TITLE: When Walls Have Ears

TITLE: When Walls Have Ears...

"Padawan." Qui-Gon spoke so quietly that Obi-Wan didn't register that his master had spoken for several moments. He looked up from his assignment, surprised.

"Master?" he blinked.
"I was wondering if it might not be a good idea to get Jemmiah some kind of gift. She's been here a few months now and she's settled in well. I was wondering what your opinion was."
"You're asking my opinion?" Obi-Wan's incredulity gained momentum.
"Yes." Qui-Gon nodded. "You don't think your opinion is worth anything?"
"It's not that, master," Obi-Wan shook his head in denial, "It's just that masters generally lead and padawans…"
"Trail behind their shoulders by a few steps." Qui-Gon nodded. "I don't feel obliged to act on your opinions, it's true. But this time I am genuinely interested. Do you think I should get her a small gift to make her feel more part of our household?"

Obi-Wan was tempted to say that even the carpets and rugs were technically part of the household, and just as downtrodden as he had initially felt when Qui-Gon had accepted him as his apprentice. Jemmiah was a different case entirely, though. Qui-Gon was not one to throw credits around without a good reason, whether on himself or other people. Jemmiah had realized that early on and it had never seemed to bother her at all. He supposed that after what she had been used to on Nargotria any amount of frugality seemed homely to her.

"I don't think Jemmiah would mind one way or another." Obi-Wan said finally.
"That's not what I asked you." Qui-Gon reminded him. "I asked if YOU thought I should get her a gift."

//Okay. I'm not jealous. I get a rock for my birthday and Jemmiah's going to get something normal.// he chewed his lip. //She's only been here three months and she can twist him round her finger. Anyone else listening to this wouldn't believe it. They all think my master's as tough as old boots.//

"I…I'm not sure." He said honestly. "Yes, I think. As long as she knows that it's a one-off, special present."
"I hope you are not inferring that I am mean." Qui-Gon stated flatly.
"Master, you are no more mean than any of the other masters in the temple." Obi-Wan said sincerely.

Qui-Gon narrowed his eyes.

"Quite what that says I really don't know." The tall master tried to read Obi-Wan's emotions but found nothing but honesty. "So you think that I should?"
"Yes, master. I'm sure she'll be delighted."

//As long as it's not a rock//

"I'm not sure." Qui-Gon frowned, resting his chin on his hand. "What should I get her?"
"How about a hair dyeing kit." Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile.
"No." Qui-Gon said roundly.
"How about some make up and some rollers?"
"NO!"
"Well, that's my quota of suggestions." The padawan shrugged unhelpfully. "Why don't you ask her what she would like?"
"Because I want it to be a surprise." Qui-Gon answered. "I'm not used to buying gifts for young girls."
"Your first padawan was a girl." Obi-Wan reminded him as his fingers began to click over the keypads once more.

Qui-Gon made a strange, hesitant sound like a swoop that had misfired, which Obi-Wan identified eventually as a laugh.

"G'emela was never a young girl." He replied, remembering. "She was an old woman in a child's body. Always thought she knew best. And talk? She could talk the hind legs off a Bantha. Always had an opinion on EVERYTHING. In which respect very little has changed."
"I've never met her." Obi-Wan said politely.
"Oh, that is almost certain to change." Qui-Gon looked unnerved. "She's on field duty at the moment or she would have been round the moment she heard I'd caved in and taken another padawan…"

He broke off suddenly, feeling suitably embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. That was very unkind of me. I didn't mean it to come out that way."
"It doesn't matter." The padawan said, although Qui-Gon could tell that it DID matter just by looking at his slightly hunched over and defensive posture at the holo terminal.
"Yes, it does." Qui-Gon repeated. "G'emela would give me a talking to for that unworthy remark. You know," he pondered for a moment, "Jemmiah's nothing like G'emela at all. Maybe I expected all female children to be just like her." He paused. "Or Sal-Fina."

Qui-Gon stopped his slow prowling of the floor.

"I think I will get her something." He nodded after some moment's contemplation. "Maybe a necklace. Or something like that."

Something pricked at his force sense and he raised his voice a fraction so that it would carry.

"Or maybe I should get her something smaller, like a book chip. Something educational."

The door to Jemmiah's bedroom flew open.

"The necklace is fine!" she said eagerly, before realizing what she had done. Slapping two hands tightly over her mouth, Jemmy's eyes darted from Obi-Wan to the imposing figure of Qui-Gon.

"He he." She laughed weakly.
"Were you listening?" Qui-Gon asked, crossing his arms in an attempt to look stern.
"Well, I kinda heard my name being mentioned so I figured it must be something to do with me." Jemmy replied, wondering what was going to happen next.
"Tangles, eavesdroppers never heard any good of themselves." Qui-Gon insisted.
"How?"
"Because they don't."
"That's not much of an answer." Jemmiah twisted her hair round her hands and fingers.
"It's all the answer you are getting."
"But…"
"I don't tolerate people spying or listening in to private conversations…"
"It was about me! How could it have been private?"
"So, as a punishment you are going to wash the dishes." He pointed at the stack of cutlery that had accumulated since suppertime.

Jemmy scowled but realized she hardly had a choice.

"Fine." She made a pretence of not caring. "I'll wash the dishes, I suppose."
"Thank you."

She walked up to him slowly, and Obi-Wan could only marvel at how perfectly ridiculous the height difference between them was. Jemmiah stared solemnly up at him, batting her eyelashes in a pleading way.

"I guess that means no present, huh?"
"Dishes." Qui-Gon pointed towards the kitchen.

Jemmy grumbled something in Corellian but wandered over to the stool by the sink.

"I'm going to take copyright out against my name." She sniffed. "Then when anyone uses it they will have to pay me an enormous amount of money."


*****************

Two days later and Qui-Gon was still debating what, if anything, to get Jemmiah as a gift. He'd spent so much mental energy trying to solve the problem that he'd felt quite tired out by the end of it, even if he knew that it was just an excuse to lie down on the couch and close his eyes before Obi-Wan returned from his lessons. The material of the padded sofa nestled comfortably into his back, causing him to relax almost instantly and drift off…

Just a few more moments.

He couldn't believe the turnaround in his life over the last year or so. It was astonishing, even to one like himself who worked so hard at irradicating any outward signs of emotion, something that Dex had worryingly told him he'd perfected. He hadn't wanted to take Obi-Wan as an apprentice, that much was true, and whilst he didn't see the point in hiding that from the boy he didn't feel the need to ram it unkindly down his throat either. Truth was that the force had willed it from the start, just as Yoda had foreseen.

Obi-Wan was a good, quick learner if a little too hasty to follow his heart. It worried him to see the sometimes reckless abandon with which Obi-Wan would sometimes throw himself into a potentially dangerous situation. There would have to be a lot of training and meditation on that point, he conceded. The last thing he wanted was to lose another apprentice.

Just a few more moments…

Jemmiah had simply stunned him. He'd felt that same inexplicable pull of the force, just as he had with Obi-Wan. This time he hadn't been able to ignore it. Vernice's comments on the flight back from Nargotria, tongue in cheek as they were, hadn't been far from the truth. He'd simply been won over. She startled him time and time again with things she'd say or do. Sometimes it was difficult to remember that she was ten years old when she appeared so much younger. It couldn't be easy for her when she first came here, with everyone staring at her.

What should he get her as a gift? How difficult could it be?

//Too tired to think. Think later//

Just as he was floating off again, the door slid open.

//Why didn't he ring the chime?// Qui-Gon wondered suspiciously at the back of his mind. //Unless he doesn't want me to know he's here…//

"Is he here?" The Corellian voice asked.
"Yeah." Obi-Wan breathed.
"How can you tell?"
"I'm a jedi. I'm supposed to know these things." Obi-Wan answered concisely, causing Qui-Gon to smile to himself.

//Don't let him know you're awake….snore! That's it!//

Jemmy poked her head round the door and stared at the tall, reclining figure on the couch.

"You certainly don't need super powers to hear that!" she stated with distaste as the sound of gentle snoring drifted over from the sleeping Jedi master.
"I've never heard as bad as that." Obi-Wan grinned. "But nevermind him. We have to plan what we are going to do about Junine."

//Do?//

"She's really got it coming to her." Jemmy spat, her Corellian accent becoming clipped and not it's usual drawling self. "I can't believe she pinned that on you! And old Master H'dareu standing there and defending the little vrelt! Why should you have to wash the floors? It's not like you did anything! I saw her!"

//Padawan? What have you been up to?//

"And that awful Ambianca creature just sat back and said nothing!" Jemmy continued, outraged.
"Calm down, Jemmy. You'll wake him up!" Obi-Wan cautioned.
"Well, I'm just annoyed!" Jemmy slapped her arms against her side. "Nobody listens to me at all in this place!"

There was a pause. A guilty sounding pause.

//What's going on here?// Qui-Gon wondered, as he put in another snore.

"Are you sure he's asleep?" Obi-Wan's voice sounded sceptical in the extreme.
"Who snores when they are awake?" Jemmy shot back mirthfully.
"Do you want to…" he began. "You know."
"Yeah!" the mirth turned to glee.

//Want to what? Set fire to the place? Watch unsuitable holo material? Shave off my beard?//

There was a rustle of plasti-film followed shortly by a loud crunching sound.

"Mmmmm!" Jemmy laughed through a mouthful of food. "That's good! What did you say it was?"
"Takkini chips." Obi-Wan crunched some more.
"Phew! They're hot, aren't they?"
"Good though. Everything's better with Takkini on it, take it from me. Qui-Gon can cook but it can get a bit monotonous." Obi-Wan munched away.
"Tell me about it. 1001 ways to cook with tomatoes." Jemmy pulled a face.
"It's a good thing he's asleep. He doesn't like snacking between meals." Obi-Wan shot Qui-Gon another reassuring glance.
"What, Master Jinn?" Jemmy smirked. "He's OK. For an old man. But you know what I think is his main problem? He's…" she stopped suddenly.

All too late Qui-Gon managed to snore again.

"I think he's waking up."
"No…see! He's snoring again." Obi-Wan said hesitantly.
"I think he's faking it." Jemmy inched closer to the couch.
"Jemmiah!"
"Infact, I'm sure of it."

Qui-Gon felt sure she was now back peddling to the kitchen. He didn't like this at all…

"Jemmy, my master wouldn't do that."

//Thank you, padawan. At least one of you trusts me!//

"He's a man. What's there to trust?"

//Huh!//

"Well, there's one way to find out if he's asleep or awake." The Corellian voice suddenly was right by his ear once more, and Qui-Gon snored in a vain attempt to convince her wasn't awake.
"What's that?"
"Well," Jemmiah bent over him, "I'm going to take this lovely big spider I found wandering about the kitchen and drop it in his mouth like so…"

//She wouldn't!//

"In it goes!" Jemmy tittered as Qui-Gon felt something plop onto the surface of his tongue.

He sat up in an instant, holding onto his throat and trying to cough up the arachnid.

"See!" Jemmy accused. "Told you he was awake!"

Qui-Gon tried to spit but couldn't. He could feel the creature's legs against his mouth…

"Urgh…!" he choked. "Urgh…I don't believe…you put a spider in…"

Jemmy put her hands behind her back and tried to look innocent.

"Did not." She stared at her feet.
"Don't tell lies," Qui-Gon put his fingers in his mouth, feeling slightly sick, "I heard every word!"

The Corellian looked back at Obi-Wan.

"And there endeth the lesson." Jemmiah replied sanctimoniously. "Never trust a man who says one thing and does the reverse."
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan hastened over to his master's side.

Qui-Gon finally succeeded in fishing out the foreign body from under his tongue. He held it out disgustedly, then brought his hand closer to his face to study it a little better.

"This isn't as spider!" he eyed her dangerously. "It's a tomato stalk!"
"You didn't think I'd really do something like that, did you?" Jemmy looked stung.
"No…I suppose." Qui-Gon still looked ruffled. "You wouldn't do that to me."
"No, I'd do it to you - I just wouldn't do it to the poor spider." Jemmy said calmly. "You were listening to our private conversation, weren't you?"
"Well…" Qui-Gon began.
"And you told me that it was wrong to spy on people."
"Yes, I did but that was different…"
"Which means YOU have to wash the dishes tonight."
"It doesn't work like that." Qui-Gon said stiffly.
"How not?"
"Because this is my apartment."
"That's not fair." Jemmy pointed out.
"Life isn't fair, Jemmiah." Answered Qui-Gon glibly.

He paused, a series of fine lines creasing his brow.

"So, what is my main failing?" he asked curiously, looking down at the tomato stalk.
"Uh-uh." Jemmy shook her head. "Not telling."
"Why not?" he demanded.
"Because eavesdroppers never hear any good of themselves." Jemmiah winked at him.

"I suppose that present really IS out of the question now?"