Captain Maeva Antilles had always been strictly business, a no-nonsense, brusque woman, with little time for polite small-talk. But she'd also been friendly in a distant, working sort of way. I just didn't want her getting any more friendly, especially with him.

I moved in front of Master Qui-Gon, hoping to keep her from trying to attack him. She towered over me, her body whipcord thin but I figured I could take her on if necessary. I was Force-strong, after all, and she was not.

Eyes narrowed, she glared at me, sizing me up for a moment, and then her gaze fell on Qui-Gon. As she slinked toward us both, voice throaty with desire, she said, "Qui-Gon, could I speak with you?" Her smile was full of promise. "Privately?"

As I attempted to block her, hoping to deflect any unnatural advances from the woman, I was stunned when Master Qui-Gon gripped my shoulder and pushed me to one side. "Padawan, go up to the cockpit and see what the others are doing outside. We wouldn't want them to get hurt."

My shock deepened when, unbelievably, he said, "I'll be... unavailable for a time. Captain Antilles and I have business to conduct."

I looked up in horror. He wasn't going to accept her invitation, was he? After all we'd be through?

Had he lost his mind?

But before I could protest, he stepped past me, his eyes flicking to mine and sending me a look that I knew meant I'd better obey him or else the consequences wouldn't be good. As I stood there, mouth gaping open, his hand reached for the woman and they walked away toward her cabin. Her body was practically molded to his and I swear she was giggling.

From over his shoulder, he said, "Padawan, now."

I was still in shock as he disappeared into her quarters and shut the door. I couldn't believe it.

Stunned, annoyed and thoroughly disgusted with the whole affair, I turned away and stomped to the cockpit. After all, we'd just battled insane women of all shapes and sizes and now he was off doing who-knows-what with Captain Antilles. It didn't make sense.

I flipped switches on the control console, little sharp snapping noises that matched my temper. I knew I should calm down but it almost felt good to take out my frustration on the equipment.

I didn't want to think about it any more. Instead I was going to do what he told me - try and see what was going on outside. It was certainly better than imagining what Master and our pilot were up to at the moment.

Not thinking about it, definitely not.

I finally found the right switch and turned it on. In the viewscreen, I could see a dozen speeders parked next to the ship and at least that many women prowling around the edge of the forcefield. They seemed intent on breaching our defenses but without success, thankfully.

At least, the sound of pounding on the hatch had stopped.

I stared out into the night, trying to get some idea about what to do next. Returning to Coruscant seemed like a failure of our mission and yet we couldn't go back to the Prime Minister's house. It was just too dangerous for Master Qui-Gon with all those crazy females after him.

Focused on what the women were doing outside, at first I didn't hear the muffled noises inside the ship. But then, when I realized that the sounds were coming from the pilot's cabin, I tried to block them out. I really didn't want to know what was going on in there. But the more I ignored the noises, the louder they got until finally, abruptly, the sounds stopped.

How could he do this? First those women and now Captain Antilles...

I couldn't take it. I'd had all the requisite education courses but I never thought I'd need them around my old, seemingly-stoic master. He'd never shown this side of him before. I knew that Jedi didn't have to be chaste, that as long as they didn't form attachments, they could explore the physical side of that kind of thing as long as they were old enough. And my master was certainly old enough. Besides, a Living Force Jedi like Master Qui-Gon, with his focus on life in all its forms, might be more active than most. Theoretically.

But really, the idea of my master doing it with anyone was just too disturbing.

Focus, Kenobi, I kept telling myself, maybe there's something else going on here. Deliberately, I started thinking about my past experiences with Master Qui-Gon, trying to make sense of it all.

He'd never shown any interest in women, at least in my presence, always turning them aside with a calm nod and a few words of thanks. Always.

Now, he was acting oddly, almost like he wanted to be alone with a woman. More than that, he'd looked so eager. Even his voice had gone rumbly and low, like hers.

It was at that moment when a horrible thought crossed my mind, shaking me to the core. What if Master Qui-Gon was becoming as crazy as the women? What if he'd fallen under the spell of whatever was turning normal females into rabid, lust-filled demons and he didn't know it? Would he start kissing everyone in sight? Start doing things he shouldn't?

And if he was susceptible, was I far behind?

I was utterly appalled at the idea.

Breaking into a cold sweat, I shivered with the possibilities. Muttering under my breath, I was growing more and more worried as improper, arousing images of women surrounding me and demanding things kept pushing into my mind.

Was I going mad? Was I losing what little control I had over my own body? Was I going to end up like my master, kissing every female within reach?

I was trying to talk myself out of the overwhelming, depressing and inevitable conclusion that I was headed straight to the Dark Side, that I would be kicked out of the Order for turning into a depraved, sick padawan or worse that maybe I'd wander through star systems having strange women following me and laughing when I tried to kiss them.

I admit it. I was panicking. So I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings and nearly jumped out of my skin when my master said, "Padawan, what is the situation?"

Abruptly, I turned around, frowned confusion at him. "Master, I thought..." My eyes flicked toward the pilot's cabin.

Master Qui-Gon looked distinctly unhappy. "The Captain is suffering under the delusion that we would become more intimate. I tried reasoning, threats, mind persuasion. Nothing worked." He shook his head. "I did not want to put her under a sleep suggestion in case we needed her flying skills later." Behind him, muted pounding sounds started up again. "At the moment, she's locked in her cabin, venting her anger. She did not take my refusal well."

I let out a long, relieved sigh, happy that my master wasn't turning into someone with unnatural hungers but I must admit I was even happier that I wouldn't have to kiss a female any time soon. My fears had all been for nothing.

For a fleeting moment, Master Qui-Gon's mouth quirked amusement and then he turned solemn again. "What is our status?"

Flicking my eyes toward the captain's cabin, I said, "At least a dozen women are surrounding the ship, Master. We can't take off since they would get hurt if we did so. They've tried to get in but we're locked tight."

He nodded, "So it's a stand-off."

"The way things are now, we can't go back to the Temple, anyway, Master. Your...ummm condition... " I hesitated.

Sitting down in the co-pilot's seat, his eyes staring out into the night, Master Qui-Gon sounded shaken, almost angry. "Yes, my condition. There had been stories about men whose powers of persuasion were enough to drive women mad. But I'd always thought them mere fiction, something to entertain. But this is..." He glanced at me for a moment and then back out into the night again. "Disturbing."

Any other discussion was disrupted with the insistent beep of an incoming message. It was an irate Prime Minister on the comm, a dozen dessert-covered females standing behind him. He looked almost purple with indignation.

"Jinn, you will get back here this minute and stop whatever you are doing to these women. If I had known that Jedi would dishonor us this way, I would never have asked for assistance. It's an outrage. That blasted Council of yours will hear about this in full detail and the Senate, too. Unless you fix it right now!" He paused for breath and then turned aside, speaking to someone just out of vid-range. "Mother, I'm talking to him at the moment. Stop crying, will you?"

Master Qui-Gon and I exchanged looks. This was not good.

"Half of my cabinet, my daughters and my mother of all people," he sounded almost embarrassed, "are demanding that you return. The men are calling for blood and the women are... well, let's just say that they are getting more descriptive by the minute," he flushed a deeper purple, "including my eighty year-old mother. I didn't know she even knew about that sort of thing."

Speaking calmly, Master Qui-Gon said, "I had hoped that the effects would have worn off by now."

"They haven't and the women are getting more agitated the longer you stay away." Prime Minister Zadros was adamant. "You have to reverse whatever it is that you've done or I'll have a full-scale riot on my hands. And it will be all your fault."

"Sir, I have reason to believe that if I return, more women might be affected. My pilot is the latest victim. I cannot return until I know what is making them act so irrationally."

Zadros was horrified. "Are you telling me that you don't know what it is or how to stop it? Or even if it is reversible?"

Taking a deep breath, Qui-Gon said carefully, "It began shortly after I ate something that your elder daughter, Lady Erelia, made for me. It may be a coincidence..."

"That little... Erelia!" His face a thundercloud, the Prime Minister twisted away from the comm, shouting for his daughter. "Where is that girl?" He sounded even more exasperated than before.

Cutting off the sound for a moment, I asked, "Master, do you think it was her doing? Something in the chocolate?" I didn't think it would be a good idea to accuse her of sabotage, not with all the other problems we were having . No need starting an interplanetary incident with false accusations.

"Most likely. Lady Erelia is a strong-willed young woman and determined to get her way. When I wouldn't submit to her advances, she swore that I'd regret it." Qui-Gon sat there, frowning at the comm. "I didn't think it would come to this, however."

I didn't like the sound of that. "What do we do?"

He gave me his typical non-useful response. "Patience, Obi-Wan. The Force will guide us."

Sure it will. Personally, I think the Force was laughing at us again. But I kept silent. We had enough problems.

Turning the sound back on, we could hear arguing in the background but instead of the Prime Minister on-screen, there was a sudden sea of female faces. They were all waving at Qui-Gon, making kissing motions with their mouths, sending him sultry looks and several of them were writhing seductively. At least I think it was seductively. They were undulating their bodies and their hands were... I turned away, cheeks hot.

When I got back to the Temple, I swear I was going to have to scrub my brain clean.

Sir Zadros must have found his daughter. With the sound of their voices growing louder, I looked up to find one of the women in the crowd had pushed her way forward and was trying to kiss the viewscreen, smearing lip color and saliva on it. As she was shoved back by one of the male guards, the Prime Minister and Erelia came into view.

The guard did a quick swipe of the holovid camera, cleaning it. The Minister nodded his thanks and gestured for the room to be cleared of intruders. It took a few moments, mostly because the women didn't want to leave. Their shrill protests made my ears ring but it quieted at last.

His eyes narrowed in aggravation, the Prime Minister said, "My daughter claims that it was your own fault. That if you had just accepted her proposition, there would have been no problems." But before Qui-Gon could protest, Zadros snapped back, "She has been nothing but trouble ever since she went to Carida for training in food preparation last year. Even her mother can't keep her in line."

The woman in question came around to the viewscreen and frowned at her father. Erelia's eyes were flashing fire. "How could you? I thought you were on my side."

"Erelia, I could overlook the piles of burnt and discarded food stuffs from your pastry experiments and the obscure, exotic, expensive herbs that you use for flavorings. I can even overlook the wild parties that you and your friends have and the hordes of men that tramp through here dazed and happy. You have been a thorn in my political career but I love you and had hoped you would outgrow this childishness. But this is too much." Zadros looked like he was ready to explode. "You have caused an interplanetary incident. You have possibly ruined a treaty that I spent months setting up and you have almost gotten several people hurt, including a Jedi Master."

Tossing her head, dismissing her father's words, she snapped back, "Qui-Gon had no right to ignore me like he did. I am the daughter of the Prime Minister of Septemus IV. He should have been grateful for my attentions, not pushed me aside like some spoiled brat."

But the Prime Minister was not amused. His face froze into a thunderous frown and his voice lowered into ice. "Erelia, listen to me and listen well. Your mother and I have tried to forgive your spitefulness and your pride but this is the last time. You will tell Master Jinn how to reverse this situation and allow him to do his duty to our people and the Republic. Then I will discuss this with

your mother and we will make sure this never happens again. Do I make myself clear?"

She must have realized that she couldn't talk her way out of this one. "But I... "

Zadros was adamant, each word clipped. "Do.. I.. make.. myself.. clear?"

"Yes, father, very clear." She seemed close to tears. I couldn't tell if they were real or not but at least she was being more cooperative. "But I'm not sure he'll like the antidote."

"Just tell him." The man sounded like he was on the edge.

"Well, I've used it before. At the parties. It's an attractant and a mild aphrodisiac. There's no real harm and the effects clear up in a couple of hours usually. Besides, most men seem to like it..."

Covering his eyes with one hand, Zadros was shaking his head. "I can't believe I'm hearing this." Then he looked up, staring at his daughter with fury in his eyes. "It's not going away, Erelia."

"Well, I did up the dose quite a bit. He's a Jedi and he wasn't very friendly so I thought I'd teach him a lesson." Her chin came up, and she stood there, unrepentant. The tears were gone.

"What's the antidote?" Fury wasn't a strong enough word for the look that the Prime Minister gave his daughter.

She smiled at Qui-Gon, her face triumphant and then she said eight little words, eight little words that convinced me that the Force was indeed laughing at us all.

"He has to kiss them... on the lips."