Master Apprentice Archive The Tale of the Deneban Spitting Lizard Quick search:

Archive: feel free!

Pairing: None.

Category: Humour

Rating: G

Disclaimer: It's all George's

Warning: None.

Summary: Qui-Gon brings home yet another pet. By the way, has anyone ever thought of starting up a website for Qui-Gon pet stories? Anyway, this is a stand-alone story from the 'Rite of Passage' universe. Check the rest of it out on http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/drive/xsi35/fanfic1.shtml if you're interested, but be warned, the main story is a WORK IN PROGRESS and a slow moving one at that.

Notes: Many thanks to Yvette, Sith beta reader.

Timeline: Obi-Wan is 15.

'Welcome back, Master. How were the talks?'

Qui-Gon looked around their spotless quarters with approval. 'So far I've managed to talk the leaders of the two main clans out of attempting to ritually disembowel each other every time they meet,' he noted. 'I consider that to be excellent progress.'

'Will we be returning there, Master?' Obi-Wan asked, as he set his

Master's bags down by his bedroom door.

Qui-Gon shook his head. 'The cold season has just started. The negotiations will restart when the spring comes again, in about eighteen standard months. How did your mid-year trials go, Padawan?'

'I'm still waiting for some of the results to be posted, Master, but so far I've passed them all.'

Qui-Gon nodded approvingly. 'Well done, Padawan. We'll review your results tomorrow.'

'I'll unpack your bags, Master. I'm sure you must be hungry. I'll go to the kitchens and fetch you something to eat.'

'Padawan, before you go, there is one more thing...'

Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed. He knew that faintly guilty expression of old. 'What did you bring home this time, Master?' he asked warily.

'Your perception serves you well, Padawan,' Qui-Gon said apologetically.

'Just as long as it's not a Deneban Spitting Lizard,' Obi-Wan said.

Qui-Gon's look grew even more apologetic.

'Master, please tell me it's not a Deneban Spitting Lizard,' his Padawan appealed.

There was a pause, then Qui-Gon nodded. 'I'm afraid so, Padawan. She's rather a large specimen too. You'll need to clear out our spare room to make space for her.'

Obi-Wan's mouth thinned slightly, otherwise he gave no outward sign of disapproval. 'Clear out the spare room. Of course. I'll attend to it this evening, Master.'

'You'd better take up the rugs too,' Qui-Gon added, as an afterthought. 'There were several unfortunate accidents on the shuttle and I think she may be shedding her scales.'

'Put the rugs into storage. Yes, Master.'

'The shedding is probably a side-effect of the pregnancy,' Qui-Gon observed. 'That and the bad temper. Which reminds me, you'd better check that the medi-packs are fully stocked.'

There was a moment of silence. 'For us or for the lizard, Master?'

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. 'We're not likely to be biting her, Padawan. Make sure we have a full complement of bacta patches and dressings.'

Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, but his voice remained calm. 'Yes, Master. I'll go down to medical stores as soon as I've finished clearing out the spare room.'

'Don't worry, Padawan. This will only be until she lays her eggs and hatches them.'

'May I ask, Master, how long that will take?' Obi-Wan asked, in tones of polite enquiry.

'No more than twelve or thirteen weeks, Padawan,' Qui-Gon said airily. 'Oh, and that reminds me. You'll need to ask maintenance to increase the heat in our quarters. Another twenty degrees should be about right.'

'Maintenance. Turn up the heating. Yes, Master.'

'And when you've finished that, contact the kitchens and find out if they'll be able to supply us with about three buckets of raw fish a day.'

'Raw fish. Yes, Master,' Obi-Wan repeated obediently.

Qui-Gon looked at him appraisingly. 'I'm pleased that you're taking this so well, Obi-Wan,' he remarked. 'I must admit I expected more opposition on your part.'

'Opposition?' Obi-Wan said serenely. 'Master it is difficult to describe my joy at the prospect of sharing our overheated quarters with a vicious, incontinent, moulting, venemous lizard with bad breath. I'm going to go and meditate on my feelings as soon as I've completed the chores you've given me, and then I'm going to pack my things and move in with Reeft. Expect me back in about three months.'

'Wait, Obi-Wan,' Qui-Gon said, as his Padawan turned to go.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. 'What is it, Master?'

Qui-Gon unfolded his arms to reveal a tiny, russet furred rodent, perhaps three inches in length, curled up and sleeping soundly in the broad, callused palm of his hand. The creature's long, slender tail was wrapped several times around his wrist.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and let his head fall back agains the wall. 'Master, why did you tell me you'd bought back a Spitting Lizard?' he asked, when he could trust himself to speak again.

'That was a conclusion you managed to jump to yourself, Padawan,' Qui-Gon said mildly. 'Do you really think I would do something like that without speaking to you about it first?'

Obi-Wan gave him a sceptical look. 'Quite honestly, Master? Yes, I do.'

'I find your lack of faith disturbing,' Qui-Gon said, sounding slightly hurt.

'Master, you have brought back yet another injured animal without consulting me,' Obi-Wan said in exasperation. 'Why am I the one being made to feel gulty?'

'The animal is orphaned, not injured,' Qui-Gon said, with great dignity. 'I know that we agreed to discuss any new acquisitions and I hope you will forgive me for not doing so on this occasion. Unfortunately there was no time to contact you and I was unwilling to leave the creature to die. I'd hoped you would understand. You are sometimes intolerant but I have never known you to be lacking in compassion.'

Obi-Wan sighed. 'I apologise, Master. Please forgive me.'

'I have noticed that you sometimes seem inclined to believe the worst of people, my Padawan,' Qui-Gon reproved. 'Perhaps that's understandable, but I'm disappointed that you're occasionally willing to believe the worst of your own Master. I would like you to spend some more time over the next few weeks meditating on the virtues of trust and tolerance.'

'Yes, Master.'

'Now, I will need a small cage, two or three pounds of damp moss and a water dish. If you look in the green pouch you'll find a selection of seeds and berries. I want you to scan them and something that approximates them in the Temple garden database. There's no need for you to go out to collect them tonight, first thing tomorrow morning will be soon enough.

Obi-Wan fought the urge to beat his head slowly against the wall. 'Yes, Master.'