The Meaning of Life…
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"I am so tired," Qui-Gon groaned as he headed back home with extremely weary legs. "That is the LAST time I let Mace talk me into playing Seven aside Gabali with the initiates."
He'd told his padawan not to stay up too late just on the off chance that he would be forced to have a couple of restorative drinks with his partners in crime, Dex Berlingside and Mace Windu. His intuition had proven correct. Except for the number of drinks involved.
Windu was a total idiot, Jinn groused. Whose big idea was it to schedule the game before the children's bedtime? The crèche masters would get very little in the way of peace tonight…
As he got to the door of his apartment he could hear the distant sound of voices talking. Jinn glanced at his wrist chrono. Jemmiah should have been in bed AGES ago. And his padawan had stayed up beyond his instructed hours as well.
Right, thought Qui-Gon. I'll show you who's the master round here…
He opened the door and was met by the sight of Obi-Wan lying slouched on the floor, face in the palm of his hands, watching the holo screen idly. Jemmiah was sitting on the couch with her hands wrapped round a cup of what Qui-Gon guessed was probably hot chocolate.
Evla spoils that girl, thought Qui-Gon silently. Ever since we brought her back Jemmiah's introduced that Corellian taste for all things sweet into our household. My padawan will most likely need several teeth extracted if he continues with his predilection for Corelli treacle.
Obi-Wan looked up, unfazed.
"Jemmiah couldn't sleep." He said, using their coded phrase for 'Jemmiah's had screaming nightmares again.'
Qui-Gon nodded and left it at that.
"Ten more minutes padawan and that's all." He put on his stern voice.
"Yes, master." The boy nodded before turning back to the screen.
Qui-Gon followed his apprentice's gaze to the screen.
What he saw rather disturbed him. It was certainly NOT the sort of viewing material he would have deemed suitable for either padawan or child.
He made a force snatch for the control and switched channels.
"A word if you please, padawan." Qui-Gon ordered his rather flushed looking apprentice into the adjoining kitchen area, making sure to keep his voice low.
"When I said make sure you went to bed in plenty of time, I expected to be obeyed."
"But…" Obi-Wan began.
Jinn held up his hand to stop the boy's protestations in mid flow.
"I'm not so concerned about that. You've given me your reasons and I accept them. And whilst I also don't usually allow the holo screen on at this time either I also agree that it was a good way to keep Jemmiah's mind occupied." His vivid blue stare fell upon the boy. "But what I do NOT accept was the type of thing you were watching."
"We weren't!" Obi-Wan sulked. "I was flicking channels when you came back. When you started speaking
I just left it on that channel. You're always telling me to pay attention when you speak."
The boy looked hurt. Well, if nothing else at least he had been listening to what his master had said, Qui-Gon thought ruefully.
"In that case, I apologise." Qui-Gon said.
"Y-you do?" Obi-Wan frowned.
"Yes. I'm not an ogre, Obi-Wan." He put an arm round his shoulder. "You're tired. I suggest we get some rest."
"Yes, master." Nodded the boy dutifully. "Oh, how did the match go, if you don't mind me asking?" A smile tugged at the boy's lips.
"We lost." Qui-Gon sighed, ruffling Kenobi's short hair. "As you well knew."
"But they were only seven initiates. How could you lose?" Obi-Wan asked.
"We lost because our net keeper cried off at the last minute and our replacement wasn't…how shall I say it, up to the job."
"Who?"
"Master Quirida-Xac."
"WHAT! But Master Quirida-Xac's over seventy! Not to mention his other problems…"
"Quite, padawan." Qui-Gon strode past the boy looking straight ahead. "Quite."
Jinn walked over to the eleven year old Jemmiah Gleshan, who regarded him with large, rounded eyes.
"Time for bed, Tangles." He warned.
She nodded, draining her mug of chocolate quickly. It left a huge brown ring round her mouth, which she scrubbed at with the back of her hand. Qui-Gon shook his head in amusement.
"Master Jinn?" She asked, the picture of perfect innocence. "What was going on there, just now? On the screen, I mean?"
There was a ghastly silence as Qui-Gon considered how best to reply.
"Right, I'm off to bed then. Good night, Master!" Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and practically ran past his master at a gallop, almost cutting himself in half with the door in an effort to escape.
"Err..." Qui-Gon swallowed, looking everywhere around the room but at Jemmiah. He sat down on his haunches.
Oh, help, he thought.
"Didn't Evla explain to you about…" his voice trailed away as she shook her head solemnly.
"No. She obviously hasn't." Jinn pushed his hands through his long hair, thinking. This wasn't going to be easy. It was too late at night, for starters.
"Why don't you talk about this with Evla when she comes back?" He smiled hopefully.
She shrugged. "I'll ask Master Windu about it, then."
"No!" Qui-Gon almost laughed with embarrassment at the thought. " We'll discuss this tomorrow. OK?"
She looked at him.
"OK." Her eyes lit up suddenly, and she planted a big, chocolatey kiss on his head. "Goodnight." She smiled when she saw the mark she'd left behind, and handed him the mug before stalking off to the spare bed.
"Devious, cunning little urchin." Jinn muttered, rubbing the chocolate off his head.
He looked down at the mug. What AM I going to tell her? I really HATE this sort of thing. Why do kids have to grow up?
He walked slowly over to the sink and added the cup to the collection of dirty dishes that Obi-Wan had just happened to forget to wash whilst he was away.
This was Evla's responsibility. Something dreadful ALWAYS happened whenever she made her periodic visits to see her relatives. It wasn't that Qui-Gon disliked having Jemmiah to stay with him, just that he wished her guardian would take her with her when she went off planet. But Jemmiah was adamant that she wouldn't leave Coruscant. Simply, she didn't feel safe away from the confines of the temple. This was yet another problem they would have to tackle sometime in the future.
Yes. This was just one in a series of what Qui-Gon had come to call a 'Jemmiah day'.
Groaning at the stiffness in his abused legs, he made his way to the direction of the fresher. He was NOT looking forward to tomorrow, that was for sure.
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Obi-Wan popped his head round the door as he heard Jemmiah go past.
"You've got my master really worked up." He grinned. "Didn't anyone tell you about all that stuff?"
"What, the meaning of life and birds and bees, that sort of thing?" The girl smiled her prettiest smile. "Of course. When I was on Nargotria, we had a teacher amongst our number who tried to make certain I had an all-round education. I knew about that sort of thing years ago."
She laughed softly. "He doesn't know that though."
Kenobi smirked at her. "You are horrible!" He said in total admiration.
"Thank you." She said.
As she let herself into the spare room, she had but one thought.
Let Qui-Gon get out of this!
