Trials of an Apprentice
Part Two
* Indicate telepathy *
Both Trowa and Duo watched from behind glass windows as the transport ship carrying their partners travelled slowly out of the hanger before quickly building up speed and shooting off into the atmosphere.
Trowa sighed wistfully, staring longingly after Quatre.
"Come on Trowa lets head to the common room, I'm sure Sally and Wufei are there already." Duo said turning away from the window as soon as the transport had disappeared from his line of sight, his long braid swaying behind him with his movement.
"I'm not really in the mood Duo." Trowa answered, turning to face him.
"Sure you are." Duo said. "Don't be all moody just cause Quats gone again!"
"Duo I have to study I have a test in negotiation techniques tomorrow morning." He responded.
"So bring your notes and meet us there." Duo reasoned with his friend. "We both know that if you go back to your quarters you'll just spend the rest of the evening moping around as usual."
Duo watched as a look of defeat assigned its self to Trowa's face as he silently agreed.
"See I always know best."
~*~
Sally looked up as Duo entered the common room, watching him as he first walked up to the bar on the far side of the room and greeted the bar maid. Heero and Wufei were seated with her at a round table on the far side of the room. Duo looked up and grinned at them before making his way across the room towards their table.
"Where's Trowa?" Heero asked, watching Duo out of the corner of his eye, his concentration never leaving the game of holographic chess that was laid out on the table between Wufei and himself.
"He'll be here in a minute his just picking up some revision notes." Duo answered pulling over a chair and sitting down next to Sally. "Oh I meant to ask earlier Heero, how did your date with Noin go?" His grin was infectious and Sally had to cover her smile with her hand.
"It was not a date!" Heero growled. "How many times must I tell you that?"
"Then what do you call it when two people who have major crushes on each other arrange to meet at some obscure time of the day, huh?" To emphasis, his point Duo lent over and prodded Heero on the arm.
"It was not an obscure time of day; just because you choose to sleep your life away does not mean that everyone else wishes to." Heero retorted trying to keep his concentration on the game in front of him instead of on Duo.
"So where did you go on your date?"
"It was not a date!" Heero stated once again, this time through gritted teeth. "We were sparing in the exercise hall."
"I don't believe you."
Heero attempted to ignore him, instead watching carefully as Wufei moved his game piece.
"Check mate." The black haired boy said triumphantly.
"I wouldn't have lost if Duo hadn't been distracting me."
"Oh that's right; blame your inadequacies on me." Duo smirked. "Anyway you still haven't answered me properly."
Heero turned an irritated glare on Duo. He would not dignify Duo by rising to his taunts, not this time.
"Answered what properly?" Trowa asked appearing behind them, a computer pad in one hand and a steaming mug of coffee in the other.
"Oh ignore them Duo's just teasing Heero about his date with Noin." Sally grinned. "So what have you got to revise for?"
"A test in negotiation techniques." He sighed pulling up a chair on the other side of Sally.
"Ouch, know I know why I'm training as a Jedi healer and not a knight." She smiled watching him as he set the computer pad and coffee mug down on the table and began pressing several of the buttons on the computer pad until he found what he was looking for.
"For the last time Duo it was not a date!" Both Sally and Trowa looked up to see Heero almost fuming with anger.
"It wasn't Duo." Trowa said joining the interrogation, but for once on Heero's defence.
"How would you know?" Duo asked turning to face his expression slightly confused.
Trowa turned back to his revision with out answering.
"Hay don't close up on me after a statement like that!" Duo whined.
Silence.
"Please Trowa don't be mean!"
Sighing Trowa looked up again from his notes and glared at him.
"Quatre and I were up early and we decided to work off some energy in the exercise hall. When we got their Heero and Noin were already there." Once said he turned back to his revision. He could sense Heero glancing gratefully over at him. He had seen Heero that morning in the excise hall with Noin so it was not as if he was lying but they hadn't been sparing.
"That doesn't mean anything they could have been doing something before you got there."
"Duo will you please just shut up about Heero's private life!" Wufei intervened, packing away the game.
"Only if you get me a drink." Duo grinned.
"What did your last slave die of?" He asked as he got up and started to walk towards the drinks bar on the opposite side of the room.
"Sexual exhaustion."
Wufei just glared at him in response. "Does anyone else want anything?" He shouted over his shoulder.
"Just my usual." Sally yelled after him.
"Make that two." Duo added glancing over at Trowa. "You want anything else?"
"Just peace and quiet." Trowa muttered, before shaking his head.
~*~
Quatre glanced uneasily about him. They had been met from their transport by an ambassador, and were now being led through a series of long, highly decorated hallways. He and Hilde walked side by side closely following their masters, keeping a distance of more than four paces behind them. They were all dressed in the traditional long dark brown robes over the top of a loose fitting cream-coloured tops and matching trousers. Each also wore the chosen weapon of the Jedi attached to their belts, the lightsaber rarely used as a means attack of, its purpose more as a weapon of defence.
He felt Hildes gaze upon him and turn to look at her, her expression revealing her feelings to be matching Quatres own. The place just didn't feel right. It wasn't just a general feeling from the area around them but he also felt it from their guide. The ambassador claimed to be one of many who would be over seeing the trade negotiations, but right now, he had been assigned in leading the newly arrived Jedi to their rooms.
"These two rooms have been assigned to you for the duration of your stay." The ambassador said pointing out two doorways opposite each other. "I'm afraid I must leave you to settle in on your own, for I have a pressing engagement in need of immediate attention."
"One minute Ambassador." Rashid said. "Is there a key or locking mechanism of some kind?"
"Master Jedi we have no need of such things here, I assure you that no one will enter your rooms unless you give them permission to." Smiling slightly the ambassador turned and left, walking back down the long hallway.
"He's creepy." Hilde said as soon as he was out of earshot.
"There was something not quite right about him." Quatre agreed, looking up at his master. Rashid looked down at him with a questioning gaze.
"What do you mean 'not quite right'?" Rashid asked. The Jedi master knew well that his apprentice's empathic abilities had the potential to far exceed his own; the problem now was training his unreliable skill.
"I'm not sure." Quatre answered truthfully, shrugging his shoulders.
"Come now Rashid," Hildes master interrupted. "The padawans are probably just nervous due to the mission, and are picking up on their own feelings in stead." He continued before turning to walk through one of the doors that had been pointed out to them. Hilde's master, Master Beckevi, was one of many Jedi Masters who preferred negotiations to combat, which unfortunately meant that they could often become too trusting of those around them.
"Quatre has been on many similar missions and has never exhibited such concerns before." Rashid commented. "We should remain vigilant."
"As always." Master Beckevi remarked. "Jedi must always be alert and ready for all situations."
~*~
"Quatre do you sense anything now?" Rashid asked as they began unpacking their belongings, placing them into the draws provided. The room in which they were staying wasn't overly large. There were two beds, one on either side of the room, and there was a door to one side of room, which led into a small bathroom. The decoration in the hallways continued in the rooms as well, giving the small space a stately appearance, although to Quatre it felt oppressive.
"Not really just a feeling of uncertainty, maybe it is just me as Hildes master said, I am a little tired." Quatre replied putting his last tunic away before closing the draw, before picking up a picture frame. The picture was of him and Trowa locked in an embrace, Duo had taken it when Quatre had returned to the temple after his first mission away.
"Then rest now I will wake you when we are needed."
"Thank you Master." Quatre said setting the frame on the bedside table, before lying down on top of the large bed, covered in soft blankets. "I think I just need to catch up on some sleep."
~*~
* Indicate telepathy *
Both Trowa and Duo watched from behind glass windows as the transport ship carrying their partners travelled slowly out of the hanger before quickly building up speed and shooting off into the atmosphere.
Trowa sighed wistfully, staring longingly after Quatre.
"Come on Trowa lets head to the common room, I'm sure Sally and Wufei are there already." Duo said turning away from the window as soon as the transport had disappeared from his line of sight, his long braid swaying behind him with his movement.
"I'm not really in the mood Duo." Trowa answered, turning to face him.
"Sure you are." Duo said. "Don't be all moody just cause Quats gone again!"
"Duo I have to study I have a test in negotiation techniques tomorrow morning." He responded.
"So bring your notes and meet us there." Duo reasoned with his friend. "We both know that if you go back to your quarters you'll just spend the rest of the evening moping around as usual."
Duo watched as a look of defeat assigned its self to Trowa's face as he silently agreed.
"See I always know best."
~*~
Sally looked up as Duo entered the common room, watching him as he first walked up to the bar on the far side of the room and greeted the bar maid. Heero and Wufei were seated with her at a round table on the far side of the room. Duo looked up and grinned at them before making his way across the room towards their table.
"Where's Trowa?" Heero asked, watching Duo out of the corner of his eye, his concentration never leaving the game of holographic chess that was laid out on the table between Wufei and himself.
"He'll be here in a minute his just picking up some revision notes." Duo answered pulling over a chair and sitting down next to Sally. "Oh I meant to ask earlier Heero, how did your date with Noin go?" His grin was infectious and Sally had to cover her smile with her hand.
"It was not a date!" Heero growled. "How many times must I tell you that?"
"Then what do you call it when two people who have major crushes on each other arrange to meet at some obscure time of the day, huh?" To emphasis, his point Duo lent over and prodded Heero on the arm.
"It was not an obscure time of day; just because you choose to sleep your life away does not mean that everyone else wishes to." Heero retorted trying to keep his concentration on the game in front of him instead of on Duo.
"So where did you go on your date?"
"It was not a date!" Heero stated once again, this time through gritted teeth. "We were sparing in the exercise hall."
"I don't believe you."
Heero attempted to ignore him, instead watching carefully as Wufei moved his game piece.
"Check mate." The black haired boy said triumphantly.
"I wouldn't have lost if Duo hadn't been distracting me."
"Oh that's right; blame your inadequacies on me." Duo smirked. "Anyway you still haven't answered me properly."
Heero turned an irritated glare on Duo. He would not dignify Duo by rising to his taunts, not this time.
"Answered what properly?" Trowa asked appearing behind them, a computer pad in one hand and a steaming mug of coffee in the other.
"Oh ignore them Duo's just teasing Heero about his date with Noin." Sally grinned. "So what have you got to revise for?"
"A test in negotiation techniques." He sighed pulling up a chair on the other side of Sally.
"Ouch, know I know why I'm training as a Jedi healer and not a knight." She smiled watching him as he set the computer pad and coffee mug down on the table and began pressing several of the buttons on the computer pad until he found what he was looking for.
"For the last time Duo it was not a date!" Both Sally and Trowa looked up to see Heero almost fuming with anger.
"It wasn't Duo." Trowa said joining the interrogation, but for once on Heero's defence.
"How would you know?" Duo asked turning to face his expression slightly confused.
Trowa turned back to his revision with out answering.
"Hay don't close up on me after a statement like that!" Duo whined.
Silence.
"Please Trowa don't be mean!"
Sighing Trowa looked up again from his notes and glared at him.
"Quatre and I were up early and we decided to work off some energy in the exercise hall. When we got their Heero and Noin were already there." Once said he turned back to his revision. He could sense Heero glancing gratefully over at him. He had seen Heero that morning in the excise hall with Noin so it was not as if he was lying but they hadn't been sparing.
"That doesn't mean anything they could have been doing something before you got there."
"Duo will you please just shut up about Heero's private life!" Wufei intervened, packing away the game.
"Only if you get me a drink." Duo grinned.
"What did your last slave die of?" He asked as he got up and started to walk towards the drinks bar on the opposite side of the room.
"Sexual exhaustion."
Wufei just glared at him in response. "Does anyone else want anything?" He shouted over his shoulder.
"Just my usual." Sally yelled after him.
"Make that two." Duo added glancing over at Trowa. "You want anything else?"
"Just peace and quiet." Trowa muttered, before shaking his head.
~*~
Quatre glanced uneasily about him. They had been met from their transport by an ambassador, and were now being led through a series of long, highly decorated hallways. He and Hilde walked side by side closely following their masters, keeping a distance of more than four paces behind them. They were all dressed in the traditional long dark brown robes over the top of a loose fitting cream-coloured tops and matching trousers. Each also wore the chosen weapon of the Jedi attached to their belts, the lightsaber rarely used as a means attack of, its purpose more as a weapon of defence.
He felt Hildes gaze upon him and turn to look at her, her expression revealing her feelings to be matching Quatres own. The place just didn't feel right. It wasn't just a general feeling from the area around them but he also felt it from their guide. The ambassador claimed to be one of many who would be over seeing the trade negotiations, but right now, he had been assigned in leading the newly arrived Jedi to their rooms.
"These two rooms have been assigned to you for the duration of your stay." The ambassador said pointing out two doorways opposite each other. "I'm afraid I must leave you to settle in on your own, for I have a pressing engagement in need of immediate attention."
"One minute Ambassador." Rashid said. "Is there a key or locking mechanism of some kind?"
"Master Jedi we have no need of such things here, I assure you that no one will enter your rooms unless you give them permission to." Smiling slightly the ambassador turned and left, walking back down the long hallway.
"He's creepy." Hilde said as soon as he was out of earshot.
"There was something not quite right about him." Quatre agreed, looking up at his master. Rashid looked down at him with a questioning gaze.
"What do you mean 'not quite right'?" Rashid asked. The Jedi master knew well that his apprentice's empathic abilities had the potential to far exceed his own; the problem now was training his unreliable skill.
"I'm not sure." Quatre answered truthfully, shrugging his shoulders.
"Come now Rashid," Hildes master interrupted. "The padawans are probably just nervous due to the mission, and are picking up on their own feelings in stead." He continued before turning to walk through one of the doors that had been pointed out to them. Hilde's master, Master Beckevi, was one of many Jedi Masters who preferred negotiations to combat, which unfortunately meant that they could often become too trusting of those around them.
"Quatre has been on many similar missions and has never exhibited such concerns before." Rashid commented. "We should remain vigilant."
"As always." Master Beckevi remarked. "Jedi must always be alert and ready for all situations."
~*~
"Quatre do you sense anything now?" Rashid asked as they began unpacking their belongings, placing them into the draws provided. The room in which they were staying wasn't overly large. There were two beds, one on either side of the room, and there was a door to one side of room, which led into a small bathroom. The decoration in the hallways continued in the rooms as well, giving the small space a stately appearance, although to Quatre it felt oppressive.
"Not really just a feeling of uncertainty, maybe it is just me as Hildes master said, I am a little tired." Quatre replied putting his last tunic away before closing the draw, before picking up a picture frame. The picture was of him and Trowa locked in an embrace, Duo had taken it when Quatre had returned to the temple after his first mission away.
"Then rest now I will wake you when we are needed."
"Thank you Master." Quatre said setting the frame on the bedside table, before lying down on top of the large bed, covered in soft blankets. "I think I just need to catch up on some sleep."
~*~