******

Meanwhile...

Maul picks himself up off the ground in time to see Qui-Gon being carried into the car by Charlene. As the car starts to turn out of the driveway, Maul races after it, manages to grab onto the bumper and hangs on for the ride.

After a few minutes, the car pulls into a gas station and both Charlene and her mother get out. Maul takes the opportunity to climb up onto the top of the car. He peers down through the open sky window at Qui-Gon who is lying on his back.

When Maul comes into Qui-Gon's line of sight he jumps up for once glad to see him. "Maul! Maul! Maul! Hah! You're alive! This is great! Oh, I'm saved! I'm saved! Charlene will find you here. She'll take us back to the room, and then you can tell everyone... that this was all just a big mistake. Huh? Right? Buddy?"

Qui-Gon stares at him hopefully and waits for an answer. The stern look Maul has been fixing him with doesn't change. Even when he gives him an answer. "I just want you to know that even though you tried to kill me, revenge is not an idea we promote on my planet unless it serves a higher purpose or is an order."

A smile starts to spread across the tall Jedi's face before Maul continues. He takes a step closer to Qui-Gon. "But we're not on my planet, are we?"

Qui-Gon gives him a look, a cross between puzzlement and slight fear before Maul lunges at him. They both fall out the open car door onto the pavement below, each attempting to get the upper hand in their scuffle. Qui-Gon pins Maul down and is repeatedly punching him, also inadvertenly hitting the button that activates Maul's recorder. Maul's voice continually spits out the beginning of his message, "Darth, Darth, Darth, Darth Maul," before Maul kicks him off. As Qui-Gon regains his balance Maul jumps on top of him from behind and they're somersaulting across the pavement underneath the car. Unnoticed by anyone and not noticing, themselves, the return of Charlene and her mother. Only when the car starts and drives off does realization sink in. Maul is unbothered. Qui-Gon on the other hand starts running after the car, soon stopping when he realizes he won't catch it.

"Charlene! Doesn't she realize I'm not there?" His face clearly shows the anguish at being left behind by his favorite person in the whole world. He gasps as he stares after the disappearing taillights. "I'm lost! Oh, I'm a lost toy!"

He seems to remember Maul, standing where he left him as he is trying to contact someone on his "comm link." Qui-Gon, suddenly angry, turns around and points a finger at him as he marches back. "You!"

Maul looks up only to tell him, "No one is answering my calls..."

Qui-Gon throws his hands in the air. "Shutup! Just shutup, you idiot!"

"This is no time to panic."

Maul is on the receiving end of a glare. "This is the perfect time to panic. I'm lost! Charlene is gone! They're going to move from their house in two days and it's all your fault."

Now, it's Mauls turn to be angry as he sputters, "My...my fault?!? If you hadn't pushed me out of the window in the first place..."

"Oh, yeah? Well, if you hadn't shown up in your stupid little cardboard transport... and taken away everything that was important to me..."

Maul holds up his hand. "Don't talk to me about importance. I have been stranded here, unable to get back to Coruscant to provide the details of my mission!"

Qui-Gon looks at him puzzled. "What? What are you talking about?"

"The mission I was sent on by my master..."

Maul's view is completely taken up by the Jedi's angry and frustrated look as he steps right up to him. "You are a toy! You aren't the real Darth Maul. You're a...uh, you're an action figure! You are a child's plaything!"

Maul, of course, not believing him stares at him. "You are a sad, eccentric, tall Jedi, and you have my pity." Maul starts to walk off, attempting to raise someone over his "comm link" again.

"Oh, yeah? Well, good riddance to you, ya looney toon."

Qui-Gon's gaze wanders around, trying to figure out some way to get back to Charlene. He spotts a truck parked a few yards away. A Pizza Planet logo was painted on the side and on top was a minature, plastic transport. "Charlene," he softly whispers and then wheels around to look for Maul.





part 9

Back at Charlene's bedroom...

The toys give up their search for Maul when Yoda spots him hanging off the back of the car.

"Maul, there is," Yoda informs the group as he points to Maul's location.

Everybody is glad to see that he's okay and they figure Charlene will come back with both Maul and Qui-Gon. The disgruntled toys can string the Jedi up later. So, they go back to what they were doing.

Obi-Wan pulls a surprised Sabe through the "Palace" door as she passes by. He smirks as he playfully looks at her. "What do you say we finish what we started earlier."

He leans in to kiss her and she gladly accepts. He tries for a little more than just a kiss but she pushes him away. He looks at her, confused. "What?"

"I didn't think you wanted to finish it that far. I'm sorry but I don't want to go that far until I'm married. You did hear me tell you that...right?"

Obi-Wan immediately finds something else to look at. Sabe crosses her arms. "*You* weren't listening to me, were you? You just wanted a fun little fling! I hate to be the one to burst your bubble but some women actually want to get to know someone, not just have sex with them. You, obviously, have no idea about women, Obi-Wan." She turns and storms out the door.

"But I'm trying to learn." Obi-Wan makes an attempt to go after her but trips on the lower frame of the door and goes flying face-first to the floor. He looks up to see Sabe's robe trailing after her. Undaunted, he picks himself up and follows after her as she makes her way to the windowsill.

"Sabe, wait! Will you just stop."

She stops and leans against the window frame. The second he catches up with her she lands a walloping slap on his face. He stumbles and is soon tripping again. This time, he falls off the windowsill down into a glass that Charlene has left on the floor. He catches his feet on the edge of the opening and just dangles there.

"Somebody help. Get me out of here." His robe has fallen down over his face, rendering him blind. He doesn't see Sabe and she angrily pushes his feet entirely into the clear glass. Obi-Wan is left upside down, sputtering for help, tangled in his robe...and totally visible to everyone else as they laugh at him.

He eventually tips the glass over and backs out. As he stands up he tries to untangle the robe and after a few struggling moments succeeds. He smooths his robe back out and turns around, where several toys are standing there watching him. Yoda comes forward and pulls on Obi-Wan's sleeve who leans down.

"Willing Sabe is not eh? Try Lana's Barbie perhaps you might. That or retreat to your room you should."

Yoda winks at him. Obi-Wan stands abruptly, his face flushing and without a word walks off. Yoda laughs to himself as he sees Obi-Wan heading for his room, though. He turns to the rest of the toys and bangs his walking stick on the floor.

"Show over it is."