say for yourself, Padawan Vik?"

There was a heavy silence in the room, a silence which was broken when Laysha began laughing, a full-throated lengthy guffaw.

"Padawan Vik! Stop that nonsense and answer the question!" demanded Chokvtk.

"Sorry about that..." Laysha paused to wipe her eyes. "I haven't heard such a load of bantha shit in ages." Another snerk escaped.

Qui-Gon couldn't decide if he was too enraged to be amazed, or too amazed at K'lun's audacity to be enraged. He was about to speak when he felt a burst of warmth over his training bond. Self-confidence was bubbling along its length and he turned a questioning eye in Laysha's direction. He saw her mouth the words, 'trust me', so he reined in his anger, nodded slightly and sat back.

"Padawan Vik, you will explain yourself." Chokvtk was clearly displeased.

"Yes, my apologies, Master Chokvtk. If I may address the salient points, sir?"

Chokvtk nodded.

"First, an examination of a map of the exercise area will clearly show that along the river there are only two reasonable routes to the location where my objective was located. When I was proceeding along the shorter route, I heard a scream. I ran up and found Urok, I mean Padawan K'lun, with his back against a tree and facing a pack of canids. So, first and second accusation - I found him after he had already gotten himself into a problem I had nothing to do with."

Laysha turned to watch Urok K'lun. "I had to divert from my exercise to rescue him. I yelled at him to get out of there, and he started scrambling toward the river. I held off the pack with my lightsaber until we got to the edge, I pushed him over because he was just standing there and then followed him. We got sucked into the current and ended up a long way down the river. After I pulled him out, I administered medical care as best I could, then hauled him further into the woods to a dry, more defensible position. I found out he had lost his emergency comm and mine was damaged, so yes, I took his lightsaber which he was in no position to use anyway because he was unconscious half the time, and I finally managed to rig a functional comm from the parts of my device and his lightsaber."

She leaned forward and stared intently at a squirming K'lun. "I gave up my chance at promotion to spend the better part of two days taking care of that ungrateful sod and trying to get us rescued because even though I don't like him, even though I think he's a vindictive and sorry waste of air, he's still a fellow Jedi and my master taught me that it was the right thing to do." Laysha turned back to face the Councilor. "Thank you for letting me speak, Master Chokvtk. Do you have any other questions, sir?"

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room as people looked back and forth between the two apprentices. Qui-Gon was proud of the way Laysha had conducted herself, but prepared himself to speak in her defense if necessary.

"Padawan K'lun, you have made some very serious allegations, which Padawan Vik has refuted," said Chokvtk slowly. "Do you have anything else you wish to add?"

"It's her word against mine," said K'lun petulantly. "I've been a padawan a lot longer than her, so why should you believe her?"

"We should believe her because I have known Padawan Vik almost her entire life and have found her to be a remarkably honest, if not always tactful, being," said Master Frayma hotly, her normal serenity clearly disturbed. She put both hands flat on the table. "There is also evidence to back up her story. Knight Huthov has noted the physical evidence of her covering the retreat from the predators. The medical report showed that not only were all of your injuries consistent with wounds from animal bites and from hitting rocks in the river, but that it is highly unlikely that you would have survived for an extended time without assistance due to the damage to both of your legs." Frayma sat back in her chair, eyes steely. "Padawan Vik has worked very hard to become a good Jedi, and I will not stand by and see her unjustly maligned."

"Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Master Frayma." Master Chokvtk looked thoughtfully at the training master for a long moment before turning to Qui-Gon. "Master Jinn, do you personally vouch for the veracity of your padawan?"

"Absolutely, Master Chokvtk," said Qui-Gon immediately. He started to explain his conviction but was waved to silence.

The Councilor turned next to Padawan K'lun and his master. "Padawan K'lun, listen very carefully. Dishonesty is a trait for which I have no tolerance," he said in a flat tone. "Do you affirm the truth of the statement you provided?"

"Um..." K'lun defiantly raised his head. "Yes." He glared at Laysha. "She's not a proper padawan."

"Master Brojaw," said Chokvtk quietly, "do you personally vouch for the veracity of your padawan?"

The broad-chested master looked steadily at his apprentice, eyes narrowed and jaw working. Finally he spoke slowly, "A few tens ago I would not have hesitated to answer that question." He sighed. "I thought I knew my padawan, but it is now clear that I was wrong." Brojaw shifted to face the table. "Master Jinn, Padawan Vik, I apologize for the actions of Urok K'lun." He waited until they both nodded. "Master Chokvtk, my padawan and I have a great deal of work to do before he is ready to be considered for advancement. I respectfully request that his petition for waiver be withdrawn."

"Master," squawked K'lun. "I deserve that -"

"Silence. None of your other scores were anything to brag about, and your attempt to besmirch another Jedi who probably saved your life is totally unacceptable," said Brojaw icily. "We have much to discuss."

K'lun quailed under his master's anger and huddled in the hoverchair.

"Your request is granted," said Chokvtk. "You understand that this is a serious offense and Padawan K'lun will be referred for disciplinary action?"

"Yes, Master Chokvtk. I fully support that decision."

Chokvtk nodded. "Padawan Vik, come here."

Laysha slid out of her seat, walked to the head of the table and bowed.

"Tell me something, Padawan Vik. Was there ever a time on Japhos when you considered leaving Padawan K'lun to whatever fate the Force might decree?"

Looking steadily up at the Councilor, Laysha took several seconds to ponder her words. "I am afraid that I must admit to having very uncharitable thoughts on several occasions, Master Chokvtk, but especially so when he tried to pull me under the water while we were being swept down the river." She arched one eyebrow as she continued softly. "I was strongly tempted to leave him to drown, but I knew that I had the ability to save both of us and abandoning him would be a decision I could not live with, sir."

"You 'knew' you could save him?" Chokvtk folded all four arms tightly about him and looked down his face. "Isn't that rather arrogant?"

"There are many things I can't do yet, Master Chokvtk, and my master pushes me to recognize those shortcomings and seek to overcome them. In the water, though, strength and skill often matter more than size and I have worked hard to become proficient. I will not apologize for the gifts the Force and my own efforts have given me, sir, when I can use those gifts to help others."

"Indeed." Chokvtk let his arms relax to his sides, then slowly reached out with one finger to tilt Laysha's head up. He stared down into her eyes for a long silent moment. "Perhaps there is room in the Order for a Jedi like you after all if we can get your master to learn how to make both of you have a little more respect for tradition. Just don't think that means I won't still be keeping an eye on you." He nodded to himself as he dropped his hand. "Master Jhuvb, there is a question to resolve in regard to Padawan Vik's promotion to senior padawan."

The shaggy Verelon stirred. "Technically, she did not complete the final exercise."

Qui-Gon leaned forward to hear the soft voice.

"On the other hand, she did well on most of the other examinations. At least one of her results will no doubt be the topic of many conversations for quite a while." There were several smiles around the table at the indirect reference to Laysha's spectacular aerials. "Padawan Vik displayed highly commendable traits during her final challenge, and I believe I can speak for the entire promotion committee in recommending her, without reservation, for promotion to senior padawan with her peers tomorrow."

A burst of elation over the training bond made Qui-Gon grin. He looked at Laysha and her grin was just as wide.

Chokvtk looked back at Laysha. "May we safely assume that this would be acceptable to you, Padawan Vik?"

"Yes, Master Chokvtk." Laysha managed to turn down the wattage of her beaming smile far enough to be merely luminous. "That would be quite acceptable. Thank you, sir."

"Very well." The Councilor turned to the head of padawan discipline. "Master Hichuri, please ensure that appropriate action is taken for Padawan K'lun's transgressions."

"Yes, Master Chokvtk."

"I believe our business here is concluded. Thank you for your participation." Chokvtk rose, nodded to the group as the rest stood, then left.

Qui-Gon watched happily as Laysha bounced over and perched on the edge of the table next to him as the others departed.

Master Frayma stopped on her way out. "Congratulations, Padawan Vik. I shall look forward to seeing you at the promotion ceremony tomorrow."

"Thank you, Master Frayma. That was very nice of you to speak up for me," said Laysha.

"Yes, we both appreciate what you did," added Qui-Gon.

"It was the right thing to do. You worked very hard to reach this milestone." Frayma smiled. "Now you will have the opportunity to work even harder to reach your next goal." She nodded as she turned to leave. "May the Force be with you."

"And with you," said Qui-Gon and Laysha in unison.

Qui-Gon turned to his apprentice. "I thought you handled that rather well for the most part, Padawan. Did you know what was in K'lun's statement?"

"No, Master, but I've known him a long time." Laysha shrugged. "He's always been a sneaky varnch and quite insecure. In any event, I suspected that he was going to try something stupid."

"You certainly made quite an impression on Master Chokvtk." Qui-Gon shook his head admiringly. "I will admit that I didn't expect that."

"I tried to use what you taught me about dealing with other beings, Master."

"Which piece of my infinite wisdom was that, Padawan?"

"The bit about 'observe, evaluate, then interact', Master." Laysha sniggered. "You know, the one you always complained about Master Drenjaq trying to drum into your head."

Qui-Gon laughed. "It does seem to have worked."

"Seriously, though, Master, I have tried to learn from you," said Laysha. "I knew Master Chokvtk has never really liked me because he didn't think I could be serious about being a proper Jedi. As soon as I heard the things K'lun accused me of, I knew that my best course of action was to be completely honest because Master Chokvtk really hates lying and cheating." She shrugged one shoulder as she grinned ruefully. "I almost ruined everything when I laughed, but I just couldn't believe Urok had said such incredibly stupid things."

"It came out alright in the end, my cheeky little padawan." Qui-Gon stood up and ruffled the fur on top of Laysha's head. "Tomorrow we'll be able to add a second golden fermon to your ear to signify your new status." He hugged Laysha hard. "I'm very proud of you and very happy for you."

Laysha leaned back from the hug, her hands on Qui-Gon's shoulders. "I noticed you didn't get off the hook with Master Chokvtk, Master. We need to heed his command, don't you think?"

"And what was that, Padawan?"

"You need to make sure we follow traditions more respectfully, Master." Laysha's eyes glinted mischievously. "There's a full moon tonight, and we have a tradition of our own to observe for this momentous occasion."

Qui-Gon released Laysha, stepped back and pulled himself up to his full height. "Padawan Laysha Vik," he intoned seriously, "would you allow me to join you in expressing our joy in the Force tonight and celebrating your promotion to senior padawan by dancing under the moonlight?" He bowed deeply.

Laysha slipped off the table and bowed in return. "It would be my honor and very profound pleasure, Master Jinn."

They both grinned before turning to leave, proceeding sedately down the hall as their bond sang with elation.

"I'm sorry. The wounds are too severe and his system is going into shock; all I can do now is ease his passing," said Qui-Gon sadly. The hot afternoon sun beat down on the back of his neck as he bowed his head.

Black eyes too angry for tears looked down at the youth cradled in the Jedi master's arms. "He would have been fifteen in a few days," she said distantly. "He was going to be a pilot and fly among the stars. Now all those dreams are wasted..."

"Shett, I told you we shouldna tried to run, Theela," moaned a thin man in dirty coveralls. "They're gonna find us and kill us all, kill us dead dead -"

"Shut it, Merko!" snarled the woman. "The Combiners have killed too many people for too long with their damned drugs and whores and dirty money. Now they're going to pay, and pay big." A long finger tapped a scarred forehead. "The stuff I have in here will blow them apart."

"If you live long enough to tell it, you mean," whined her companion.

"If you're so fracking scared, run back to those bastards." Theela gave a disgusted snort.

"Mommsa? What's wrong with Neevo?" came a small voice.

Theela turned to the young girl and picked her up. "He's not well, Dineya. He is going to join the Three Spirits." She rocked her daughter as she said very softly to Qui-Gon, "Please, do what you can for him. It's not right that he should suffer any more in this life."

Qui-Gon nodded. He waited until the woman knelt and briefly pressed her fingers to the boy's cheek, then watched her walk away, still holding the girl. Qui-Gon laid Neevo's body out on the soft grass under the tall trees and used a trickle of healing power to keep the final pain at bay until he felt the life pass.

"Master, I've checked the area and it's clear for now, but I don't think it will stay that way very long. They've been close on our trail the last three days and it's never been more than five or six hours before they've found us again." Laysha kept a wary eye on the surrounding forest even as she gave her report.

"I suspect you're right, Padawan." Qui-Gon winced as he stood.

"How bad is your leg, Master?" asked Laysha quietly.

There was silence as Qui-Gon motioned to his apprentice to follow him. He limped as he made his way to a fallen tree and sat down. He looked up to ensure they were out of earshot of the others as Laysha sat next to him.

"It's not so much the blaster burn as it is the damage to my knee, especially the ligaments. We can't afford to take the time to let it rest, and it's getting worse."

"Perhaps I could take some of your weight, Master, or try to find some kind of transport," said Laysha. "We've got to find a way to get Theela off the planet."

"I agree that it is imperative that we get her back to the authorities, Padawan. The Chokren Combine is one of the biggest criminal gangs in the sector and controls the drug trade for dozens of planets. I believe what Theela knows about their inner workings truly could bring the whole thing down." Qui-Gon turned to his apprentice and took her hand. "It is because this is so important that I must ask you to take her and what is left of her family and get them back to Coruscant."

"Of course we'll get them back safely, Master. That's our mission."

"No, Padawan, YOU have to take them back." Qui-Gon looked into the green eyes of his apprentice. The sudden spike of apprehension over their bond bit at his gut. "By yourself."

"I can't leave you here, Master," said Laysha, her hand tightening on Qui-Gon's. "They'll find you and hurt you."

"Even with the child along slowing us down, in a day or two I won't be able to keep up, and with the need to use a very circuitous route to avoid capture it's at least a five to six day walk to where the ship is hidden." Qui-Gon's heart was heavy with the difficulty of his decision, but he knew he had no choice. "It won't be easy, but I know you can get them home safely. I will be of more use covering your tracks and leading them away as a decoy."

"But, Master -"

"Laysha Vik, you've been a senior padawan for over a year now. You've done things you wouldn't have believed you could do when you were an initiate, or even a junior padawan, and you've worked independently many times." Qui-Gon reached over and traced the fresh scars that ran down the back of her neck and disappeared under her tunic, then rested his hand on her shoulder. "We are Jedi, and we have to trust each other and trust in the Force, no matter how difficult the task. You must leave me here - let me do my duty so you can finish our mission. I believe in you, that you can do this, and I trust you to do this. Do you believe in yourself, Padawan?"

The green eyes deepened to a brilliant emerald, mirroring the resolve Qui-Gon felt over their bond. He watched as Laysha stood and straightened to her full height, shoulders squared. Pride and fear for her safety competed inside him, but his respect for her recognition of their mutual dedication to the Force won out.

"I am a Jedi, Master," said Laysha quietly, her head high. "I will do my duty."

"Your mission ends when you get our guests back to Coruscant or you are relieved by another Jedi. May the Force be with you in this endeavor, Padawan." A grave smile graced Qui-Gon's lips as he stood and bowed. "Now let us finalize our plan and inform Theela."

"Yes, Master." Laysha stepped closer and touched Qui-Gon's hand. "Don't go getting yourself killed, Master. I will be back for you after I complete our mission."

"I believe you will, Padawan." Qui-Gon's smile turned a bit mischievous. "Don't worry, I'll try very hard to stay in one piece until you return."

The cell door crashed shut with a resounding clang. "Don't go anywhere, Jedi," gibed the guard with a nasal laugh at his own joke. "Turn on the juice," he yelled. There was a brief crackle, then a low hum as current flowed through the grid of heavy metal bars that made up the wall of the cell along the short hall. Bootsteps clunked on the plascrete floor, followed by the heavy thud of the exit slab.

Qui-Gon lay on the hard ledge that passed for a bunk where the guards had dumped him. For several minutes he simply concentrated on breathing and letting the pain wash through him, trying to release his feelings to the Force. That connection was becoming increasingly difficult to sustain; he had been heavily dosed with truth serum and sedative drugs when he first arrived, and although he had been able to metabolize most of the initial injections he suspected there were more drugs in his meager rations that partially repressed his ability to feel the Force. He put an arm over his eyes to shut out the intensely bright light that was always on.

Time passed slowly as Qui-Gon let his mind wander backwards. He remembered the poignant moment when he had departed from his padawan. Once she had set her mind to the task, she had taken charge in a very matter-of-fact way, organizing her little group, pressing his arm in a final brief farewell and marching off into the forest with her charges. Qui-Gon had watched until they disappeared, reflecting on how far Laysha had come, and thinking a bit sadly of how little time they still would have together before she was likely knighted, assuming they both survived.

The next three days had passed in a blur. Constantly on the move, albeit increasingly slowly, Qui-Gon had covered the tracks of their journey and led the minions of the Chokren Combine on a merry chase. He had taken advantage of waterways wherever he could to move faster, leaving traps and striking randomly, making sure his lightsaber was prominently displayed so there was no doubt about who their tormenter was. For one wonderful night he had managed to hijack a small transport and rest his painful leg as he sped down back roads, always heading further away from the ship Laysha was making for. Unfortunately, that transport had also been his downfall as it had been spotted and drawn the attention of several large groups of Combiners. After Qui-Gon abandoned it, he had not been able to run nearly fast enough to escape and had been captured.

Qui-Gon had to concentrate to count the next days. After he had been brought to what appeared to be a headquarters of some sort, they seemed to blur together in a series of urgent and painful interrogations at all hours. The topic was always the same - where was Theela Hoptanoru. The first two days he had been beaten with fists and a belt, his injured knee savagely twisted, but a new chief interrogator had taken over late on the second day. His preferred methods were electric shocks and dunkings in a tub of icy water. Qui-Gon counted carefully in his head, finally deciding this must be his ninth, or perhaps tenth, day in the sterile, windowless hole. He carefully flexed his knee, thankful that the change of grilling tactics had at least allowed some healing to start in his leg, although his body still displayed a colorful rainbow of fading bruises.

"Hey, frackin' Jedi, you wanna eat, you come and get it or I throw it out." One guard shook a metal bowl while another stood well back.

All too familiar with the drill by now, Qui-Gon knew the guard was quite serious. He cautiously hauled himself up and limped toward the door. Fortunately the cell was small and he only had to take six small shuffling steps as the chains connecting his wrist and ankle cuffs jangled. Qui-Gon waited as the bowl was carefully slid through the opening in the bottom of door, then picked it up and began shoveling the bland gruel into his mouth with his hand. He ate quickly, warily watching the guards as they impatiently tapped their electrorods against their boots. He had learned that the second guard, tall and swarthy, would use the rod on the slightest provocation; the man had also twice taken advantage of unwatched moments to grope Qui-Gon's genitals and buttocks, the last time whispering obscenely in his ear what he was going to do to the fracking Jedi after the interrogator was finished with him.

"Come on, come on, we haven't got all day."

Qui-Gon tipped the bowl up to get the last drops, then pushed it back under the bars, careful to avoid the electrified metal. He straightened and watched as the guards paused to check the panel of lights and switches beside the exit to the outer corridor before departing. Drops of sweat meandered down Qui-Gon's face as he licked his fingers; the place was hot and dry, probably due to the power generators which roared constantly somewhere on the other side of the walls. The temperature made the fact that he wore only a pair of ripped leggings tolerable, but that and the salty food also kept him thirsty. He glanced up and down the short hall of what he had determined must be a high security area in the bowels of the building. The last occupants of the other three cells had been removed a few days earlier, but Qui-Gon had heard screams and sobs coming from behind other closed doors during his trips back and forth from the interrogation rooms. He sighed and shambled to the front corner of his cell which held the round floor opening that sucked away waste and the small spigot which released a miserly trickle of water. Patiently he waited for the dribble of fluid to collect in one palm so he could get a drink, then repeated the process several times. His thirst finally somewhat slaked, he returned to his bunk to rest.

Another round of questioning, this one far more intense than usual, left Qui-Gon moaning and writhing in pain from the repeated shocks to various parts of his body. Stomach and bladder emptied under the waves of agony as no part of his anatomy was left untouched, leaving him as empty in body as he felt his soul becoming. Qui-Gon lost count of the number of times he was pushed under freezing water until he blacked out, then wakened and shocked again. Once he had gasped out that Theela had been taken off planet he had nothing left to tell, but the questions continued, pounding into his head until the interrogator finally stopped and had the barely conscious Jedi carried back.

"Aaahhh," groaned Qui-Gon softly. He hadn't even bothered trying to get to his bunk after the guards threw him into his cell, but had lain on the floor in a fetal position, shaking and clutching his arms to his chest. Almost an hour passed before he was able to tentatively unwind in the heat. Qui-Gon rolled onto his back, looked at the bunk and decided it wasn't worth the effort to try to get up since it wasn't any more comfortable than where he already was. He closed his eyes and let his thoughts float free.

An itch in his head eventually forced Qui-Gon's eyes open. He stared up at the dirty white ceiling trying to make sense of this odd sensation. It came again, an odd tickle. Qui-Gon scrunched his brows as he tried to catch the elusive sensation.

"Force!" whispered Qui-Gon. "Laysha?"

An amused ripple of approval drifted over the training bond.

Qui-Gon let a smile tug one corner of his mouth upward. His padawan had come for him!

The initial wash of elation kept the half-smile on Qui-Gon's face for quite a while. He let himself relax, drowsing in the subdued warmth flowing over the bond. At one level, he knew he was still in a thorny position, but his spirits had improved immensely with the knowledge that Laysha was somewhere in the vicinity.

His physical well-being improved also as he rested. Qui-Gon's curiosity began tugging at him, leading him to wonder just what sort of plan his apprentice was hatching. He carefully sat up. His cell was closest to the exit; as he looked around, the heavy door, solid walls and electrified bars seemed depressingly difficult to escape from.

The unmistakable sound of a lightsaber on a low setting drew Qui-Gon's attention to the entrance. At first he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, but when he looked upward he saw a blue light steadily making its way around the edges of a ventilation grill welded above the door. He wondered for a moment if he was seeing things; it was a small opening, surely much less than a meter per side and he wasn't sure even his supple apprentice could fit through it. Qui-Gon watched, fascinated by the progress of the sputtering cutline. When the grill was freed, it was pulled back into the darkness of the shaft.

When a familiar face appeared in the opening Qui-Gon tried to call out, but his throat was still raw from his screams during his torture and only a hoarse croak came out.

Laysha put a finger to her lips. She said in a low voice, "Guards are coming soon, Master. When the outer door opens, make a distraction, okay?"

Qui-Gon nodded as he raised one hand in salute. He settled back and began considering how he could carry out his apprentice's request. There were no loose items in the cell, not even a blanket or cup, and he didn't have enough voice left for a decent yell. He tilted his head sideways as he stared at the bars, then smiled with an inspiration. Qui-Gon tore a long strip of cloth from what was left of his leggings, carried it to the spigot and held the control down to let water slowly drip onto the cloth.

His thumb felt numb by the time he finally heard the warning groan of the heavy exit slab beginning to grind open. Qui-Gon gathered his cloth - it wasn't soaked through but he hoped it would be wet enough to do the job. He shuffled to a position near his cell door where he had a good view of anyone coming in. The seconds seemed to stretch out interminably as he waited; he risked one quick glance at Laysha, who smiled and nodded.

The familiar guards entered, one approaching the cell and the other stopping by the control panel. As the exit slab gradually closed, Qui-Gon threw his wet cloth at the electrified bars, then stepped back from the highly satisfying sparking and spitting display.

Both guards jerked their heads toward the noise. Laysha swooped down from the ventilation shaft opening onto the back of the tall guard and put him down with one quick wrench of his neck. Before the other guard could react she was already on him, punching swiftly to groin and chest in a rapid staccato punctuated by a final blow to his head as she leapt high in the air. She went to the control panels and manipulated several switches.

The hum of electricity from the bars died and the cell door slowly swung open. Qui-Gon waited as Laysha used a Force tug to retrieve a bag from the ventilation shaft and came toward him.

"It's good to see you, Padawan," rasped Qui-Gon as he looked at his apprentice, who was clad only in leggings, singlet and belt.

"You didn't think I was going to let anyone else rescue you, did you, Master?" Laysha grinned, then took a critical stare up and down Qui-Gon, her grin turning to an unhappy frown. "You've certainly looked better, though." She waved a hand. "Sit down and let's get those cuffs off."

"Yes, Padawan." Qui-Gon smiled as he complied. As Laysha pulled a lock pick from her utility belt, he asked, "Did you get Theela back to Coruscant?"

"We had a few close calls and some delays, but we made it to the ship, Master," said Laysha as she worked. "That idiot Merko almost turned back at the end, so I had to be a bit forceful getting him on the ship. Everything went fine once we got off-planet, though, and I delivered them to the Temple as ordered. You can read about it in the mission report after we get back." She smiled when the last cuff opened.

"Ah, thank you, that feels much better," sighed Qui-Gon as he rubbed his wrists. He looked thoughtfully at his apprentice before he continued in a gravelly whisper, "Did you have any problems getting permission to come back, Padawan?"

"Um... that's a bit complicated." Laysha looked away as she put her lockpick back in her belt pouch.

"Padawan, what did you do?" Qui-Gon held Laysha's shoulder.

"The Council asked Master Drenjaq to find somebody to come rescue you. Reej was home, and he went to Master Drenjaq and demanded to be allowed to go. Master Drenjaq agreed, but said he had to go alone." Laysha cleared her throat. "I stowed away on Reej's ship. He wasn't very happy about it when he found out, but I pointed out that I was already familiar with the planet, Theela had told me about the places they were most likely to take you, I could find you through our bond and that if we had to get inside I was a lot better at getting into tight places."

"And he agreed to let you go inside, just like that?" asked Qui-Gon, eyes narrowed suspiciously. He knew Reej would normally have been adamant that he would be the one to retrieve his old friend, despite his affection for Laysha.

"Well, he wanted to send me back or at least make me stay on the ship, so I pointed out that padawanship trumps friendship and threatened to cut off his balls if he didn't let me go in to get you," said Laysha blandly.

"Padawan! You didn't!"

"Well, I do like him, and after I thought about it, I realized that you would probably prefer him to have his balls intact, so I relented and told him I would only kick him really, really hard." Laysha shrugged. "He acquiesced, not very gracefully, so here I am."

"Padawan..." Qui-Gon sighed and shook his head, not wanting to think about the earful he was undoubtedly going to get from both Reej and Master Drenjaq and probably even the Council about his little hellion of an apprentice. "As long as you are here, do you have a plan to get us back out? I'm certainly not going to be able to leave the way you came in."

"Yes, Master. I would have gotten to you sooner, but I've spent most of the last two day days crawling around maintenance and ventilation shafts. That's why I left my uniform back on the ship." Laysha began rummaging in the bag she had brought. "I have a way out, and Reej is outside stealing a transport to get us to the ship. I brought medical supplies since I didn't know what condition you would be in." She paused, her lips pursed, then gently reached to touch Qui-Gon's arm. "I saw and heard some of the things these bastards were doing to people. I'm sorry you had to go through that, Master."

"Hazards of the job, Padawan. I'll get over it." Qui-Gon pulled Laysha in for a loose hug. "You finished the mission, and you're here now. That's all I care about it."

"Right." Laysha looked up, then smiled. "Let's get you fixed up and I'll explain what we need to do."

Qui-Gon stood and stripped off the remnants of his leggings. Laysha gave him a large container of a high-protein stimulant drink which he gratefully drank as she applied bacta to his cuts and sores, then placed an air support around his knee and carefully inflated it.

"There, that should help you to be able to walk," said Laysha. She pulled one more item out and handed it to her master. "Thought you might like to have one of these."

"Thank you." Qui-Gon grasped the lightsaber, turned it on and swung it a few times before shutting it off. "What's next?"

Laysha was rummaging through the pockets of the dead guards. She straightened up with two flat objects in her hand. "Electronic card keys - as far as I could tell these should open most of the doors. You need to put on the uniform from this big one. Everyone I've seen so far has short hair, but if you stuff your hair under the cap, you should be able to pass a casual inspection. You're going to go out along the corridors and down four levels." Laysha pulled a thin map from a belt pouch. "I've found a maintenance shaft you should be able to easily get through which will lead us to an opening I've cut in the shaft to get us out into the sewer system. It's a little smelly, but we can follow the sewers to where Reej is supposed to be waiting with a transport."

"Sounds pretty straightforward," said Qui-Gon as he began stripping the guard's body and putting on the uniform. "Are you going to pose as my prisoner?"

"No, Master. That would be too conspicuous, so I'm going back through the ventilation system." Laysha handed the map to Qui-Gon. "I'll meet you near the entrance to the maintenance shaft."

"I've only seen a small part of the building. Anything in particular I should know about?" Qui-Gon studied the sheet, noting the location of stairways, lifts and control points.

"It's getting to be pretty late at night, so there shouldn't be very much activity. The most dangerous part will be in the immediate area on this floor that you've already seen part of; the corridor outside this door is very long with a lot of doors which I found were to holding areas and interrogation rooms where there's something happening almost all the time." Laysha stopped.

Qui-Gon looked up as the silence continued. "Padawan, that's over. We will get out."

"Yes, Master." Laysha took a deep breath. "You're right, of course." She shook herself. "Once you get down a couple of levels I seldom saw very many people. It's mostly storage and maintenance areas." She paused. "I guess I should mention that we need to be out of the building within the next hour."

"Why is that?"

"I thought we might want a diversion, so I planted some explosives in several places, mostly near their power generators, and put stink bombs in some of the main air shafts." Laysha grinned. "Don't worry, they're not big bombs. I just wanted to make things interesting."

"Thank you for that information." Qui-Gon shoved his hair under the black uniform hat. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes, Master. I'll be moving parallel to the main corridor until just before the lifts, then dropping down an air shaft. See you downstairs." Laysha used a Force-enhanced jump to get back into the ventilation duct and was quickly out of sight.

Qui-Gon slipped his lightsaber up the sleeve of the loose uniform shirt and held the key card in his left hand. He took three slow, deep breaths, then activated the exit.

Walking slowly and deliberately proved to be quite simple. Although the brace helped a great deal, there was still significant damage to his knee. Qui-Gon moved sedately down the right side of the corridor. His seemingly casual pace took him gradually toward his goal, a nondescript door several meters past the main lifts. He avoided eye contact with the two guards who passed him heading in the other direction.

There were only a few more doors to pass when a lift opened and five men came out. Qui-Gon's pulse jumped, although there was no outward sign that he recognized the visage that had tormented him the last several days. He saw that vicious face begin shifting toward him - Qui-Gon slowed his breathing and concentrated on summoning enough Force power to nudge the man's thoughts away. His feet carried him automatically down the hall as Qui-Gon focused his attention on that one effort, his weakened state making it a difficult task. As he drew abreast of the group, the interrogator shook his head and continued on a straight path. Qui-Gon was almost past when the rear guard, an older man with stripes on his sleeve, looked directly at him.

"Hey, you! I know everybody in this building, but who the frack are you?" the man barked. "I wanna see some ID right now!"

As the others turned, Qui-Gon's eyes met the flat grey orbs of the interrogator. He saw the flash of recognition even as he shook the lightsaber down into his hand. The blade hissed into life as a shout rang out.

The guards were seasoned professionals and knew better than to rush blindly forward. Qui-Gon backed slowly down the corridor as they cautiously advanced, his lightsaber held high in a defensive stance. He heard an alarm begin blaring and spared a glance to note additional men coming from two doorways.

Step by step, Qui-Gon continued his cautious retreat. He was debating whether or not to attempt to scuttle backwards; every second he delayed increased the risk of more opponents emerging from the lifts. The decision was taken from his hands when blaster shots began zhizzing around him.

The next minute seemed to last forever. The burning air sizzled with a kaleidoscope of fiery energy bolts attempting to converge on the embattled Jedi. Qui-Gon kept a wall behind him, trying to move crabwise as he repelled shot after shot. He was tiring rapidly; he had limited reserves left after his recent abuse and was beginning to feel the strain.

A low hum announced the imminent opening of a lift door. Four large men charged out, blasters blazing. Qui-Gon tried to move faster but stopped short when he felt a surge of Force energy. The lead guard lurched and fell into the other three, his blaster firing wildly into the original group. The next moment a ventilation grill exploded and a whirlwind burst out, lightsaber spinning.

"Run, Master!"

Qui-Gon didn't hesitate. He made his best speed toward the escape door as the cacophony behind him rapidly died away. He pulled out the key card and slipped it into the slot, then shoved the door open. He held it ajar until a small figure slipped through.

"There will be more of them on their way, Master." Laysha reached high to plunge her lightsaber into the lock mechanism to disable it. "I slashed the power cables to the lifts just before I came out to help you and melting the lock will keep them from following us down here for a while, but the alarm is surely spreading throughout the building and they'll be checking the other floors."

"Thank you again, Padawan." Qui-Gon leaned against the wall, breathing heavily as pain lanced up his leg.

"Master?" Laysha turned and put a hand gently on her master's wrist. Her eyes were dark with concern. "We've still got a long way to go. What can I do to help?"

"Just keep leading the way, Padawan," said Qui-Gon grimly. "I'll do whatever is necessary to get out of here."

"Yes, Master." Laysha looked up Qui-Gon for a long moment, then said softly, "We need to move, Master."

Qui-Gon nodded and pushed off from the wall. He clenched his jaw as pain shot through him again, took a slow, deep breath, then started walking forward. "After you, Padawan."

Another long look. A nod. "Yes, Master."

Laysha set a moderate but steady pace. After each door they passed through she disabled the lock before they headed down the stairs. The first two sets of stairs were broad plascrete; the third rubber over metal. Qui-Gon concentrated on one step at a time, pushing the pain down into a lower level of consciousness.

They stopped before proceeding down the fourth set, a narrow set of open-grid metal treads. Qui-Gon bent over, hands on his thighs, resting his leg as he took several deep breaths. He looked up when a low rumble shook the floor. The lights flickered several times before going out, to be replaced by a dim red glow of emergency bulbs high on the wall.

"I think perhaps the timer on the explosives was running awfully fast, Master." Laysha gave an apologetic half-smile.

"Or you set it wrong, Padawan," said Qui-Gon dryly. His nostrils flared as a sulfuric odor wafted through the air. "I thought you said the stink bombs were small?"

"Small is a relative term, Master." Laysha grinned. "That's nothing to what the sewer smells like, though. Shall we go?"

"Sounds like I have something to look forward to," muttered Qui-Gon with a grimace. "Let's move."

At the base of the stairs Laysha turned left and led Qui-Gon to a row of maintenance hatches. She opened the third one from the end and motioned to Qui-Gon to follow. It was a large shaft, almost two meters high for the first hundred meters. Qui-Gon was able to walk bent over until they came to a fork in the shaft. Laysha ignited her lightsaber so Qui-Gon could trail behind her through the narrowed passage. Two more forks, and Qui-Gon was crawling along on two hands and one knee.

"How much further, Padawan?" Qui-Gon leaned against the metal side. A foul odor was growing stronger.

"Almost there, Master. Wait here a moment and let me make sure the way out is clear."

Qui-Gon was happy to rest and try to let the throbbing in his knee subside a bit. It seemed as if no time at all passed before his apprentice was back and motioning to him to follow. He sighed and started forward.

"Right here, Master." Laysha stopped and looked at Qui-Gon. "You might want to put this around your face; the breathers don't do anything to stop the smell. When I push the plate away that I cut out, the stink will get a lot more intense." She began putting on a pair of tall waterproof boots she had stashed in the shaft.

"Joy," muttered Qui-Gon as he wrapped the large cloth around his lower face. The odor was already quite pungent and he wasn't looking forward to the last part of their excursion.

"Here goes!"

Laysha shoved the section of metal she had previously sliced open; it fell away with a loud clatter and she darted out into the darkness, her lightsaber held high.

Partway through the opening Qui-Gon had to stop as he gagged on the incredibly foul air. "Force!" he gasped. "Is this where they've dumped all the bodies for the last twenty years?" He coughed and retched.

"It is pretty nasty," said Laysha, her voice muffled by the cloth around her own face. "Are you going to be alright, Master? The air isn't nearly as bad further upstream once we get away from the foundations of the building. This was the closest point I could find where I figured they wouldn't be looking for us."

"Pfagh! Nasty has to the understatement of the century!" Qui-Gon breathed as shallowly as he could while he maneuvered through the opening. He repressed a curse as his stolen boots sank into a squishy morass. "Let's just get out of here."

Qui-Gon ignited his lightsaber and tagged along as Laysha pushed on. The sewers were old, dank and dark, the curving walls just over Qui-Gon's head covered in dimly seen dripping growth that he had no desire to investigate. The clinging mire slowed their progress and sent spikes of pain up his leg at each step, while incredibly foul bubbles of putrid air marked the path behind him. They plowed through the muck for almost six hundred meters before they hit a junction with a larger channel. The entire way there were unseen skitterings trailing them.

"Wait here a moment, Master." Laysha cautiously began edging around the corner. "I ran across some rather outsized rodents when I came in this way. This area seems to be a favored feeding ground."

Raising his weapon, Qui-Gon kept watch behind them. He heard two deep grunts, the zwoosh of a lightsaber and a number of squeals that were abruptly cut off. A moment later there were several splashes.

"It should be clear for a bit now," said Laysha cheerfully as she waved her 'saber. "The air's better this way, too."

"Thank the Force for small favors," rasped Qui-Gon as he moved around into the main passageway. It was at least three times his height with a one-meter ledge along each side and a wide malodorous stream of murky fluid down the center. A few dim orange lights overhead gave the place a sinister feel. He cautiously took a breath; although still very rank, the air was a decided improvement. "How far do we still have to go, Padawan?"

"It's about three kilometers to the point where Reej is hiding with the transport. We had agreed that if you can't make it, though, I'm supposed to comm Reej and he'll come to us with a gravsled." Laysha looked up gravely. "I have to point out we're still in range of their monitoring gear, but Reej and I will do whatever you need to get you out of here. I can comm him or I can leave you here and fetch him."

"No, I don't want to take any unnecessary risks," said Qui-Gon with a shake of his head. "We can make it."

"Yes, Master."

Qui-Gon heard the worry in her voice that matched the frazzled edge leaking over their training bond. "Padawan, we're Jedi, remember?" He let a smile light his face. "The Force will help us."

"Yes, Master." Confident voice this time, an answering smile graced Laysha's lips. "Let's go."

The next hour seemed to last forever. Qui-Gon concentrated on moving one foot at a time along the slimy ledge, his lightsaber held downward to light his way. He let Laysha clear their path.

The rustlings in the dark and occasional echoing glurp from the putrid stream went unheeded. Step by step, Qui-Gon persevered. His connection to the Force seemed to grow stronger as his body grew weaker; if he had had the energy to spare to think about it, Qui-Gon would have suspected that his apprentice was surreptitiously feeding him some of her power over their bond. Slowly the meters turned to kilometers as they passed by occasional side tunnels adding their effluvia to the flow. Qui-Gon had long since become inured to the stench.

"Master!"

Qui-Gon stopped short at the hissed command. He glanced around, but this place seemed little different than any other they had passed. He looked up, tracing the line of a metal-runged ladder until it ended in a round plate. Qui-Gon turned his attention to his apprentice as she keyed in a sequence on her comm.

"Shett!"

"What's wrong, Padawan?" Qui-Gon leaned against a wall and slid down to sit with his legs outstretched.

"Reej sent back the 'danger - stop' sequence." Laysha came over and sat next to her master. "There are probably more patrols out there. For a criminal organization, they operate an awful lot like a military outfit."

"The Combine is big enough to have its own army, and too big not to enforce military-style discipline." Qui-Gon let his head fall back. "Sloppiness is detrimental to profits."

"Yes, Master."

The two Jedi waited in silence. The minutes ticked away, Qui-Gon almost dozing as the pain subsided for the first time since he had left his cell. He jerked his head up when Laysha poked him in the side.

"All clear, Master." Laysha pointed up to where the metal plate was grating slowly open.

With a final wrench, a circle of yellowish light appeared overhead. A figure in a dark coverall sped down the ladder and hurried over while Laysha jumped to her feet.

"Good job, short stuff," said Reej as he knelt down and hugged his friend. "Force, it's great to see you again, Qui."

"And you, too." Qui-Gon returned the hug but made no move to stand up.

Reej leaned back on his heels and frowned. "Qui, how badly are you injured?"

"It's mostly my leg." Qui-Gon reached up to touch his lover's cheek. "Don't worry, I can crawl if that's what it takes to get out of this miserable place."

"I need a straight answer, Qui. You were in there a ten, and the Combiners don't play nice." Reej stood up and put his hands on his hips. "The bastards have been running a lot of random patrols the last few hours, probably because of what you two stirred up. If you can't run, or at least walk awfully damned fast, I need to adjust our plan."

"I saw how badly you were beaten, Master," said Laysha quietly, "and I can feel how close you are to the edge."

"Laysha's right. My leg is badly damaged, and I'm surprised it's held up this far, even with the splint." Qui-Gon nodded, almost to himself. "They used drugs, and beatings, then a lot of electroshock. Several times a day. I don't have full use of the Force yet. I CAN move, just not very fast."

"Any internal injuries? Or did they..." Reej paused delicately.

"No, on both counts." Qui-Gon knew full well what Reej was referring to. He smiled at Laysha. "My padawan rescued me before things got that far."

"Good." Reej patted Qui-Gon's shoulder. "Alright, this is what we'll do. I'm going back to get the transport and will signal when I get there. Short stuff, you wait just at the top of the ladder - comm me when Qui is ready or if you see a patrol. When I get your signal, I'll bring the transport down the street and stop to pick you up, then we'll head out of town. Qui, take your time getting up the ladder. Any questions?"

Qui-Gon and Laysha both shook their heads.

"May the Force be with you." Reej nodded and left.

Laysha helped Qui-Gon to his feet, they smiled at each other, then Laysha went up the ladder to wait. Qui-Gon slowly limped to the base of the steps. He stood quietly for a minute, gathering himself, then began the arduous journey upward, rung by rung, using only his hands and his good leg. He was sweating by the time he reached the spot just under his apprentice, but make it he did and tapped Laysha's boot to let her know he was ready to go.

In the end, the last part of their departure proved almost anticlimactic. Reej puttered slowly up the street in a battered delivery transporter, then stopped and pretended to work on something under the hood long enough for Laysha to haul Qui-Gon up and help him into the back, both of them hiding behind a large stack of boxes. They passed three patrols, but only one stopped them for a cursory inspection. After driving steadily for twelve hours they reached the badlands where their spaceship was hidden and took off.

"There we go, Master." Laysha patted the fresh bacta dressing on Qui-Gon's knee, then pulled up the blanket over him as he drowsed in the bunk. "Reej will get us back to Coruscant and the healers will have you back to normal in no time."

"Padawan," said Qui-Gon softly, his throat still sore.

"Yes, Master?"

Qui-Gon reached for Laysha's hand and held it. "I know I asked you to do some difficult things on this mission, but you did them very well. And I wanted to thank you for rescuing me," he smiled ruefully, "even if your methods have probably earned me a stern lecture after we get back."

"Thank you, Master. We're Jedi, helping others is what we do." Laysha grinned. "Besides, I just thought about what you would do if you were in my position, Master, and acted accordingly."

"Please don't tell Master Chokvtk that, Padawan, or I'll definitely never hear the end of it." Qui-Gon shook his head as Laysha laughed.

"Yes, Master," said Laysha, her grin even broader.

Qui-Gon drifted off to sleep, his last sight his padawan's tender smile and his last memory her small figure settling in to watch over him.

A loud thump sounded from behind the closed door.

Qui-Gon looked up from the datapads scattered across the table in the common room of the quarters he shared with his apprentice. He shook his head as there was another muffled thump and giggle from the room of said apprentice where she and her friend were ostensibly studying; for the last hour she and Padawan Grenvit Reemok had been suspiciously quiet and the training bond was locked down tightly. He was of two minds about taking a break from preparing for the seminar he had to teach the next morning when the door chime sounded.

"Master Frayma, it's good to see you." Qui-Gon smiled as he welcomed the training master in. "I was just about to make a pot of tea. Would you like some?"

"That would be kind, thank you."

"Did you also want to speak with Laysha?"

"It's always nice to chat with one of my favorite padawans if she is in," replied Master Frayma.

"I'll pry her out of her room after I start the tea, if you'd like to have a seat," said Qui-Gon with a grin.

Frayma nodded graciously and went to claim the armchair.

Once the water was set to boil, Qui-Gon walked over and knocked on Laysha's door. There was a rustling, a faint "Ow, that's not healed yet" and "Where's my other boot?" Qui-Gon waited a moment, knocked again a little harder, and called, "Padawan, we have a guest."

"Yes, Master, coming."

It took another minute, but eventually two apprentices emerged from the room, more or less dressed in leggings, tunics, belts and boots. A white dressing peeked out from the edge of Laysha's left sleeve, a souvenir of their last mission.

"Please finish preparing the tea, Padawan."

"Yes, Master." Laysha brewed the tea while Gren prepared cups and a plate of sweet biscuits. He leaned down and whispered in Laysha's ear and she laughed as she whapped him with her tail, almost letting tea overflow the first cup.

Qui-Gon watched the byplay fondly from his seat at one end of the couch. He turned to Frayma and noticed she seemed to have a warmer glow than usual in her smile, and her eyes were bright with some inner excitement.

"They are good padawans," said Frayma softly.

Any reply Qui-Gon might have made was forestalled by the arrival of the tea. He helped himself to a couple of biscuits and waited a moment until the apprentices had settled themselves at the other end of couch. For several minutes there was a pleasant banter, but eventually Qui-Gon couldn't refrain from inquiring about their guest's striking vibrancy which was so far removed from her normal kind but formal demeanor.

"Master Frayma, you seem to be in remarkably good spirits tonight," said Qui-Gon lightly. "May I inquire as to the cause?"

"You may indeed, Master Jinn." Frayma took a sip of tea, a smile obviously struggling to turn into a full-fledged grin. She turned to face Laysha. "Padawan Vik, I have followed your career since you arrived at the Temple. It has been a very interesting, and, if you don't mind my saying so, at times quite entertaining journey through our staid little community."

"Thank you, Master Frayma." Laysha waggled her eyebrows while Gren tried to stifle a snerk beside her. "I have enjoyed the ride a great deal, even with such a horrible slavedriver for a master."

Qui-Gon laughed. "You don't make it easy, my little one. I still have trouble keeping up with your energy sometimes."

Laysha wrinkled her nose. "You know you love it, Master." She turned back and bowed to Frayma. "Seriously, though, Master Frayma, it has been a good journey, but I don't think we could have made it without your support. I do truly appreciate everything you have done for us."

"I second those sentiments," said Qui-Gon. "You have worked very hard on our behalf, and both of us are grateful."

"You have proven worthy of that support, and I have taken great pleasure in watching your progress," said Frayma. She carefully set her cup aside and folded her hands, a twinkle in her eyes. "I think that perhaps tonight I shall indulge myself in a little indiscretion to reward the prodigious effort you have put in."

"Master Frayma, what are you talking about?" Laysha tilted her head, clearly puzzled.

"It's a very tiny indiscretion, since you will receive official notification tomorrow," said Frayma. "Padawan Laysha Vik, it is my honor to inform you that you have been approved to participate in the next cycle of Trials for advancement to the rank of Jedi knight."

Qui-Gon felt a huge smile splitting his face at the incredible news. He had discussed the possibility with Yoda when he had submitted his recommendation after Laysha's last evaluation, but he had not honestly expected it to be approved. When he looked at the apprentices, it was difficult to tell which one had the more stunned expression, but there was no doubt about the flood of surprised elation pouring over the training bond.

"Force," breathed Laysha. "Trials? Really?"

"Really, Padawan Vik. You are entered in the next set starting in six tens," said Frayma, clearly enjoying the reactions her words had inspired.

"Master! Did you hear that? I'm going to take the Trials!" Laysha bounced over to Qui-Gon and wrapped him in a big hug.

"Yes, Padawan. It's wonderful," said Qui-Gon as he stood and swung Laysha around before hugging her back hard. "I am so happy for you."

Laysha wriggled free and ran to her friend. "Can you believe it, Gren? I'm going to take the Trials!"

"Uh, yeah, that's great," said Gren slowly. He was still looking taken aback. "Congratulations."

"Gren? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just having a little trouble taking it in." Gren bit his lower lip as he looked away. "I mean, it hasn't even been three full years since we both made senior... and now you're already talking about your Trials."

"Gren, I've worked my ass off and given up a lot to make it to this point, but I don't want to give you up," Laysha said, her face screwed up. "We'll still be friends, whether I pass or not."

"Will we?"

In the awkward silence that followed, Qui-Gon felt the sharp pain pulsing over the training bond. It was a special pain he hadn't felt from his apprentice in a long time, a pain of rejection and loneliness. While he was searching for words to ease that pain, Master Frayma broke the quiet.

"Padawan Reemok," Frayma said gently, "do you truly comprehend Padawan Vik's nature?"

"I don't think I understand, Master Frayma," said Gren uncertainly.

"I have known Padawan Vik since she was a small cub, barely able to crawl about but already getting into mischief," said Frayma with a fond smile. "Her people are not like those of most of the humanoid species who have been blessed with the gift of the Force; it is truly a rare event on Theris and we have had to learn to accommodate her life pattern of swift maturity and exceptionally short lifespan. The Force has given her many gifts: eidetic memory, physical skills, dedication, and a loving nature. In return, Padawan Vik has devoted her life to the Force, working extraordinarily hard and sacrificing much else that most of us take for granted. You, Padawan Reemok, are one of the few genuine friends she has had. If you are concerned that taking her Trials and perhaps becoming a knight will change that friendship, then you do not truly know her."

Gren swallowed hard, then hung his head.

"It's alright, Gren," said Laysha as she took a step back. There was a tremor in her voice. "I know there will still be some people saying a lot of unpleasant things about special privileges when this gets out. I'm used to it, but you shouldn't have to deal with my problems."

"No!" Gren looked up, his face pale but determined. "Friends don't desert friends, and I won't leave you. To be honest..." he stopped, swallowed again, "I was jealous when I heard you were going to get to take your Trials, knowing that it will still be several years before that opportunity will be offered to me. I think I understand now a little of what Urok felt all those years." Gren shuddered. "Force, that's an ugly way to feel and I'm ashamed of it." He held out a hand. "Laysha, I want to be your friend for as long as you'll have me, and I want to do whatever I can to help you get ready for your Trials."

"I'd like that, Gren." Laysha took the proferred hand. "I want to be your friend for as long as you'll have me, too."

"I guess we're stuck with each other," said Gren.

"You've got that right." Laysha hopped up on the couch to settle in next to the other apprentice. She grinned as she poked him in the side. "And don't you forget it!"

Qui-Gon smiled as he looked from the two young Jedi to meet Master Frayma's eyes. "We owe you another thank you, Master Frayma, for taking care of both of us. Laysha is not the only one learning from your example."

"Master Jinn, Padawan Vik is not the only young one I have enjoyed watching grow," said Master Frayma. There was a tiny hint of mischief in her eyes. "Knight and master, I have been involved with raising and training Jedi for almost forty years, but I have to say that the two of you have certainly been among the most interesting."

"I shall take that as a compliment, I think." Qui-Gon nodded and smiled, a wry expression of amusement and gratitude.

"Indeed. Thank you for the tea, but I need to take my leave," replied Frayma briskly. "Congratulations, Padawan Vik. There are a few concerns the Trials Committee is going to want to discuss tomorrow, but I'm sure you will be able to handle the challenge."

Qui-Gon accompanied Master Frayma to the door to express his thanks again. When he turned back, he found himself being escorted to the couch by two eager apprentices. His pillow was fluffed, fresh tea was poured and a particularly delectable pair of pastries magically appeared.

"So, Master, tell us about what your Trials were like..."

The next morning there was a message on Qui-Gon's terminal requesting the presence of Master Jinn and Padawan Vik in an obscure conference room at fourteenth hour. As they made their way to the appointed place, they encountered a number of other pairs of Jedi. Once inside, Qui-Gon looked around and counted eighteen sets of masters and padawans including themselves; he noticed more than one surreptitious glance at Laysha. The room fell silent as Master Choktvk strode to the front.

"Good day. On behalf of the Council, welcome. The padawans here in this room have been selected to participate in one of the most important traditions of the Jedi Order. Your presence today is a testament to the hard work of you and your masters and your dedication to the service of the Force. As you prepare for this momentous challenge, I would enjoin each of you to meditate on why you are here, how you will meet this challenge, and how your life will change. I will also remind all of you that this is not a competition against your peers, but rather a very individual examination of your fitness to be a Jedi knight. Some of you will pass this coming test, others may need more than one attempt and some never will. There is neither glory nor shame in any of those outcomes, only a reconsideration of your path in this life."

The room was very quiet, almost somber, as the Councilor paused to let his gaze slowly sweep around the room. Qui-Gon was not immune to the effect; memories of his own introductory session for his Trials ghosted through the back of his mind.

"I wish the best for each of you in this endeavor," said Chokvtk with a solemn nod. "I will now turn you over to Master Jhaovn." He waved his two left hands toward a short, mild-looking Xenoid. "May the Force be with you." He turned and strode from the room.

"Good day, and I will add my welcome." Pale feathery hair drifted around the master's round face. "I am Master Jhaovn, head of the Trials Committee. I will keep my remarks brief, as you will shortly all be leaving for individual meetings with members of the committee. Much of the information about the Trials is available in the Temple library and you will be provided additional information today, so I will assume you are or soon will be familiar with the various elements for testing your academic, physical, Force skills and understanding of Jedi philosophy; if you pass all of these events, your final challenge will be a mission tailored to test your weaknesses. Some of you may be wondering why there are sixty days between notification and the beginning of the Trials." Jhaovn smiled benevolently to ease the tiny stir of unease that was evident in the room. "Each of you actually has a 'contingent' invitation to the Trials. The sixty days are a period of time to allow preparation, to finish any needed qualifications, and to meditate. There will also be at least one mandatory session with a soul healer to explore your spiritual readiness. I wish to make it clear that it is not mandatory to take the Trials upon your first, or even second, invitation. At any time between now and the end of your Trial, if you believe you are not yet ready to take this next step in your journey, you may withdraw with no negative consequences. You will be re-evaluated again in the future, and may be offered up to two more invitations. It is not until the third that participation becomes compulsory; however, I will note that we have nobody in this particular group who is in that situation."

Qui-Gon almost smiled. He remembered the six tens before his own Trials. Then it had been Master Ahntt who had given an almost identical speech to start their 'preparation period' and Qui-Gon had long suspected that it was actually part of the testing. The waiting and enforced introspection had preyed on many of his fellow candidates' nerves and confidence; two had actually withdrawn before the official start of the Trials and waited almost a year before receiving another invitation. He glanced at his apprentice, but she seemed quite unconcerned. The only thing trickling over their bond was subdued excitement and anticipation.

"I am sure all of you have questions, so I won't hold you any longer. As you leave the room, Knight Dewmok will tell you where to report for your meetings to discuss your individual situation. The Trials Committee will continue to work with you during your preparation; please consider us your partners in this endeavor." Jhaovn smiled and bowed to the group. "May the Force be with you."

Ten minutes later, Qui-Gon and Laysha were sitting at a table in a small meeting room exchanging introductions. Across from them sat Master Loozal, a blocky reptilian soul healer with a magnificent flame-red bony head ridge, and Knight Bnj'tm, the Trials Committee representative. At the end of the table sat Master Drenjaq, his bluff face expressionless. Qui-Gon refrained from staring at Drenjaq, but questions swirled in his mind about the unusual presence of a Council member.

"Master Jinn, Padawan Vik, welcome." Bnj'tm was soft-spoken, his voice clear and light. He shook back the ruff of black fur around his face before continuing. "I expect that you remember the procedure from your own Trials, Master Jinn?"

"Yes, that was quite a memorable period." Qui-Gon nodded with a slight smile.

"Indeed." Bnj'tm smiled back before he turned to Laysha. "Padawan Vik, I will be your liaison for your Trials; I will explain the events and procedures, keep you informed of the schedule and you may ask me questions. Today is simply the introductory session to lay out the general framework of what you will need to do during the next several tens. These," he pushed over two datapads, "will provide more detailed explanations. You may read them at your convenience prior to our next meeting tomorrow afternoon. Before I begin, do you have any immediate questions?"

"Yes, Knight Bnj'tm," said Laysha. "What exactly is a 'contingent' invitation?"

"There are really two elements. First, you must meet any qualifications the committee considers essential not later than the morning of the first day of the Trials. Second, on the day prior to the start, you must come alone before the committee and make a final acceptance or declination of the invitation - this is done informally and privately to help preclude peer pressure if there were others in the room."

"I see," said Laysha. She swiveled an ear slightly. "Am I considered qualified or are there things I need to do?"

"Your qualifications were a very... interesting topic among the committee members." Bnj'tm leaned forward, his fingers steepled.

Qui-Gon stirred. He recognized the combination of narrowed eyes, laid back ears and indignation over their training bond that signaled his apprentice's incipient anger over the implications of those words; she had gotten much better at controlling her reactions, but he didn't want things getting off to an awkward start. "Knight Bnj'tm, could you please clarify that remark? And does that 'interest' have anything to do with why my padawan was required to take the annual evaluation tests twice with two different soul healers?" he asked mildly. He himself was still concerned about the double testing and why he had not been able to get a satisfactory reason, even from Master Yoda.

"I will answer that," rumbled Master Drenjaq. "You are a unique being, Padawan Vik - it is very rare for such a short-lived species as yours to produce a member with any significant Force abilities, let alone someone with your high level. The committee members were not entirely certain how to fairly evaluate you in relation to your humanoid peers and referred this matter to the Council for assistance. That is why I am here - I asked to represent the Council in explaining this issue."

Drenjaq put his hands flat on the table. "I would like to say first that for quite some time I was among those who underestimated your capabilities, despite your master's championing of those abilities. I have revised that opinion considerably, particularly since that business with the Chokren Combine." He nodded to Qui-Gon, then turned back to Laysha. "The question of 'qualifications' has been examined in great detail because elevation to the level of a Jedi knight is a tremendously important decision, far more important than promotion to senior padawan. A knight is expected to be able to function independently, to represent the Jedi Order, and to make decisions which may impact the life or death of many others without regard for personal considerations. Do you understand this, Padawan Vik?"

"Yes, Master Drenjaq, I believe I do. It is a huge responsibility, and not something to be taken lightly," replied Laysha.

"In your case, there were a number of considerations, mostly dealing with what people did NOT understand about how your Force abilities seemed to have enhanced the already rapid maturation of a Theristan. There is no question about your physical or Force manipulation skills; I doubt if anyone will soon forget your demonstrations during your testing for promotion to senior padawan." Drenjaq allowed a fleeting smile to cross his face. "Unfortunately, as I can attest from personal experience, there has always been a certain amount of misunderstanding and even outright skepticism about the perceived discrepancy between your chronological age and your maturity and accomplishments."

"You mean like the padawans who think I have been given special privileges because I've not taken all of the classes they had to take?" asked Laysha.

"Upholding the equity, or perceived equity, of the promotion process was a significant concern," acknowledged Drenjaq. "I saw the way several others were looking at you in the introductory meeting earlier. We may be Jedi, but we are still imperfect beings with sometimes highly emotional reactions, and the Council wanted to be certain that your invitation to the Trials was fully justifiable."

Laysha pursed her lips, but reluctantly nodded. "Having been the target of those sorts of reactions on a personal level, I think I would have to agree with their concerns, sir."

"Good. The Council directed a second set of the standardized evaluations tests to validate the first results. I'm sure you were both curious about that at the time, but the Council agreed not to divulge the reasons in case the final decision was negative."

"Yes, I did wonder why nobody would tell me what was going on," said Qui-Gon. "May I ask how long this discussion went on before the invitations were issued?"

"The committee began initial deliberations for all potential candidates approximately four months ago. We referred the situation with Padawan Vik to the Council two months ago," interjected Bnj'tm.

"The Council gathered information from several sources and thoroughly discussed the matter. I think everyone, except perhaps Master Yoda, was surprised at just how far you've come since Master Jinn so firmly insisted on taking you as his padawan almost seven years ago," said Drenjaq. He looked at Qui-Gon. "Challenging the head of the Council that way did not win either of you many friends at the time." He returned his attention to Laysha. "I won't say there weren't some reservations - that mission with the Chokren Combine is a good example. You acquitted yourself well in getting Theela Hoptanoru back to Coruscant by yourself in a difficult situation, but then you turned around and stowed away on Knight Mlvano's ship when you were denied permission to participate in the retrieval of Master Jinn."

"He was my master; I had to go," said Laysha quietly as she looked steadily at Drenjaq. "In any event, I was highly qualified for that mission and had no other assignments, therefore I was only jeopardizing myself."

"That's as it may be. I am only pointing it out as an example of what some considered stubborn disregard for authority and order," said Drenjaq. He raised an eyebrow. "You do have a number of reprimands and disciplinary actions on your record, Padawan Vik."

"So did I as a padawan, Master Drenjaq," said Qui-Gon with a wry smile. "That doesn't seem to have stopped me from being knighted."

"If we only took perfect padawans for the Trials, we'd have precious few knights in the Order," snorted Drenjaq. "You two are simply among the more egregious examples." He cleared his throat and looked back at Laysha, who was sporting a wide grin at the byplay. "I digress. As I said, the matter was thoroughly reviewed, and in the end the decision was unanimous to extend the invitation."

"All of them said yes?" asked Laysha softly, her eyes wide.

"All of them," affirmed Drenjaq. "It is a vote of confidence, and means you will get a fair hearing if anybody tries to challenge your fitness for the Trials." He pointed a finger at Laysha and continued sternly. "It would therefore be greatly appreciated if you refrain from any individual unofficial challenges in the salle if anybody tries to attack you verbally. Understood?"

"You know about that?"

"There is very little in this Temple that the Council doesn't eventually find out about," said Drenjaq dryly. "Including some odd activities by a certain master and padawan when there is a full moon at night."

"Oh." Laysha looked at Qui-Gon. "Yes, Master Drenjaq," said Laysha meekly. "I promise."

"Very well. That is all I had to say unless anyone here has any questions." Drenjaq looked around the room but there were only negative head shakes from everyone. "I will take my leave then." He paused on his way out to stand next to Laysha. "May the Force be with you, Padawan Vik. I wish you well," he said gruffly.

Laysha slipped from her chair and bowed to the Councilor. "Thank you, Master Drenjaq."

Drenjaq nodded and left.

Qui-Gon drew a breath and let it out slowly. "Knight Bnj'tm, I understand now why you said my padawan's qualifications were such an interesting topic."

The knight smiled. "Indeed."

"So, can we get back to business?" asked Laysha as she settled herself back in chair. "What happens these next few months?"

"Is your padawan always this focused, Master Jinn?" asked Bnj'tm.

"You should see her when food is involved," said Qui-Gon with a chuckle. "Don't ever challenge her to try to take a chocobar away unless you want it to disappear."

"Master, I don't think we need to be discussing that here," said Vik frostily.

Qui-Gon just smiled as he nodded to Bnj'tm. "Shall we continue, please?"

"Yes, Master Jinn. Actually, I'd like to turn things over to Master Loozal at this point, then we will return to the training side."

The soul healer had been silent so far, although his bright eyes had clearly taken everything in. "Thank you, Knight Bnj'tm. I was responsible for reviewing the results of all the standardized tests that Padawan Vik has taken during her lifetime." He pressed a button on his datapad and a display lit up the blank wall. "It was the recent results that most interested the committee and Council. As you can see, for every measure of mental and emotional stability and maturity, she stands at between twenty-six and thirty years standard." A red light slowly traced across the bars of the graph. "I also looked at trends since the first time you took the tests, Padawan." A new set of graphs appeared. "Clearly there were some rapid increases, generally consistent with the pattern for your species, and far more rapid than most of the humanoid species we usually deal with. I did find it interesting, however, that you actually matured more rapidly than expected during this period between ages five and eight. This correlated closely to an increasingly strong development in your Force skills."

"My first year as an apprentice, I didn't have any idea what I was doing. I think... I finally began to understand some of the things I was learning after that first year," said Laysha.

"I would suspect the progress might also be due to the improvement in our relationship," added Qui-Gon. "I will freely admit I didn't have much of a clue what I was doing as a master when we started, and I still have a lot to learn."

"Well, I wasn't going to go into that, but I would expect that was a significant element," said Loozal with a half-smile. "The other thing I looked at was the consistency of certain personality traits throughout her life."

"Master Loozal, I don't need a chart for that," interrupted Qui-Gon. He looked fondly at Laysha as he began ticking off words on his fingers. "Honesty, integrity, dedication, stubbornness, impatience, bluntness, and above all else, joy in life and in the Force."

"Very astute observations, Master Jinn. Clearly we don't need to spend any of our time in that area." The Soul Healer turned to Laysha. "Padawan Vik, I am quite satisfied that you have the appropriate mental and emotional maturity to serve as a Jedi knight. You don't have the depth of experience that most have, but you have quality experience, and the rest will come with time. The only thing you will need to see me for prior to the Trials is a session to explore your spiritual readiness. I would like to do that approximately four tens from now, once you have the rest of your schedule."

"Yes, Master Loozal," said Laysha. "May I ask what will be involved?"

"It is not something you can prepare for, Padawan. It will simply be a discussion." Loozal paused a moment to turn off his datapad before continuing. "Master Jinn, I understand that both of you want the Trials to go well, but I would greatly prefer that you not disclose any of the questions to your padawan that were used during your own preparation. The questions are never exactly the same and it would be better if she does not have any pre-conceived notions."

"As you wish, Master Loozal," replied Qui-Gon. He felt a twinge of irritation over the training bond, and knew Laysha had intended to thoroughly grill him on that topic. Qui-Gon hid the smile that tickled his lips.

"Thank you. Knight Bnj'tm, if you will continue?"

"On the academic and training side, Master Frayma's team compiled an extensive report on every potential candidate," said Bnj'tm. He activated his own datapad; two columns of text appeared on the wall. "In your case, she included comments explaining the specialized training program you have been following, which focused on what were deemed to be the most critical elements." He paused, ran a hand through his ruff. "If I may make a personal comment, Padawan Vik, I quite frankly don't think I could have accomplished what you have done. That first year you were doing twice as many classes as other junior padawans plus your physical training; since then you have been taking five or six classes where others were taking three or four, even finishing work during your missions." He shook his head. "You have my profound respect and admiration."

"Thank you," said Laysha. "It is a gift from the Force that has allowed me to do so much," she grinned, "and the fact that I don't need much sleep most of the time." She sobered. "There is always more to learn, though, isn't there?"

"Learning is a life-long endeavor," agreed Bnj'tm with a smile. "You have adequate skills in most areas, as do your peers, or you would not have been nominated. During this preparation period, all candidates are removed from the active mission roster and given carefully selected specific challenges, which will be included in the testing during the Trials." He handed datapads to Qui-Gon and Laysha, then shifted the wall display from his own 'pad. "The details are on your datapads, so I will simply summarize. This first screen has the academic requirements. You will be taking three courses for the next five tens. The first two are individual courses in the areas of xenology and creative writing. The primary course is one all candidates must take in the history and philosophy of the Jedi Order and will include a requirement for a major research project on the evolution and meaning of the Jedi Code."

"Creative writing?" Laysha folded her arms as she stared at the display. "The Jedi Code?"

"Yes. The writing course is to provide a counterpoint to the heavy emphasis you have had on math and engineering," said Bnj'tm. "I believe the Jedi philosophy course is a standing requirement from the Council."

"I'll just bet it is," grumbled Laysha. She wrinkled her nose. "Can't we change any of that to something more fun?"

"I'm not sure how you define 'fun', but I am empowered to offer an alternative to the xenology course from this list." Bnj'tm switched screens. "All of these choices are considered more difficult and time-intensive, however."

Laysha perused the list. Her eyes lit up as she pointed. "That one! I've always wanted to take advanced investigative forensics."

"Padawan, that's a class usually reserved for very senior padawans or knights," interjected Qui-Gon. "I've had the course and I can assure you it is not easy."

"I want that one," said Laysha firmly. "Xenology is boring."

Qui-Gon and Bnj'tm looked at each other, then shrugged.

"Advanced investigative forensics it is, then," said Bnj'tm as he entered changes on his datapad. "Other parts of the testing are fairly standard such as sparring and aerials." He looked up and smiled. "I doubt if the aerials will be a problem for you, though." Bnj'tm changed the wall display again. "The other new element will be katas. You will have to learn two new individual katas," he raised a hand to forestall any protest, "and no, there is no choice. All of the humanoid candidates have to learn and perform the same two."

"Not a problem," said Laysha. "I like katas; they're fun."

"I think you might find these rather challenging," said Bnj'tm, one eyebrow raised.

"I like challenges." Laysha waggled an eyebrow back at him.

"Very well. As I mentioned, all of the detailed information is on the datapad. I have reserved this room for tomorrow at fourteenth hour to go over any questions you might have," said Bnj'tm. "Your classes will start the day after tomorrow; how you and your master schedule your time for your remaining tasks and preparations is, of course, up to the two of you. Master Jinn, Padawan Vik, do you have any immediate inquiries for me or for Master Loozal at this time?"

"I have none," replied Qui-Gon.

"Nor do I, Knight Bnj'tm," Laysha added.

"I shall see you tomorrow, then." The knight and soul healer nodded and left.

Qui-Gon turned to his apprentice, noting her somber mien as she perused the datapad. "Having second thoughts about that forensics class, Padawan?" he asked lightly.

"No, Master. I can do all of these things, although it will be a lot of effort." Laysha stood and went to Qui-Gon, her eyes bright. "It's just..." She put a hand on her master's arm. "I know everything I've been working toward is so I can become a Jedi knight, but it's starting to sink in that if I'm knighted I'll have to leave you, Master."

"Not if, Padawan, when." There was a lump in Qui-Gon's throat as that same realization slammed into his heart. He pulled Laysha close for a hug. "Don't worry, I'll always be your master," he murmured roughly, "you won't be getting rid of me so easily."

Qui-Gon and Laysha went out to the gardens that night for a long shared meditation. Afterward, they sat under the trees and discussed what needed to happen during the next six tens. Laysha was subdued as both the extent and significance of the effort became clear to her.

"Padawan, you know that you have my full support," said Qui-Gon softly. "And whether you pass or fail, I will still care for you."

"Yes, Master." Laysha looked up from the knot of grass she had been twisting, then scooted over to snuggle into Qui-Gon's side. "I will always care for you, too. Thank you for everything you've done for me."

"Thank you for the light you have brought into my life," replied Qui-Gon as he wrapped an arm around his apprentice. They sat together in silence as the moon rose and shone down upon them.

Life soon settled into yet another new pattern. Although Laysha only had three classes, they were intensive; two of them were not topics she enjoyed, and the pressure for success was much higher than normal. At the same time, the new katas she had to learn were difficult and she had to allow at least some occasional time to maintain her proficiency in Force skills, sparring and aerials. Qui-Gon let his apprentice take the lead in setting her schedule, but carefully monitored her progress and ensured that she took at least an occasional break. Her friend Gren helped where he could, but he had to admit that the classes were not ones he was good at; instead he helped with research, frequent pep talks, shoulder rubs and bringing her new sparring partners so she could practice against beings with different styles from her master.

There was a moment of consternation three tens in when Qui-Gon and Laysha were meeting with Knight Bnj'tm for a progress review.

"Looks like you are coming along nicely, Padawan Vik," said Bnj'tm. He leaned back in his chair. "Do you have any questions for me today?"

"I think I understand the requirements for the actual testing, and I know that you can't tell me anything about the mission I will be assigned," said Laysha. She pointed at the screen of her datapad. "One thing I can't figure out, though, is this piece about having to discuss my 'understanding of the Jedi philosophy' with the Council." She frowned. "What is the point of this miserable class in Jedi history and philosophy if the Council just wants to talk to me about that stuff?"

"I was wondering if you were going to catch that. That is intentionally left vague in the instructions to see how thoroughly you analyze the full set of requirements; if you hadn't asked I would have told you at the start of your last ten." Bnj'tm had a pleased smile. "The 'philosophy discussion' with the Council will be a defense of the paper you are writing for the class."

"I've got to talk to the whole Council about this fracking paper?" The look of shock on Laysha's face was almost comical. "And they can ask anything they want?"

"Yes."

Qui-Gon had to work at hiding his smile. All of the masters had been sworn to silence about that requirement; most padawans tended to plunge right into work and didn't catch that connection until they were told, which often resulted in frenzied rework and preparations for the presentation during their final ten.

"Shett!" The heartfelt curse was followed by the thump of a fist on the table.

"It's not that bad, Padawan," said Qui-Gon mildly. "In some ways it isn't all that different from a mission report, although those are typically given just to a team from the mission committee. You've done several of our reports the last two years."

"I had to give the report to the Council after the Chokren Combine mission." Laysha shuddered. "You weren't there, Master. I felt like a pincushion after they got done."

"Then you have some idea what to expect, Padawan," teased Qui-Gon. He raised an eyebrow as he smiled.

Muttered invectives accompanied the dirty look Laysha shot her master.

A few days later Qui-Gon stopped short as he entered their quarters. Laysha and Gren were busily covering the walls of the common areas in large papers.

"What is going on, Padawan?"

"Immersion, Master." Laysha had her tongue between her teeth as she carefully attached another sheet.

"Immersion? What the Force is that supposed to mean?" Qui-Gon tossed his cloak onto its peg, then strode to the nearest wall. In large letters were the following words:

"There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no death; there is the Force."

Qui-Gon looked around the room. Every wall was now covered in copies of the Code in various sizes and colors. He peeked in Laysha's room and found the same situation, with a huge copy on the ceiling. He hesitated a moment, then stuck his head in the 'fresher. More copies of the code were stenciled in waterproof paint on the walls.

"Padawan, not that I don't appreciate the Code as much as any other Jedi, but isn't this a little excessive?" Qui-Gon stood in the middle of the common area, hands on his hips.

"Not at all, Master." Laysha finished her task and came over to stand in front of Qui-Gon. "I have to turn in a paper on the evolution and meaning of the Code in just over two tens, and then I have only a ten to prepare to defend that paper in front of the Jedi Council. What better way to internalize the essence of the Code than to surround myself with its physical manifestation?"

More like infestation, thought Qui-Gon to himself as he gazed around. He sighed and shook his head. "Very well, Padawan, I can live with what you've done out here and in the 'fresher, but if I find even one copy in my sleeping room, they all come down. Understood?"

"Yes, Master."

For twenty-four days, Laysha worked seemingly non-stop. Several times Qui-Gon had to order her to bed for at least a few hours of sleep and he kept a careful eye on his apprentice as they practiced the new katas or sparred. He willingly plowed through draft after draft of papers, poems, short stories and forensics lab reports. He was pleasantly surprised by the quality of Laysha's poems and short stories, despite her incessant complaints about the necessity of writing them. Qui-Gon eventually even learned to ignore the multitudes of copies of the Code that stared him in the face in all directions.

Laysha breezed into their quarters and tossed several datapads toward the open door of her room. "Everything's turned in, Master," she whooped.

"Congratulations, Padawan." Qui-Gon set aside his own datapad he had been reading on the couch and stretched his legs. He waited until his apprentice had finished gulping down a large glass of juice and had come over to flop onto the armchair, feet up on an arm.

"It felt really great to finish all that, Master," said Laysha with a huge grin. "Can I take a nap instead of sparring after midmeal?"

"The nap is fine, but we aren't finished with everything yet, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. "Master Loozal left another message; he has been quite patient, but you have to meet with him soon."

"Yes, Master." Laysha sighed and wrinkled her nose. "I'll call him right now." She pulled her comm from her belt and keyed in the code for the soul healer.

Qui-Gon returned to his reading while Laysha talked.

"Master?"

"Yes, Padawan?"

"Master Loozal says he is available today at half past fourteenth hour. That would mean missing most of our afternoon training if I go."

"It's more important that you talk to Master Loozal," said Qui-Gon. "The respite will probably be good for you as well. Since your classes are finished, we can start reviewing your Force and physical skills tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Master."

Qui-Gon spent the afternoon running errands and in the library doing research for a seminar he had been assigned to assist with while Laysha was presumably going to be busy with the academic testing for the Trials. After latemeal he returned to his quarters, but there was no sign of his apprentice. He tried to read for a while, but the more time that passed without her return, the harder he found it to concentrate. Their training bond had been tightly blocked since Laysha left for her appointment with Master Loozal, but now Qui-Gon felt traces of fear and uncertainty seeping through. He set aside his 'pad and left to roam the gardens in search of his padawan.

An hour later Qui-Gon wiped a rivulet of sweat from his face as he crawled through a thicket of vanok bushes. He had been to all of the usual sorts of places Laysha frequented but found no sign of her. The feelings of distress over their bond had gotten stronger, finally leading him to seek out this very private and difficult to reach hide-away. When he emerged, he gratefully stood and shucked his robe in the hot night air.

"Padawan?"

Laysha's uniform lay in an untidy heap in the small clearing in the heart of the thicket. She sat leaning against the sturdy trunk of a miniature roshen tree, staring down at the lightsaber she was turning over and over in her hands.

"Padawan? Are you alright?" Qui-Gon carefully moved next to his apprentice and knelt on one knee.

"Master?" Laysha blinked several times, drew a shuddering breath as she grasped the lightsaber tightly.

"What's wrong, Padawan?" asked Qui-Gon quietly. "Did your meeting with Master Loozal not go well?"

"He was very nice, Master," said Laysha, her gaze fixed on her 'saber. "But he asked an awful lot of hard questions."

"That's what he was supposed to do, Padawan." Qui-Gon kept his voice soft and low. "It's meant to make you think about what it means to be a Jedi, especially a Jedi knight."

"I couldn't answer all the questions, Master," Laysha quavered. "I could talk about living with killing people and not minding how much I have to work, but he kept on and on about why I want to be a Jedi knight... what do I really feel about the Force... but the worst was whether or not the Force really wants me and am I truly worthy of the gifts I've received..."

Laysha flung her lightsaber aside and lurched to her feet, clinging to Qui-Gon's neck. "Master, am I a good Jedi?" she whispered.

Qui-Gon realized this was no longer a time to play at masterly questions. He carefully untangled Laysha's arms as he knelt on both knees. He cradled her face in both hands and looked into the dark green eyes.

"Laysha Vik, yes, you are a good Jedi," said Qui-Gon. "The Force asks much of us, but gives much in return, and you are a vessel for the light that is the Force. My padawan, my little one, I believe in you, but you must believe in yourself." He poured love, reassurance and strength over their bond as he gently rubbed the soft fur of her cheeks with his thumbs.

Slowly the light grew in Laysha's eyes as her breathing slowed. She reached up to rest her hands lightly atop Qui-Gon's as she stared back steadily.

Qui-Gon felt her confidence returning as their bond pulsed with a reflection of his love; he gazed into the now luminous green eyes and smiled.

"Thank you, Master," said Laysha. She tightened her grip on Qui-Gon's hands as she straightened her shoulders. "I may not be the best Jedi there ever was, and I may not always do the right thing, but it will be for the right reasons because the Force will guide me."

"That is all you can really do, Padawan." Qui-Gon ruffled Laysha's ears and stood up. "Let's go home. I want you to get a good night's sleep so we can start fresh on tomorrow's tasks."

"Yes, Master." Laysha retrieved her lightsaber and began putting on her uniform.

"And don't forget you've still got a lot work to do, Padawan," Qui-Gon mock-growled. "You have to pass your Trials so I can finally use that damned blue rock it took me almost three years to find."

Laysha looked up from her seat on the ground and paused mid-way through pulling on a boot. A grin spread slowly across her face. "And you'd better not lose it, Master, because you're going to need that damned blue rock pretty soon."

Qui-Gon grinned back before turning to get his cloak and start the long crawl back out through the bushes.

The room was preternaturally still, the slightest shuffling or whisper magnified in the tension as eighteen pairs of masters and padawans waited. Qui-Gon glanced at the small figure in the seat next to him; Laysha sat with her head leaned back, eyes closed. It had been an exhausting several days leading to this final action. The physical and academic tests had been strenuous but confidently fulfilled, while the hour-long grilling before the Council had left the apprentice battered but unbowed. He was glad he had been able to be there for the physical tests and Council session, but he was concerned about what would be the final solo challenge if all had gone as well as hoped so far.

A ripple of apprehension rolled through the room as Master Jhaovn entered and made his way to the end of the long table. A knight with his hood up followed him, a datapad in his hand.

"Welcome," said the master genially. "It has been a challenging journey since first we met several tens ago. I hope that it has been an enlightening one also." He let his eyes slowly travel around the group, the pressure building even higher. "For some of you, the end of this particular phase of your journey has arrived, and you must continue on the path of a senior padawan. For others, there is one final obstacle in your quest for knighthood. Whatever your individual situation, each of you should know that you have achieved much in getting this far, and each of you has many valuable contributions yet to make. You will be notified individually of your status; as you leave the room you will be told where to report." Jhaovn bowed to the group. "I salute all of you, and wish you well. Thank you." He turned and left the room.

The masters and padawans made their way to the doorway, pausing briefly to get their assignments. Qui-Gon and Laysha quickly headed down two levels to find the small study room designated for their last meeting. Qui-Gon could feel a hint of apprehension growing over their bond.

"Good day," said Knight Bnj'tm as his two visitors seated themselves. He put his hand on a short stack of datapads. "I know you are anxious to get your results, so I won't prolong this. Congratulations, Padawan Vik, you have passed all events and are now eligible to embark on the final challenge."

A huge whoosh of relief escaped Laysha. "Thank the Force," she groaned as she sagged in the chair. "There were a couple of times I wasn't sure I was going to make it."

"Only a couple?" Qui-Gon grinned. "Who was moaning and complaining almost every night about those miserable beings who designed the Trials?"

"It wasn't THAT bad, Master," said Laysha with a glare of mock indignation. The glare quickly turned to a smile. "Thank you, Master, for being there and helping me so much."

Qui-Gon ruffled Laysha's ears. "I knew you could do it. You're too stubborn not to, Padawan."

"Well, if I may interrupt, the results weren't perfect," said Bnj'tm with a smile of his own. "But then, they rarely are for anyone." He pushed over two datapads. "These are the details from the various events so you can see what weaknesses you will still need to work on in the future or so your master can provide some suggestions for you." His face turned serious. "There is now one final challenge, Padawan Vik."

Qui-Gon settled back in his chair, letting his face move to a neutral expression. He knew what was coming.

"The big mission, right?" asked Laysha, a grin still lighting her features. "How long do I get to discuss it with my master before I have to leave?"

"You will get your mission briefing in one hour and will leave in a day and a half, but you can't discuss it with Master Jinn." Bnj'tm had his hand firmly on the remaining datapad. "Not now, and not during the mission itself."

"Not at all?" The grin deflated into pursed lips.

"No. From here you will go to your quarters, get your mission bag, and report to briefing room 1029A," said Bnj'tm. "From that point, all candidates are sequestered. You will have access to a terminal for your mission research, and you may ask questions of the mission assignment team only to clarify the requirements. At the appointed time, you will depart, carry out your mission for however long that takes, and then rejoin your master after you return. If you are successful, you will be confirmed by the Council and will be knighted. If you are not successful, you will continue as Master Jinn's padawan."

"I see," said Laysha. She looked down, took a deep breath, let it out slowly.

"You have fifty-nine minutes until you must report, Padawan Vik," prodded Bnj'tm, although his tone was kind.

"Yes, thank you for all of your help with the Trials, Knight Bnj'tm." Laysha slipped down from her chair and went to stand in front of Qui-Gon. "Thank you, Master. I'll try to make you proud."

"You know that Master Yoda says there is no try, Padawan, and how many times have I told you not to do this for me?" Qui-Gon smiled as he leaned forward to cup the back of Laysha's head in one hand. "You have come a long way, Laysha Vik - you know even more than you think and are obstinate enough to do the right thing no matter the obstacle." He ruffled her ears. "Let the Force be your guide, and you'll be alright, Padawan." He jerked his head toward the door. "Now go on, the clock is moving."

"Yes, Master." Laysha hesitated, then put her hand on Qui-Gon's arm. "You owe me a dance at the next full moon." She grinned and trotted out the door.

"A dance?' asked Bnj'tm.

"Just a private joke," muttered Qui-Gon as he stared at the door. There was a suspicious tightness in his throat.

"Ah, yes. Well, the clock does move on, usually much faster than we like to think about," said Bnj'tm sympathetically. "Master Jinn, since you have to stay here until the candidates are sequestered, would you like to read Padawan's Vik mission briefing?"

"Yes, please." Qui-Gon took the proffered datapad. "Thank you."

For several minutes Qui-Gon silently went through the information while the knight busied himself with other tasks. When he was finished, Qui-Gon sat back and allowed himself a low, subdued whistle.

"This will definitely be a big challenge," said Qui-Gon, "and distinctly unenjoyable."

"That is the intent, Master Jinn," replied Bnj'tm with a half-smile.

"To put someone so imbued with the joy and spirit of the Living Force on a sere desert planet like Zuv will be a trial in and of itself, but to have to negotiate for mineral rights with the religious order that rules Zuv?" Qui-Gon shook his head. "I don't think I know of a more dour group of ascetics than the Zuvhanto. I hope Laysha packed more food than usual; I've heard that their idea of hospitality is an extra spoonful of water with the evening meal of dried vegetables and crackers."

"We do get quite a bit of input from the soul healers in putting these missions together." Bnj'tm's smile grew wider. "For example, there is another padawan, an exceptionally serious Fanotan and strong in the Unifying Force, who is being sent to the resort planet of Nusawa to establish a treaty renewal with a group whose idea of negotiating seems to be to see who can party the hardest and longest. The mission master was wondering if he was going to have to explain the concept of 'frivolous recreation' to the poor young man."

Qui-Gon chuckled, although his heart wasn't really in it.

A comm chirped. "If you will excuse me," murmured Bnj'tm. He listened for a moment, gave a brief answer, then returned the device to his belt. "It would seem your padawan is quite efficient, Master Jinn. She has already reported in to the restricted area, so you are free to go."

"Oh, she's had her mission bag packed for the last ten waiting for this." Qui-Gon stood up with a sigh.

"Master Jinn, you won't be able to communicate with your padawan, but you can, of course, monitor the training bond. I will ensure that you receive copies of her status reports after we get them and that you are notified about her final mission report before the Council when she returns so you can attend." Bnj'tm hesitated a moment, then continued softly, "She is a good padawan, Master Jinn. I believe she will do well."

"Thank you." Qui-Gon smiled. "For everything." He nodded and left.

Qui-Gon went back to his quarters and for a long while simply stood in the center of the common area, which was still festooned with copies of the Jedi Code. Masters were typically not given significant new assignments until their padawans either passed or failed their Trials so he felt oddly at loose ends, purposeless. It had been a very long while since he had had no immediate major duties to fill his time. He couldn't even turn to his closest friends; Reej was still off-planet on one of his periodic extended undercover missions while Plo was away leading a team providing disaster relief support.

Two sets of emotions battled inside the Jedi master, happiness for his apprentice that she was so close to her goal and sadness for their probably imminent separation. He thought of Bjn'tm's suggestion and decided to indulge himself in a bit of melancholy by monitoring the training bond for a while. Qui-Gon moved to his sleeping room, stripped off his belt, boots and outer tunics and lay on his bed, then closed his eyes and let himself fall into a light meditation. The bond was a bright thread in the Force; its permutations reflected the shifting moods of the linked Jedi.

Time passed unnoticed. Qui-Gon smiled when a sharp blast no doubt reflected Laysha's reaction to the unveiling of her new assignment. Several colorful spikes gradually smoothed into a cool steady blue with an occasional flicker of green. It was a pattern Qui-Gon knew well and usually meant Laysha had settled into a focused determination and was likely to stay that way for quite some time. Under the influence of that soothing balm Qui-Gon drifted into sleep.

Qui-Gon decided to stay as busy as possible until his apprentice returned. There was always plenty of work for willing hands and plenty of opportunities for self-improvement. He signed up to assist in the cr�che and with various training classes, snagged a spot in an upcoming seminar on advanced negotiating skills, chose a new complex kata to start learning and cajoled the current Swordmaster into agreeing to several sparring sessions.

The morning of Laysha's departure, Qui-Gon went out to a remote part of the gardens and settled against a friendly tree. The training bond was alight with vivid excitement and ripples of anticipation. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and focused on sending positive emotions, his reward an answering pulse of love. When the bond finally stretched to a distant warmth in the Force, Qui-Gon sighed and opened his eyes. He sat for a few more minutes until the call of duty drew him to his feet and onward to his tasks.

The highlight of Qui-Gon's day soon became the nightly check of his comm terminal. Knight Bjn'tm was true to his word; every report received from Laysha was forwarded within no more than an hour from its arrival at the Temple. Her first few missives were decidedly unenthusiastic about the heat, the sand and the sparse food, but the recurring theme over the first ten was the incredibly slow pace of deliberations. The lightly populated planet of Zuv was ruled by a theocracy and the Zuvhanto were an austere, reclusive order for the most part. The planet had a number of mineral resources which vaguely interested the Federation, however, so the Senate's minor request for a treaty negotiation had languished on a list of potential missions until a suitable Jedi was available - in this case, a candidate for the rank of Jedi knight. It was now that candidate's task to decide how to carry out the Senate's request with a group that was decidedly uninterested in anything that the Federation might have to offer.

The crack of a bone was loud in the quiet quarters. Qui-Gon rolled his shoulders and rotated his neck to ease the stiffness from a long workout. He clicked a switch and his terminal flickered off, leaving the room in semi-darkness outside the shaft of the evening sunbeam from the open windows. A smile lingered on his lips from Laysha's latest report. Progress was apparently still remarkably slow after twenty-two days, measured in minute steps, but she seemed resigned to the physical conditions and they had long since ceased meriting even a passing mention. The smile drifted away as Qui-Gon considered that lack of progress and what it might mean. Today two more candidates had arrived on Coruscant after successfully completing their challenges, bringing the total so far to eleven successes and one very embarrassing failure out of the sixteen apprentices who had advanced through the Trials to be given their final tasks. Although no specific deadline had been set, there would surely be some point when the Council decided that enough was enough. Qui-Gon firmly believed that his padawan could accomplish her mission, but he feared that she might run out of time before she could attain success if things continued on their current course.

A little sigh escaped as Qui-Gon pulled a small gray bag from his utility belt and opened it, letting a round object spill into his palm. He gently turned the brilliant blue stone and sat in the sunlight rubbing it with his thumb as he contemplated his relationship with Padawan Laysha Vik. Looking back, he found it difficult to believe how young they had been, the oh-so-green knight challenging the Council itself for the right to take the exuberant cub as his padawan. A rueful grimace reflected Qui-Gon's memories of their first year together. Constant work and his lack of confidence had made it a difficult time, but once he finally learned to trust both himself and his apprentice their relationship had grown into a closeness he had come to treasure. His eyes crinkled as he chuckled over their later adventures and mishaps. His joy turned into mingled pride and poignancy; Qui-Gon remembered Laysha's words that night after her padawan ceremony and reflected on how short and exciting their journey had been. Joy in the Force, stubbornness in pursuit of her goals, affection, honesty, even her passions for food and tinkering, yes, he thought as he closed his hand around the stone he had painstakingly sought out, he would miss all of those.

The afternoon sun warmed the Temple garden as the crew of volunteers toiled at transplanting and replacing flowers, shrubs and small trees. Qui-Gon wiped his forehead with one hand, leaving a streak of mud as he happily puttered away in old leggings and an undertunic. He hummed a little tune to himself while carefully placing dirt and mulch around the roots of a bush.

"Master Jinn, a word please."

Qui-Gon looked up, the frosty tone causing his contentment to slip away. He sighed as he stood and shook off loose dirt.

"What can I do for you, Master Drenjaq, Knight Bnj'tm?" Qui-Gon nodded to both fellow Jedi.

"Over here." Drenjaq jerked his head. He led them away to a more secluded part of the garden. "Alright, Jinn, what the hell is your padawan playing at out there?" he growled.

"You know I have not had any contact with her. Could you be more specific, please?" asked Qui-Gon.

"My mission team got a new status report from Padawan Vik. She said she has developed some potential new approaches after following the OE and I process, and her relationship with the Zuvhanto has progressed to the point where they have invited her to join them in a retreat in the high desert and they'll be gone for four days." Drenjaq waved a datapad. "She's been out there for over three tens and is just now developing new approaches? And what in the six hells of Hadron is OE and I?"

"O, E and I?" Qui-Gon furrowed his brow as he tried to think of what those letters might stand for. He ran through several possibilities before remembering the association. He smiled as he raised an eyebrow.

"This is not funny, dammit."

"Of course not, Master Drenjaq. Padawan Vik is referring to a primary tenet for negotiations which you taught me and which I passed on to her. When dealing with beings, one must observe, evaluate, then interact," said Qui-Gon.

Drenjaq grunted. "Well, she seems to be doing a fracking lot of observing and evaluating and not much interacting."

"Master Jinn, both the Trials committee and the Council are concerned about the length of time Padawan Vik has been engaged in this mission with apparently no tangible results," interjected Bnj'tm in his soft, clear voice. "After Padawan Cr'An returns tomorrow, Vik will be the only candidate with an unresolved mission."

"When the task was first assigned, I researched it as if I were the one going so that I could understand what she was facing," said Qui-Gon. "The Zuvhanto are the defacto rulers of the planet and the only group you can deal with to get any agreements pertaining to planetary resources. They are a highly formal and ascetic religious order with no known desires for extensive off-planet contact." He shook his head. "I would have taken the same approach that I suspect my padawan has taken, that is, to make first contact and spend time observing and trying to gain their trust in order to obtain more data about the Zuvhanto so I could evaluate their potential motivations."

"The mission reports Padawan Vik has sent so far do seem to be in accord with that," said Bnj'tm thoughtfully.

"But three tens and they haven't even got to a first draft of an agreement?" Drenjaq was clearly not pleased.

"Master Drenjaq, a mission of this nature is like trying to wear down a rock with drops of water. I thought that's why it was assigned to Padawan Vik in the first place - it is intended to be a test of what you perceive to be her greatest weaknesses, her tendency to impatience and desire for action." Qui-Gon kept his tone mild but his raised eyebrow spoke volumes.

"That's all very well, but just how long do you expect us to let this go on?" rumbled Drenjaq. "She's got to produce results soon; the Council might have agreed to support her invitation to the Trials, but now that all the others are finished, there are mentions of terminating the mission and bringing her back if she can't get this done."

"You are both concerned that there seem to be no tangible results so far," replied Qui-Gon. "If I understood you correctly, Master Drenjaq, that is not actually true. You said she would be out of contact for four days because the Zuvhanto have invited her to join them in a retreat. Given the nature of these types of religious orders, I would have to call that a very significant step forward. It is generally unusual for outsiders to be allowed to participate in that sort of thing and would indicate to me that she has made major strides in gaining the trust and acceptance needed to move forward with the negotiations for mineral rights."

"That is an excellent point, Master Jinn," said Bnj'tm. "I believe the Trials committee would be willing to allow more time. Although they are not intended to be long term, it is not unprecedented for candidate missions to take as many as six or even seven tens."

Drenjaq read the datapad again, his eyes narrowed. Finally he looked up and nodded. "Alright, perhaps the Zuvhanto are more difficult than was anticipated. I can support that, and I know damned good and well Master Yoda is going to hold firm until the entire rest of the Council outvotes him." He nodded curtly. "As mission master, I will recommend additional time be allowed. Good day, Master Jinn."

"Thank you," said Qui-Gon. Drenjaq was already turning to leave, but Bnj'tm gave him a warm smile before he moved to follow. Qui-Gon waited a few moments until both were out earshot before shaking his head and softly murmuring to himself, "Ah, Laysha, what have you got yourself into out there?"

The chrono softly ticked over to eighth hour as Qui-Gon opened his eyes. The intense indigo slowly lightened to its normal clear sapphire as he pulled back from his deep meditation. He winced a bit as he stood and stretched; two continuous hours on his knees was a long time and he vaguely wondered if the Force would be offended if he obtained a thicker mat. It was the sixty-fourth morning since he had last seen his padawan and he missed her greatly, despite her typical early wakening grumpiness. That enforced separation would soon be over, however. A day ago Laysha had sent in the final daily status report required of all candidates and announced that her mission was complete. She should be back on Coruscant soon and would be hustled straight to the Council chamber to deliver her mission report to the combined Council and senior members of the Trials Committee. Already Qui-Gon was convinced he could discern more than a vague warmth over their training bond and was looking forward to her return.

The Council chamber was awash in midday sunlight as Qui-Gon slipped in to take his place along the outer edge with members of the Trials committee. He noticed Master Drenjaq absorbed in reading a datapad and surmised that it was the full report that Laysha had transmitted an hour earlier. Master Yoda caught his eye from across the room, nodded and smiled. Qui-Gon bowed and smiled back. He waited anxiously, concerned that he could feel his apprentice's close presence but unable to determine anything except general feelings of exhaustion and satisfaction through their bond.

The chamber grew silent as the heavy doors opened and a slight figure in a hooded robe walked to the center. The hood was slipped back to reveal Laysha's face and she bowed deeply.

"Padawan Vik, please present the summary of your mission report," commanded the head Councilor.

"Master Chokvtk, Master Jhaovn, members of the Council, members of the Trials Committee, and Master Jinn," began Laysha.

Qui-Gon looked closely at this apprentice as she started her introduction. There had been a flash of a grin as she swung her head to acknowledge him accompanied by an equally brief burst of love over their bond, but it was clear that Laysha was all business. She seemed a bit thinner, her eyes a tad deeper, but her expression was clear and confident. Qui-Gon turned his attention back to her words.

"... was quickly obvious that the Zuvhanto did not place great value on money or possessions. Their only interest in planetary mineral resources was for their practical usefulness, but they did not see why they should allow the Federation to remove any of those minerals from their planet. I felt that my first challenge was to observe the Zuvhanto in order to develop a better understanding of their philosophy and situation while attempting to gain a measure of their trust so that I could determine how to offer what they would consider a useful agreement."

Laysha paused to take a breath. "I will admit that I found the situation difficult," she said slowly. "The Zuvhanto were polite and had no objection to my presence, indeed were quite willing to talk about spiritual issues and their life on Zuv, but all of my initial attempts to turn our discussions to trade were essentially ignored. It was truly a worthy challenge."

"How did you conquer these obstacles?" asked Master Chokvtk.

"I relied upon my training and guidance from the Force, Master Chokvtk," replied Laysha. "I observed the Zuvhanto for many days, evaluated the data I gathered, interacted to test the validity of my conclusions, and repeated the cycle. I believe the key to final success was when I was able to achieve an appreciation of the core values of the Zuvhantan philosophy and to find a solution which was in consonance with their beliefs." Her voice reflected her satisfaction with that breakthrough. "The people of Zuv evolved in an environment with limited resources and look to the Zuvhanto as the guardians of their world and teachers in how to live in harmony with that world. They have learned to prize spiritual satisfaction over physical satiation. In many ways their beliefs are not so different from the Jedi's relationship with the Force. Once I was able to convey the similarity of our beliefs, I was taken further into the confidence of the Zuvhanto leadership, which culminated in being invited to take part in a retreat with them deep in the high desert. All of this took up the first three tens of my mission."

"Please clarify how you were able to convince them of the similarity of the belief systems," queried Master Jhaovn.

"Partly by discussion, and partly by example, sir. I adopted the lifestyle of the Zuvhanto, which is a simple, communal manner of living where all beings are expected to contribute within their abilities and resources are shared. I took all of the rations I had brought with me and gave them to the keeper of the collective store, slept with them in their caves and shared their plain meals. I meditated during their morning and evening prayers, and contributed a work shift day each day. When we were not working or praying, or as I said, meditating in my case, we talked. I asked about their beliefs and in return provided information on the Force and the Federation."

Qui-Gon couldn't help the smile that nudged his lips when Yoda's ears twitched and wasn't surprised when Yoda asked if Laysha had given ALL of her food away. Yoda was very familiar with his grand-padawan's great fondness for eating.

"Yes, Master Yoda, even my personal reserves." Laysha grinned. "They seemed rather puzzled by the chocobars and the whole concept of sweets. In the end they broke them up into little bits and mixed them into the toddlers' gruel in what I strongly suspect was in the spirit of waste not, want not."

"Clearly being invited to join the Zuvhanto on the retreat was a significant event, but it took an additional three tens beyond that to complete the mission," said Master Chokvtk. "What happened during that time?"

"My observations throughout the retreat reinforced my conclusion that the only sort of suitable treaty would have to be one that the Zuvhanto believed to be the most harmonious use of resources. I revisited the terms of my mission tasking; the wording called for a treaty for mineral rights, but there are several significant reserves of different types of minerals on Zuv. I had to determine if there was a mineral the Zuvhanto would see value in releasing at the same time that I had to determine what they would accept as compensation."

"You changed your mission?" scowled Master Jhaovn.

"No, Master Jhaovn. The wording was flexible; as the Jedi on the spot, I felt it was necessary to exercise initiative to interpret the text to determine what would be an acceptable win-win outcome for both the Federation and the people of Zuv."

Qui-Gon was feeling proud of his apprentice's performance, but he had to repress a surge of irritation when he heard a muttered comment from a nearby Councilor about turning a miniature Jinn loose on the galaxy. Evidently he was not the only one who heard the words - both Chokvtk and Jhaovn glanced sharply at the offender. Qui-Gon decided to treat the remark as a compliment regardless of the speaker's intention, and returned his attention to the center of the floor.

"Understood. Sometimes initiative is necessary, but don't forget that you had contact with the Temple if you needed clarification," said Chokvtk. "Please continue."

"Yes, Master Chokvtk." Laysha bowed in acknowledgement. "To summarize, I did come up with a solution. The mineral wurteer is relatively abundant on Zuv and is a very helpful catalyst in many chemical processes; adding wurteer allows one to use smaller quantities of several other minerals and causes the process to run much faster, thereby reducing energy usage. I was able to convince the Zuvhanto to expand their world view and agree that this would be a benefit for the galaxy by giving up a mineral they had little need for in order to allow conservation of several other resources. We had an initial draft treaty on day fifty-five."

"An interesting conclusion," said Chokvtk with an approving nod. "What did you persuade the Zuvhanto to accept in return?"

"Although it is a simple world, the Zuvhanto do use some automation. One of my duties on my work shifts was to operate their water evaporators, sir. I was able to get access to some out-of-order units and explore in detail their functioning."

Qui-Gon smiled at the image of his apprentice joyfully pulling out her tools and attacking the broken machines. He strongly suspected it had been one of her most enjoyable parts of the mission.

"I was able to come up with improvements to their design which made them simpler to operate and maintain while increasing their efficiency. The terms of the final treaty provide that the Zuvhanto will negotiate directly with the companies who wish to extract the wurteer to ensure that, first, only mining methods with minimal impact to the environment will be used, and second, all of the existing evaporators will be replaced with the new models which will be upgraded annually with some additional improvements I suggested. In addition, the Zuvhanto will be granted the patent on the new model and the winning bidder will provide an agent to assist in spreading this improved technology to other needy planets which could benefit from the units. The final draft was approved on day fifty-eight."

"You did not report completion until day sixty-three, Padawan Vik," observed Master Jhaovn.

"Yes, sir, that is correct. While the senior leaders were discussing the proposed treaty, as a good faith gesture I jury-rigged two of the new improved models as examples, created the engineering drawings and repaired the remaining non-functional units. Final agreement was reached on day sixty-three, I collected the signed documents, and reported back. The treaty, the patent application and the supporting engineering drawings were transmitted for review this morning as my ship approached Coruscant." Laysha bowed. "This concludes my report. I respectfully await your questions."

Jhaovn leaned in close to Chokvtk and they conferred briefly. As Jhaovn straightened, Chokvtk turned to the assembled group. "Is there anyone who has any questions?" He waited three beats, then continued. "Very well. Master Jinn, Padawan Vik, you are excused. Please wait outside."

Qui-Gon and Laysha bowed, then left the chamber so the final decision on her knighting could be discussed.

Outside in the antechamber, Qui-Gon knelt and held out his arms. "Welcome back, Padawan!"

Laysha rushed into his arms and they hugged for a long moment. "I am so happy to see you again, Master!"

They broke their hug and sat on a bench. Qui-Gon reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled something out. "Thought you might like this, Padawan."

"A chocobar," breathed Laysha, her eyes alight. She took a small bite. "Oh, you don't know how much I missed that," she said with a blissful expression. She took a much bigger bite.

Qui-Gon smiled as he watched his apprentice. Their bond exploded with love and happiness. "You look tired, Padawan, and thinner. Are you alright?"

"Mmmphmmm," mumbled Laysha. She swallowed and cleared her throat. "Yes, Master. I got some sleep on the trip back, but I am still pretty tired. It is incredibly exhausting talking and talking. Those first three tens were totally frustrating - I felt like I was just constantly beating my head against a huge rock." She shuddered. "And the food! Gagh! What little there was consisted of day after day of water and vegetables with an occasional little bit of dried meat. I don't think they've heard of seasonings."

A chuckle accompanied the ear ruffle Qui-Gon gave his apprentice. He hesitated a moment as he ran his fingers through the fur on the back of her neck. "You still have sand all over."

"Fracking sand was everywhere," groaned Laysha. "The Zuvians have thick skin, almost no hair, and think dust baths are the height of cleanliness. Tonight I am taking a long water bath, maybe two or three baths, and tomorrow I'm going swimming."

"It looks like you did very well, though, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. "I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you, Master." Laysha put a hand on Qui-Gon's leg. "I learned a lot on this mission, Master. And I think the biggest thing was how much I learned from you, and how much I am going to miss you. I don't know if I can ever repay you for everything you've done for me."

"I have learned just as much from you, my little one, and am very grateful for having been blessed by your light in my life." Qui-Gon draped an arm around Laysha. "The only repayment you ever need worry about is staying true to the Force and yourself."

"Yes, Master." Laysha snuggled close and they waited in silence, no further words needed.

It took only thirty minutes for the doors to swing open again and the pair to be summoned.

This time Qui-Gon stood beside his apprentice as they faced the heads of the Council and Trials committee.

"Master Jinn, Padawan Vik, this is a significant event for any master and padawan. It is the culmination of several years of hard work," said Master Chokvtk. "Even to be invited to participate in the Trials is a recognition of a padawan's accomplishments and maturity. The Trials are a tradition of very long standing in the Jedi Order, intended to challenge candidates in many different areas to determine if they are truly ready to move to the next level, and the decision to approve this promotion is closely scrutinized." He nodded to Master Jhaovn. "I would like to thank Master Jhaovn and the members of his committee for their support of the Trials, and the extensive information they have provided to the Council to assist us in making our decisions." He waited a moment as Jhaovn nodded. "Padawan Vik, it is now my pleasure to congratulate you on the successful completion of your Trials, and to welcome you to the rank of Jedi knight."

A huge grin split the faces of both Qui-Gon and his apprentice, the joy filling their bond.

"Thank you, Master Chokvtk, Master Jhaovn," said Laysha, her eyes a brilliant green. She bowed low. "It is a great honor, and I will endeavor to prove worthy of your trust."

"Your knighting ceremony will take place tomorrow at seventh hour in the Sunrise Garden," replied Chokvtk with a smile cracking his normally cool expression. "We shall look forward to seeing both of you."

Both Qui-Gon and Laysha bowed, then made their way to their quarters. Laysha was practically floating down the halls as she babbled her happiness. Once inside, they both tossed their cloaks onto their hooks.

"I shall have to find Gren and tell him, and then we can go pick up my new uniform for the ceremony," said Laysha as she headed for the kitchen area. "Oh, most excellent master," she cried as she opened cabinets and the cooler, "you have stocked all my favorites!"

"I assumed you would want to eat, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. He arched an eyebrow as he watched Laysha exclaiming and dithering over what to have first, then went to sit on the couch. "If you can spare a moment before ravishing our stores, I'd like to have a word." He patted the space beside him.

"Of course, Master." Laysha bounded across the common area and hopped onto the couch next to Qui-Gon. A grin still adorned her face.

Qui-Gon sat silently with his head bowed for a long moment.

"Is there something wrong, Master?" asked Laysha softly.

"No, I just wasn't certain where to start," replied Qui-Gon. He turned sideways to face his apprentice and pulled a small gray bag from his belt pouch. "I realize that we haven't always seen eye to eye on everything, and I've made you work damned hard and� well, I know I made a lot of mistakes trying to learn how to be a master�" Qui-Gon had to stop, his throat tight.

"We both made a lot of mistakes, but that's how you learn. The work may have been hard, but we had a lot of fun and a lot of good moments along the way," said Laysha. She put a hand on Qui-Gon's arm. "You took a chance on me when nobody else would, and I shall always be immensely grateful for that. I am proud to be your padawan and wouldn't want anyone else for my master."

"And I am proud of you and all that you have accomplished, Padawan." Qui-Gon opened the bag and let the blue stone fall onto his palm. "I've been holding this for you for quite a while, Laysha. You have earned it and I am looking forward to putting this in your ear in the morning, my almost-knight."

Laysha stared for a moment, then slowly reached out to gently stroke the smooth surface. "It's beautiful," she sighed. She let her gaze rest on the stone for a moment, then abruptly closed Qui-Gon's fingers over it. "Hold it until the ceremony, Master. Tonight I'm still your padawan," she grinned, "and I want to have fun."

Laysha slipped off the couch and stood before Qui-Gon, her hands on his knees and her face grave. Her tail waved in slow arcs. "The Force has blessed us with a full moon tonight. Will you join me in the gardens for this last dance, Master Jinn?"

Qui-Gon moved off the couch and knelt before his apprentice. "It would be my very great honor and pleasure to dance with you in the Force, Padawan Vik," he replied in a deep bass.

They looked at each other for a moment, blue eyes staring into green, then grinned and hugged.

Epilogue

"Just because it's your fortieth nameday, Master, don't think I'm going to cut you any slack." Xanatos flashed a cheeky smile as he dropped his cloak near the wall of the training salle.

"For that remark, Padawan, I shall have to more thoroughly demonstrate how much you have yet to learn," said Qui-Gon as he gave a friendly tug on the long black braid.

Lightsabers at training strength, the two Jedi faced off in the middle of the circle and saluted each other. They moved quickly and surely around the floor, Qui-Gon pushing just hard enough to strenuously challenge his apprentice without overwhelming him.

The hum and clash of the 'sabers went on for fifteen minutes; Qui-Gon had begun a maneuver to disarm his opponent when he gasped and fell to one knee.

"Master, what's wrong?" Xanatos knelt beside his master.

"Don't know..." Qui-Gon sucked in several deep breaths. "Felt like I was jabbed by the Force..."

A comm link shrilled urgently. Qui-Gon took the device from his utility belt and answered the call. "Master Jinn here."

"Master Jinn, this is Master Gamvn. Your presence is immediately requested at Healer Hall. Please report to the critical care ward at once."

"What is going on?" demanded Qui-Gon.

"I'm afraid there is no time to waste. I'll explain when you get here. Gamvn out."

Qui-Gon looked at the comm for a second, then shoved it back in place and sprang to his feet. He wiped his face as he shrugged into his cloak and hurried out the door, his padawan following closely behind him.

Scant minutes later Qui-Gon was outside the double doors marked in large red letters as "Critical Care" and "Authorized Personnel Only."

"Master Jinn?" A healer in white waited outside the entrance, datapad in hand.

"Yes. You are Master Gamvn?"

The healer nodded. "Master Jinn, I'm afraid I have bad news for you. Knight Vik has just been brought back from a mission. She saved quite a few people from an explosion, but was very badly wounded herself." Gamvn shook his head. "It's a miracle she is still alive at all. We've done what we can for her, but the prognosis is extremely poor. She is fighting hard to hold on to what bit of life she has left and has been asking for you since she regained consciousness a short while ago."

"Knight Vik?" asked Xanatos. "Is that Laysha Vik, your first apprentice, Master?"

"Yes, that's her." Qui-Gon's heart lurched in his chest. "She can be remarkably stubborn." A tight smile stretched his lips as he looked at his current apprentice. "Would you mind terribly waiting out here, Padawan?"

"Of course not, Master." Xanatos hesitated a moment. "I know I only met her a few times, but she seemed like a nice person. I'm sorry, Master." He bowed.

"Thank you, Padawan." Qui-Gon turned to the healer as Xanatos went to sit on a bench along the wall. "Can I see her now?"

"Yes, of course. This way please." Gamvn led Qui-Gon to a grey door a short way down the ward hallway. "Call if you need me, Master Jinn."

"Thank you." Qui-Gon nodded, then took a deep breath to steel himself before entering.

In the gloom of the dimly lit room, a small figure was lost in the medbed among arrays of tubes and monitors.

"Master?" came a weak voice.

"I'm here, Padawan." Qui-Gon went to stand next to the bed and took Laysha's hand.

"I had to come back to say good-bye, Master, to be together at the end."

"The healers might be able to help you, Padawan, if you - "

"No, Master, it's time. I can feel it."

"Won't you at least give them a chance to try, work with them? You still have so much joy in life, so many things left to do..."

"The Force is calling me, Master." Laysha squeezed Qui-Gon's hand. "Don't worry, Master. It's been a good trip� lots of wonderful moments to live in along the way." She paused, coughed, a trickle of bright ruby blood on her lips. A monitor beeped ominously. "I needed to say good-bye... to thank you for helping make my dreams come true and for being such a wonderful master."

"It was your own strength that carried you, your strength and that damned stubbornness, my little one." Qui-Gon smiled tenderly as he carefully wiped away the blood, then traced the scars amidst the fine fur on her arms and face. "I learned just as much from you, even if I didn't always appreciate it at the time. You will forever be in my heart."

"Remember Zhiig? So beautiful," murmured Laysha. "I think your shooting star has burned out, Master."

"Of course I remember, Padawan." Qui-Gon leaned close, his throat tight, and ruffled the fur on top of her head. "Just as I will always remember us dancing with the Force in the moonlight."

A ghost of a smile crossed Laysha's lips, but was interrupted by a few shuddering breaths.

"Master?"

"Yes, Padawan?"

A long silence. Then Laysha's eye lids fluttered and with a voice barely above a whisper, she asked, "I need to know... was I a good Jedi?"

"You were and are a very good Jedi, Knight Vik." He gently ran his thumb across the blue stone in one ear.

"Thank you, Master."

There was another silence as a monitor chirped faster.

Laysha's voice was faint, fading. "Love you..."

The monitor gave one shrill beep and fell silent as lights turned from amber to soft red.

"I love you, too, Laysha Vik." Qui-Gon rested his forehead on hers. "May the Force be with you always."

Finis