Chapter 8

Afton looked from Millennia to Selah and back. Two lightsabers against zip- not good. She looked around as if for inspiration. And could have kicked herself. She was wearing her necklace with the crystal pendant. The one Jareth had given her in case of emergencies years ago. It was big enough only for one small wish. Watching the two advancing Sith warriors, she held the crystal tightly. "I wish Lonespirit and I had our lightsabers in our hands, right now!" she whispered.

00000

Aradia and Lilly exchanged a frightened glance as they were herded into the dim room. When Lilly's blue eyes settled on Jareth, she frowned. Jade was curled up at the Goblin King's feet, her head resting on his knee as he absently stroked her dark brown hair.

"Jade! What have you done to her, Darth Socks?"

"Done? Nothing, dear Lilly. We've been merely awaiting your appearance so we can celebrate."

"Celebrate what?" Aradia growled.

"Aradia, you've always been the inquisitive one. But since you asked, we'll be celebrating how close my collection is to completion."

"Your what?" Lilly asked.

"My collection." Jareth pushed the button, allowing the wall to reopen and reveal the row of sleep chambers. He reveled in the immediate rush of fear and anger from the listians. How delicious! "And once the two of you are added, we'll only have two more places to be filled before it's complete."

"No!" Aradia screamed as Lisa's strong grasp tightened on her arms, pulling her forward. "Jareth, I'm you daughter! You can't do this…"

00000

Finally managing to free themselves from the pressing crowd of the nightclub, Nejaa, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon ran down the street. The girls' strong emotions made them easy to locate. Rounding a corner, Master Jinn stopped in his tracks. Lonespirit was fighting one of the black robed people and wielding a green lightsaber. Beside her, Afton was also engaged, using a glittering purple blade.

Millennia sensed the Jedi's approach and redoubled her efforts against Lonespirit, finally sending the girl sprawling backwards. The slender young woman sprinted past her fallen opponent, knowing her strength was far from up to dealing with three more Jedi.

Selah blocked the purple blade's deadly arc toward her throat and shoved it aside, pressing Afton back a step. "Poor little girl, you know there's no way you can win."

"As if." Afton ducked Selah's orange blade, spun sinking toward the ground, and kicked upward at her unprotected middle.

Selah yelped as she flew backwards. Her head hit the duracrete and with a crazy spin, the world fell to black.

"What is going on?" Afton, who was kneeling, trying to get her breath back, looked up at Qui-Gon's stern features. She grinned.

"Nothing. Just keeping life interesting with a slight disagreement." The Jedi Master snorted. She smiled and looked at Nejaa. "You draw that lightsaber for every girl you meet in a club?" She laughed at the look on his face, and shook her head. "Don't answer. Just, help me up, please."

With a wry grin, Nejaa deactivated his lightsaber and pulled her to her feet.

Lonespirit walked over with Obi-Wan as Afton was dusting herself off. "That's enough excitement for one night, I think. What are we going to do with Selah?" she asked staring down at her fellow listian.

"I think she'll be feeling more herself, when she wakes up," Afton said, feeling optimistic. After all, it usually just took a sharp blow to the head to knock some sense into one after Jareth's spells. That or a trip to the Junkyard…

00000

"Oh, God," Selah said apologetically, "I can't believe myself. I mean… ugh. I actually obeyed J. Someone shoot me!"

Loneespirit giggled. She and Afton were resting with Selah in a courtyard of the Jedi Temple. After Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and even Mace Windu and Nejaa Halcyon had lectured them in turn about their impetuousness in going out alone last night, she and Afton had decided if they didn't distance themselves from the Jedi they were going to kiss and/or kill them. Since they were going to have to put up with it for an indefinite amount of time to come, they chose the distance.

"Hey, I at least bet you had fun being bad for once. Admit it," Afton said.

"Well, yeah. Duh. Being bad is always fun." Selah laughed. "But next time I go bad, I sure hope Tights isn't the one I'm listening to."

"Ditto. But now it's up to us to save the Galaxy from the evil Darth Jareth. Well, us and some, confidentially, totally awesome Jedi," Lonespirit

grinned.

"You mean an awesome Padawan and two guys whose names you can't remember, don't you?" Afton teased. Selah chuckled.

"You're one to talk, Afton. I think I'm going to start a pool on which one you're going to fall for. Nejaa or Qui-Gon. Both Jedi. Both cute. Both

falling for you..."

"Whatever! The day either of those two even act like they like me is the day I take Cerberus for a walk in the Bog of Eternal Stench."

"Hope you have a three-collared leash," Lonespirit snickered.

"Go bite a peach, Mrs. Kenobi!" Afton said. Selah broke into giggles.

As with all true fits of uncontrollable giggling, it was contagious. When Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Nejaa finally entered the three listians were rolling around on the ground in fits of laughter.

"Just what exactly did the doctors give them?" Nejaa asked, looking concerned.

"Oh, they're normally like this," Obi-Wan said with a half smile.

"Hi, guys!" Anakin called. Afton calmed down enough to wave.

"Hey, y'all. Ani, where've you been?"

"Talking to Master Yoda."

Selah rolled her eyes. "Ah. Fun it was, I'm sure. Learn much I bet you did. Moto big headache you did get, hmmm?" she said, mimicing Yoda to a T.

"Hesa spake da muie puzzlin' riddles. Mesa tink hesa hit self wit da mean li'l crunchen cane once too much," Afton said, easily taking on a Gungan speech pattern.

"You shouldn't make fun of the Council Members," Obi-Wan said primly.

"Yousa point is well seen," Afton said.

"Yes. Da moto grand Council might put da bombad mind whammy on ussens," Selah said, giggling.

Qui-Gon looked at them skeptically. If he hadn't known better, he would have sworn the two had been raised by Gungans. Best to distract them before they baited Obi-Wan much more, though. "We came to tell you we're all to leave for Naboo as soon as possible."

The three girls sobered and exchanged a mysterious look. "Let me guess- a Trade Federation blockade?" Lonespirit asked.

Nejaa stared at the girl. "How did you-"

"Don't ask," Afton cut in, "It's a very long very strange story. So we're all going?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes. How soon can you three leave?"

"Um, like 5 minutes ago." Selah grinned at her friends. "Let's go kick some Federation… er, booties." The others laughed.

"You know, Se, I have to say you make a very good badass, even if you were being J's puppet," Afton said as they left the courtyard.

"Really?" Selah tossed her hair, and preened. Her fellow listians rolled their eyes.

Disclaimer- The Star Wars galaxy and characters belong to the almighty

Lucas. Nejaa Halcyon is from Michael A. Stackpole's "I, Jedi". The listians

belong to themselves even if J belives otherwise. J belongs to Jim Henson

Productions.