Chapter 47
Only four Jedi Council members were present when Meri and Alex entered the large circular room. Yoda was of course present, as well as Mace Windu, Plo Koon, and Yaddle. It wasn't unusual for less than the whole Council to be present, especially if the purpose of the summons was just to assign a mission.
Alex came to a stop before the four powerful Jedi, and Meri took her place behind him and to the right, as was customary.
Greetings were exchanged and then without any small talk, Mace Windu began outlining the situation they would be dealing with. Meri became interested almost immediately when the Master began talking of a Jedi Knight's disappearance. This sort of thing was not what Meri and Alex usually dealt with. Her Master's gift lay in negotiations and it was in that area that they almost always worked.
The more the Jedi Master explained, the less Meri understood why she and her Master had been summoned. The missing Jedi Knight had been working to infiltrate a crime ring on a planet that was out of reach of the Republic. This planet, Nuvanai, was like many other outer rim planets — it embraced slavery. Nuvanai's greatest revenue was its tourism and entertainment industry and of course it went without saying, the underground crime rings. It appeared that one of the Senators in the Galactic Senate was suspected of dealing with this particular crime ring; hence, a Jedi Knight had been sent to investigate. The problems was, he had disappeared.
Over their bond, Meri could easily sense that Alex was also wondering why this mission was being assigned to them. The Jedi Council must have sensed their confusion, for Mace Windu paused and Meri suddenly realized that she and Alex were under close scrutiny.
There was a mysterious knowing smile on Yoda's face and his ears drooped lazily as he studied them. The next question took both Alex and Meri by surprise. It was directed at her.
"How old are you, Padawan Irhanah?" Mace asked, his fingers steepled before him.
Meri's brown eyes widened slightly at this question, but she did not hesitate. "Eighteen standard years, Master."
The Jedi Master's intense gaze then turned to Alex. "And you, Master Arieh? Twenty-Five, correct?"
Alex nodded. "Yes, Master."
Meri was ready to admit she was confused, as this seemed to have nothing to do with their mission briefing.
Mace Windu turned to Yoda, and the four Jedi seemed to be debating something without words. She could feel the currents of the Force dance and sway as the Jedi conversed amongst themselves.
Finally Mace raised his head and turned back to the Jedi pair. "We know you are curious as to why this mission has been assigned to you, Master Arieh. We are aware that it is not your normal area of expertise. However, there is a small quirk to this mission that you and your padawan seem best fit to handle."
"I see, Master. And just what may this quirk be?" Alex inquired with an arched brow.
"On Nuvanai, and especially with those you want to impress, you must have one thing that makes you stand out as a person of high standing and power. Unfortunately, on Nuvanai that is a personal slave."
Meri blinked at this, her brain quickly trying to catch up with what the Master had just said. Understanding came moments later and she knew it must have for her Master as well, for she could feel his suppressed shock along their bond.
"This mission is going to require a pair of Jedi who are very comfortable with each other and closely connected. We cannot just pair up any two Jedi and expect them to succeed at this. Because of your closeness in age and the fact that you are master and padawan, you are best suited to fill this role and complete the mission."
Meri was following with her ears what the Master was saying but inside her mind was racing. Through their bond, she sensed an undercurrent of anxiety the moment Mace Windu raised the personal slave issue. From her position she could only see his profile. While he may be agitated inwardly, Alex's outward appearance was nothing but calm.
"I see, Master Windu," the tall knight replied evenly.
"We will give you a few days to go over the material and details, and also to prepare. May the Force be with you."
And with those words, the meeting was apparently over. Meri was leaving with more questions than when she'd arrived. The one foremost on her mind was quite simple:
//Just what does being his personal slave entail?//
***
//This mission is going to require a pair of Jedi who are very comfortable with each other and closely connected.//
The words of Mace Windu echoed through Meri's mind as she scanned the details of her mission. Comfortable? She would be comfortable doing this with anyone but Alex, no matter how closely they were connected.
She shifted again as her eyes scanned the next line. She stopped, backed up and reread it again, her dark eyes widening.
So far only, a few things had really bothered her, but this … this was the worst.
First had come the clothing detail. By the time she'd finished reading that section, she'd concluded that she'd be showing so much skin that she was going to feel naked. But she could deal with it, that wasn't a problem at all.
Then came the details regarding her behavior towards her Master and what was expected of her.
//I don't know if I can act this way toward him,// she fretted silently, very much aware that her Master was sitting across from her and reading the very same material. It almost brought color to her cheeks as she reviewed the data again.
The data pad in her hand became forgotten as she let her mind become lost in thought. It wasn't that she couldn't act that way toward him … in fact, she was very much afraid that he would see something real in her *supposed* responses to him.
//No. She didn't want to do this. Force it would be so embarrassing if he found out that …//
"Meri???" Her Master's voice finally penetrated her thoughts, and she jerked her head up guiltily to find his gaze was focused on her, studying her. By his expression, she realized that he must have tried to get her attention more than once.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she answered quickly, too quickly from the look Alex was giving her. "I was just thinking," she explained, uncomfortable under his strong gaze. She knew that he must have sensed at least some of her anxiety over this.
"About," he prompted her.
"This," she held up her data pad indicating the mission details.
"Yes, I gathered that," he said dryly. "What about it?"
"Do I really have to do all this?"
Alex broke into an amused grin. "Ah so that's what's worrying you. You're afraid you'll really have to help me bathe?" he teased.
Meri couldn't keep the blush from spreading across her fair skin.
"Or is it the clothing?" He glanced over her figure and then swiftly dropped his eyes back to his data pad. "You've nothing to be ashamed of, Meri."
"I'm not that worried about the clothing, Master."
"Well don't worry about all this other stuff. We're only going to try and find clues of what happened to Knight Lavyin. The Council doesn't want us to replace him or get involved, only find out what happened to him. You're only going to appear as my personal slave in public so we blend in. The only thing you really need to concern yourself with is getting in the habit of not looking directly at me or any other male."
"Then why did the Council give us all this information?"
Her Master glanced down at his own data pad at her question. "I suppose as a precaution, Meri. No one can tell what we'll be getting into and we both need to be prepared."
"That's reassuring," she muttered under her breath. In fact, she had the distinct feeling they *would* be getting more than they bargained for. It was just her luck. Of course Obi-Wan would tell her there was no such thing as luck.
Well, Meri knew he was wrong, sort of. There *was* such a thing as luck. The problem was, Meri realized, that if it weren't for her bad luck, she would have no luck at all. Holding in a sigh, she dropped her eyes back to her data pad and continued reading.
***
Meri trailed behind Alex as they moved through the Jedi Temple. //I know apprentices are supposed to defer to their Masters,// she thought to herself, //but this is taking it to the extreme.// Her eyes were focused on the floor, and her entire posture spoke of submissiveness.
She hated doing this. Everyone was giving them queer looks. The only thing good about it was that Alex was getting an equal share of the disapproving glances and some glares from the older Jedi Knights. //Oh well,// Meri mused, //at least I'm not the only one getting these "looks".// She'd about had enough of this practicing and was glad they would be leaving later that afternoon.
Suddenly someone fell into step beside her without saying a word.
Her eyes flicked to her left and she caught a flash of ginger hair out of the corner of her eye. She smiled.
"Meri, your Master is a complete mental case, do you know that?" His voice was just loud enough to reach the older man and Alex stopped and turned, giving Obi-Wan a measured look.
"I'm just practicing, Obi-Wan," Meri said without looking up.
"Practicing? For what? The best doormat?" he paused glancing at her. "And would you stop that."
"Stop what?"
"Stop … that! Will you look at me?" His words were playful, but the instant he said "look at me," she raised her eyes to his face and gave him her complete attention.
Obi-Wan paused. "That is creepy."
She grinned and then glanced at Alex. "Am I doing well?"
An amused smile tilted the knight's lips. "Very." He then glanced at Obi- Wan. "She's preparing for our mission, Padawan Kenobi." That was all he offered.
"Oh, I didn't know you were leaving, Mer. Do you know when you'll get back?"
She shook her head. "No, but I'll see you when I get back. We're leaving this afternoon," she informed him.
Obi-Wan nodded. "Well be careful, then."
Meri grabbed his braid and yanked him down, placing a loud kiss on his cheek.
Obi-Wan protested loudly, mumbling about getting cooties.
Alex just shook his head at the display he'd come to expect from those two. "Come on, Meri. We need to pick up your outfits before we leave," he reminded his apprentice.
Meri groaned, but turned to follow her Master down the corridor, resuming her posture of before. As she went, she couldn't help but wish this mission were already over and done with.
Had she only known how much this mission was going to change things … for both her and Alex, she wouldn't have been so quick to make such a wish.
Only four Jedi Council members were present when Meri and Alex entered the large circular room. Yoda was of course present, as well as Mace Windu, Plo Koon, and Yaddle. It wasn't unusual for less than the whole Council to be present, especially if the purpose of the summons was just to assign a mission.
Alex came to a stop before the four powerful Jedi, and Meri took her place behind him and to the right, as was customary.
Greetings were exchanged and then without any small talk, Mace Windu began outlining the situation they would be dealing with. Meri became interested almost immediately when the Master began talking of a Jedi Knight's disappearance. This sort of thing was not what Meri and Alex usually dealt with. Her Master's gift lay in negotiations and it was in that area that they almost always worked.
The more the Jedi Master explained, the less Meri understood why she and her Master had been summoned. The missing Jedi Knight had been working to infiltrate a crime ring on a planet that was out of reach of the Republic. This planet, Nuvanai, was like many other outer rim planets — it embraced slavery. Nuvanai's greatest revenue was its tourism and entertainment industry and of course it went without saying, the underground crime rings. It appeared that one of the Senators in the Galactic Senate was suspected of dealing with this particular crime ring; hence, a Jedi Knight had been sent to investigate. The problems was, he had disappeared.
Over their bond, Meri could easily sense that Alex was also wondering why this mission was being assigned to them. The Jedi Council must have sensed their confusion, for Mace Windu paused and Meri suddenly realized that she and Alex were under close scrutiny.
There was a mysterious knowing smile on Yoda's face and his ears drooped lazily as he studied them. The next question took both Alex and Meri by surprise. It was directed at her.
"How old are you, Padawan Irhanah?" Mace asked, his fingers steepled before him.
Meri's brown eyes widened slightly at this question, but she did not hesitate. "Eighteen standard years, Master."
The Jedi Master's intense gaze then turned to Alex. "And you, Master Arieh? Twenty-Five, correct?"
Alex nodded. "Yes, Master."
Meri was ready to admit she was confused, as this seemed to have nothing to do with their mission briefing.
Mace Windu turned to Yoda, and the four Jedi seemed to be debating something without words. She could feel the currents of the Force dance and sway as the Jedi conversed amongst themselves.
Finally Mace raised his head and turned back to the Jedi pair. "We know you are curious as to why this mission has been assigned to you, Master Arieh. We are aware that it is not your normal area of expertise. However, there is a small quirk to this mission that you and your padawan seem best fit to handle."
"I see, Master. And just what may this quirk be?" Alex inquired with an arched brow.
"On Nuvanai, and especially with those you want to impress, you must have one thing that makes you stand out as a person of high standing and power. Unfortunately, on Nuvanai that is a personal slave."
Meri blinked at this, her brain quickly trying to catch up with what the Master had just said. Understanding came moments later and she knew it must have for her Master as well, for she could feel his suppressed shock along their bond.
"This mission is going to require a pair of Jedi who are very comfortable with each other and closely connected. We cannot just pair up any two Jedi and expect them to succeed at this. Because of your closeness in age and the fact that you are master and padawan, you are best suited to fill this role and complete the mission."
Meri was following with her ears what the Master was saying but inside her mind was racing. Through their bond, she sensed an undercurrent of anxiety the moment Mace Windu raised the personal slave issue. From her position she could only see his profile. While he may be agitated inwardly, Alex's outward appearance was nothing but calm.
"I see, Master Windu," the tall knight replied evenly.
"We will give you a few days to go over the material and details, and also to prepare. May the Force be with you."
And with those words, the meeting was apparently over. Meri was leaving with more questions than when she'd arrived. The one foremost on her mind was quite simple:
//Just what does being his personal slave entail?//
***
//This mission is going to require a pair of Jedi who are very comfortable with each other and closely connected.//
The words of Mace Windu echoed through Meri's mind as she scanned the details of her mission. Comfortable? She would be comfortable doing this with anyone but Alex, no matter how closely they were connected.
She shifted again as her eyes scanned the next line. She stopped, backed up and reread it again, her dark eyes widening.
So far only, a few things had really bothered her, but this … this was the worst.
First had come the clothing detail. By the time she'd finished reading that section, she'd concluded that she'd be showing so much skin that she was going to feel naked. But she could deal with it, that wasn't a problem at all.
Then came the details regarding her behavior towards her Master and what was expected of her.
//I don't know if I can act this way toward him,// she fretted silently, very much aware that her Master was sitting across from her and reading the very same material. It almost brought color to her cheeks as she reviewed the data again.
The data pad in her hand became forgotten as she let her mind become lost in thought. It wasn't that she couldn't act that way toward him … in fact, she was very much afraid that he would see something real in her *supposed* responses to him.
//No. She didn't want to do this. Force it would be so embarrassing if he found out that …//
"Meri???" Her Master's voice finally penetrated her thoughts, and she jerked her head up guiltily to find his gaze was focused on her, studying her. By his expression, she realized that he must have tried to get her attention more than once.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she answered quickly, too quickly from the look Alex was giving her. "I was just thinking," she explained, uncomfortable under his strong gaze. She knew that he must have sensed at least some of her anxiety over this.
"About," he prompted her.
"This," she held up her data pad indicating the mission details.
"Yes, I gathered that," he said dryly. "What about it?"
"Do I really have to do all this?"
Alex broke into an amused grin. "Ah so that's what's worrying you. You're afraid you'll really have to help me bathe?" he teased.
Meri couldn't keep the blush from spreading across her fair skin.
"Or is it the clothing?" He glanced over her figure and then swiftly dropped his eyes back to his data pad. "You've nothing to be ashamed of, Meri."
"I'm not that worried about the clothing, Master."
"Well don't worry about all this other stuff. We're only going to try and find clues of what happened to Knight Lavyin. The Council doesn't want us to replace him or get involved, only find out what happened to him. You're only going to appear as my personal slave in public so we blend in. The only thing you really need to concern yourself with is getting in the habit of not looking directly at me or any other male."
"Then why did the Council give us all this information?"
Her Master glanced down at his own data pad at her question. "I suppose as a precaution, Meri. No one can tell what we'll be getting into and we both need to be prepared."
"That's reassuring," she muttered under her breath. In fact, she had the distinct feeling they *would* be getting more than they bargained for. It was just her luck. Of course Obi-Wan would tell her there was no such thing as luck.
Well, Meri knew he was wrong, sort of. There *was* such a thing as luck. The problem was, Meri realized, that if it weren't for her bad luck, she would have no luck at all. Holding in a sigh, she dropped her eyes back to her data pad and continued reading.
***
Meri trailed behind Alex as they moved through the Jedi Temple. //I know apprentices are supposed to defer to their Masters,// she thought to herself, //but this is taking it to the extreme.// Her eyes were focused on the floor, and her entire posture spoke of submissiveness.
She hated doing this. Everyone was giving them queer looks. The only thing good about it was that Alex was getting an equal share of the disapproving glances and some glares from the older Jedi Knights. //Oh well,// Meri mused, //at least I'm not the only one getting these "looks".// She'd about had enough of this practicing and was glad they would be leaving later that afternoon.
Suddenly someone fell into step beside her without saying a word.
Her eyes flicked to her left and she caught a flash of ginger hair out of the corner of her eye. She smiled.
"Meri, your Master is a complete mental case, do you know that?" His voice was just loud enough to reach the older man and Alex stopped and turned, giving Obi-Wan a measured look.
"I'm just practicing, Obi-Wan," Meri said without looking up.
"Practicing? For what? The best doormat?" he paused glancing at her. "And would you stop that."
"Stop what?"
"Stop … that! Will you look at me?" His words were playful, but the instant he said "look at me," she raised her eyes to his face and gave him her complete attention.
Obi-Wan paused. "That is creepy."
She grinned and then glanced at Alex. "Am I doing well?"
An amused smile tilted the knight's lips. "Very." He then glanced at Obi- Wan. "She's preparing for our mission, Padawan Kenobi." That was all he offered.
"Oh, I didn't know you were leaving, Mer. Do you know when you'll get back?"
She shook her head. "No, but I'll see you when I get back. We're leaving this afternoon," she informed him.
Obi-Wan nodded. "Well be careful, then."
Meri grabbed his braid and yanked him down, placing a loud kiss on his cheek.
Obi-Wan protested loudly, mumbling about getting cooties.
Alex just shook his head at the display he'd come to expect from those two. "Come on, Meri. We need to pick up your outfits before we leave," he reminded his apprentice.
Meri groaned, but turned to follow her Master down the corridor, resuming her posture of before. As she went, she couldn't help but wish this mission were already over and done with.
Had she only known how much this mission was going to change things … for both her and Alex, she wouldn't have been so quick to make such a wish.
