Chapter 11

The carnival atmosphere in the plaza increased as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan made their way toward Valia's. The warm clear weather and the government holiday had drawn workers, students and tourists outside in hoards. The fruit and juice bar was doing a brisk business. Music pulsed from a small player someone had brought and placed in the outdoor eating area. A cluster of humans and Twi'leks gathered around a small hand-held screen watching a violent sport match. They shouted and punched the air with their fists. Someone was doodling a raunchy caricature of newly elected Supreme Chancellor Vallorum amid a heated political discussion. Beings stood, lay or sat everywhere, drinking and eating. There were no empty tables and even the tree was ringed with customers.

Qui-Gon paused at the edge of the crowd, Obi-Wan close behind him. They both preferred a far less crowded atmosphere. Qui-Gon didn't even see Lia, but he still scanned the bar for her. He knew she was there. Every other one of her staff was busy behind the counter and at the tables. Chuluk ducked to avoid a floater droid buzzing past with more orders and swore at it. Qui-Gon was about to suggest they just keep going when he spotted her at the far corner of the store, near the end of the counter, keeping out of the way. She still closely surveyed all the activity. She looked like she was taking a hurried break. The Jedi pushed through the crowd toward her. Conversations in a dozen languages dropped noticeably in volume at the passage of the two somberly clad knights. The would-be political cartoonist leaned forward over the table to cover his drawing. Obi-Wan shrugged inwardly as he followed his master. They were supposed to blend invisibly into crowds, but somehow they just weren't managing it here.

Valia saw them approaching at the same time she popped several small red fruits into her mouth. She waved at them. Her mouth was full, but her eyes were grinning at them. She was always happy to see them. Of course, thought Obi-Wan, more so for one of them in particular.

"Hi!" She greeted them enthusiastically. "What can I get you two today?"

"Nothing for me. Obi-Wan, did you want something?"

"No, it's a bit too crowded and noisy here today." And it was. But by not staying long, there would be less likelihood of flirtatious by-play to occur between his master and Lia.

"That was my thought as well," noted Qui-Gon. He leaned against the wall outside the very end of the counter. "We were on our way to catch a transport to the Senate building."

"Senate building? But it's a holiday. Oh wait, don't tell me. Jedi don't have holidays," Valia said, eating more fruit. The flesh of each one pulsed and writhed slowly under the skin. She cradled her dish in one arm and leaned against the wall on the other side of the counter from Qui-Gon.

"It doesn't look like you do, either," observed Qui-Gon nodding at the crowd without taking his eyes from her.

"No, not many," she said smiling up at him.

Before they could start making those eyes at each other, Obi-Wan intervened.

"Lia, I was wondering something."

She shifted her attention to him. "What's that, Obi-Wan?"

"About five years ago, I had a fruit on Bandomeer. It wasn't native, I know that. But it was so good. I don't know what it was called. Do you have a way to find out?"

Valia set down her bowl and pushed herself off the wall. She reached under the counter and brought forth a data pad. "Describe it."

So Obi-Wan did, answering her questions about size, color, taste, climate conditions and tree description. She tapped keys, bringing up pages from her exhaustive field guide to the screen, and searched her own memory.

"Sounds like it was Syryngian globe-fruit or maybe a hybrid of it. I can try to order some in, if you'd like. Then you'd know."

Obi-Wan considered this. It would be good to taste those again. That is, if it didn't go beyond the need to satisfy curiosity into greedy desire. Valia sensed what was behind his hesitation. "It's just food. You have to eat anyway, and I say why not enjoy it to the fullest? And besides, my other customers would get to try something new, too." Her eyes gleamed vivaciously. "And it is just a simple quest for knowledge isn't it?"

"Sure. Go ahead, if it's not too much trouble," agreed Obi-Wan.

The gleam in Valia's eyes turned sly. "A famous philosopher once said 'satisfaction is the end of desire'. Ha! What brain did it take to think that one up? That's common knowledge," she laughed. Her mood was exuberant. She briskly rubbed her hands together, returning to the keyboard. "Now..." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, cross-referencing for more information. She looked up which planets they were grown on, which wasn't many. "Hmmmm. I may have to pull some strings. Call in some favors." She was already thinking which freight pilots she could ask, which growers to network.

"Nothing illegal, I hope."

"Obi-Wan, you are so cute," Valia laughed merrily at him, marking the information and setting the device aside. "All strictly above table. For you, my favorite Jedi Padawan, it's no trouble at all."

He gave her a quick grin and moved away from the counter. The press of customers left little room to stand there.

Chuluk hustled his big body past Valia to the walk-in cooler. She hoisted herself up onto the counter to get out of his way.

"Everything under control out there, Lukki?"

"We got it covered, boss." He disappeared into the cooler and re-emerged with a large heavy carton. Valia took passing note of his snort of annoyance at the large tray of dirty drinkware someone had left on the front counter. He scooped it up and moved it to the counter against the back wall across from Valia. "I'll be back for that." Boss was a stickler for cleanliness, no matter how busy it got. Whistling, he continued around the corner and down the length of the bar.

Valia stayed perched where she was, separated from Qui-Gon only by the raised portion of the bar that fronted the store, just a few handwidths. She turned to look up at him. There was a good-natured twinkle in his blue eyes.

"And my favorite Jedi Master...how is he today?"

Qui-Gon smiled at her. She was one of the rare people who actually cared about the answer she got from a question like that, no matter what it was. Still, he didn't resist a juvenile urge to sidestep her.

"Master Yoda is very well, thank you."

She rolled her eyes.

Qui-Gon glanced around to check where Obi-Wan was. Right behind him, facing outward. Guarding his back. He gestured with his head toward the front of the store. Young humans, probably University students, were pushing tables and chairs aside to make an impromptu dance floor. "Are you sure that's only fruit juice they're drinking?"

"Qui-Gon, are you accusing me of spiking my wares with stimulants or alcohol?"

"Not at all. Maybe they brought their own and spiked it themselves."

A boisterous dance was now underway. The noise level was rising. Valia wasn't displeased with all the carrying on. Dancing made people hot and thirsty. She shook her head, smiling. As long as things didn't get out of hand, it was good for business.

"I think it's just the weather. You know what the first really warm days of the year do to people. Gets their juices flowing. So to speak."

Unfortunately, he did. But he didn't need warm weather to get his own juices flowing. He needed to stop making love to her with his eyes and get moving to that transport station. But she really was enchanting, sitting next to him. So small and delicate. Shimmering with life. Talking about desire, of all things. She was wearing those trousers again that displayed her curves without being indiscreet. A pair of ornamental suspenders crossed her breasts. A metal filigree adorned each strap, just above their fullness. There was a tiny spot of juice on the collar of her blouse. Right next to the bare skin of her neck. That smooth, soft skin. He wrestled his mind off her body, and various ways of undressing it starting with a finger slipped under each of those suspenders... and back to how to ask the question he had for her.

Valia shifted another glance over at him. For a man on his way somewhere else, he didn't appear to be in a hurry to get there. Obi-Wan stood behind him, apparently meditating on his feet. She was suddenly exasperated with the situation between them. For as intensely interested in each other as they were, little had actually happened. Had this been someone else, they might have gone out to eat, gone dancing, visited an indoor park, one of Galactic City's many zoos, a museum, her bed... She almost laughed out loud at the idea of asking this man to do some of these things. Then again, there had to be something better than this uncertain circling and flirting. Oh, but the flirting was fun. She quickly stopped this line of thought before it could go to other things she wanted to do with this large hunk of pure alpha male. She concentrated on the activity in front of the store. She didn't know if this was a good habit to cultivate, but she was learning to not think when she was around him, especially this close to him. Just certain stimulating thoughts.

"Lia, I have a question of my own for you." Qui-Gon's voice saved her from having to watch her mind.

She smiled indulgently at him. "What's that?" Ask me anything.

"How do you feel about babies and very small children?"

Anything but that.

The question had seemingly come out of nowhere. It was fortunate she was already sitting down because she would have needed something to lean against. She sat frozen, her eyes widening. All right, Traxis. Stay calm. There's probably a very logical reason behind his question. She realized her mouth was stuck on the first sound of the word 'What!' but nothing had come out. She slowly turned her head to look at him again. He was studying her closely, but that glint of mischief in his eyes was unmistakable. She strongly suspected he enjoyed catching her off-guard and watching the results. Actually she really loved babies, adored them, but she wasn't going to directly answer this question. Finally in a voice as cool as one of the melons stored in her walk-in, she responded.

"Now, why do you ask that?"

Qui-Gon sensed her immediate urge to push him away from an old tender spot and withdraw. He pressed ahead. "You may have heard that all Jedi are taken from their birth parents before six months of age and brought to the temple."

"Yes," she said slowly, picking up more fruit and chewing thoughtfully. "I had heard that somewhere. Which incidentally, is one of the saddest things I have ever heard of."

Qui-Gon's forehead wrinkled. "Why do you think it's sad?"

"Why do I think it's sad? A little baby wrenched out of its mother's arms! I can't even imagine what the parents must feel like. It would be awful."

"It's really not like that. The birth parents always have the choice to keep the child, or give him or her up for Jedi life. Most consider it a great honor."

"How do you know what they feel?" Valia turned to face him, sitting cross-legged on the counter. She looked as though she was preparing for a debate. "Don't you wonder what your birth parents thought? Don't you ever think about your birth mother? Your history? Don't you ever want to know where they are, how they're doing or if they're even alive or dead?" She had a passionate light in her large gray eyes as she bombarded him with questions.

"I may have felt some stirrings of curiosity when I was eighteen or so, but no. I never think about it all now."

Valia regarded him almost sorrowfully. "You're not at all sad about completely missing the very existence of your parents?"

"How can I spend valuable time being sad about something I never knew? I am at peace with the matter."

Valia sighed deeply. Qui-Gon smiled. He saw them arguing about this for years to come.

She heard a familiar whoop and glanced out toward the crowd. She saw Ravi strutting his stuff, showing off some footwork in the middle of a group of young people.

"In regards to my original question, your feelings on the subject only tell me you'd be perfect for what I had in mind."

Valia stared at him, her eyes round.

"There are a large number of infants at the temple right now. There are also too few surrogates to help give basic care, and just hold them and interact with them. We take them from their parents to train them for a life as a Jedi, but we find they do much better if they aren't allowed to become touch-deprived. If you are interested, I can arrange for you to become a surrogate parent."

"Me?"

Qui-Gon leaned toward her. "Yes. You."

"But how...But I'm not a Jedi."

"That doesn't matter. There are lots of non-Jedi who volunteer their time. All it takes is a good heart and gentle hands."

Valia picked up more fruit and bit it, stopping its rhythmic contractions. She considered the idea. It sounded intriguing. Since she would never carry a child herself again without a lot of expensive medical technology, this might be an opportunity to be around babies. Provide a valuable service. But she also wondered if it would dredge up old hurts and regrets. Well, if she hadn't dealt with the adolescent mistake by now, it was probably time she did. Still, she hedged.

"What are we talking, here? Feeding, burping, holding, changing dirty diapers, the works?"

Qui-Gon laughed softly. "I suppose. I really don't know all the dirty details. It's the holding that's the most important part."

"Hmmm. I don't know. I'm pretty busy with the stores..." She had opened a second store the month before, and was now twice as busy.

"You don't have to decide anything right now. Just think about it. There's simply a need, and I believe you are the one to help fill it." He knew this was exactly the type of trivial matter that the Jedi Council would think far beneath his talents, and question why he was involving himself in it. Another ripple of consternation with his name on it would result, but he really didn't care. The seed of the idea had been planted in his mind the day she'd made an oblique reference to her infertility. He was absolutely certain it would be as enjoyable for her as it would be beneficial for the infants. He had to give this to her.

Valia laughed. "I really don't know much at all about babies. Or baby Jedi." She couldn't believe she was having this conversation with him. "I do much better feeding adults."

"I see that."

"Speaking of feeding, are you sure you don't want anything? Here I am eating in front of you." She gestured with her dish.

"No, thank you. But what are those?"

"These are Nymean freelas. Best in the galaxy. Want to try some? I'll share."

"I'm sure you would. You are that way." He gave the squirming fruit a doubtful glance.

"In fact, these are the best I've had in quite a few seasons. And I grew up on these."

"Did you really, now?"

"Absolutely. The house I grew up in is in the middle of a huge freela orchard. The flavors are incredible, complex. Once you get past the sensation of something moving in your mouth while you eat it." She supposed a lecture on titratable acidity, sugar content and flex-fibers would be lost on him. So, being the good pitchwoman for her homeworld crop she was, she picked one out of the bowl and in a completely impulsive gesture, offered it directly to his lips. He accepted it from her with the barest brush of contact with her fingers. She watched his face as he bit through it. She smiled at the shades of approval on his face as all the flavors she promised burst forth.

"Mmm. Yes. Very good."

"See, I told you," she purred. Emboldened by the roguish gleam in his eyes, she fed him another. "Too bad they're so deadly poisonous."

His eyebrow lifted and he stopped chewing for just a fraction of a second. "That would explain why you're eating so many yourself."

"Oh, didn't I mention only to Mon Calamarians?" She faked toward his mouth and at the last second popped it into her own, smiling impishly. She fed him another, deliberately brushing against his lips. "And some species tell wild stories about what a powerful aphrodisiac these are."

Both eyebrows lifted this time. "Is that so? And do you believe them?"

She gave him a smile more suited for a boudoir than an outdoor juice bar. "Maybe I do." Then she laughed, a low, husky sound. A little voice in her head warned her she was playing with fire, even as she put a freela between her teeth and offered it to him that way. He laughed and politely declined. She knew she shouldn't tease him or be disrespectful. But she was suddenly in a very playfully sexy mood and wanted to push the envelope. Maybe the warm weather had gotten to her, too. He didn't seem to mind this, and certainly wasn't stopping her. But that little voice was annoyingly insistent. She looked around, sure other customers would be watching. None were.

"Look at me, teasing you. I shouldn't play around with you like this. And I'm keeping you from your errand besides."

Qui-Gon Jinn simply smiled fondly at her for a long moment. "No one has teased me or played with me in a long, long time."

Valia raised her eyebrows, then irrationally wondered who had been the last one to tease or play with the Jedi Master, and why, and how.

"But you are right. You shouldn't," he said softly, leaning toward her face. "And I shouldn't tease you." She leaned toward him too, mostly to hear him above the din of the crowd but also because of the magnetic pull of those soft, dark blue eyes. She could almost feel his breath as he spoke. "But the torment of it is, I...enjoy it far too much."

Torment. The word was appropriate. It seemed to hang in the air between them. The words to tell her he loved her were nearly on his lips when he firmly pulled back. No. Now was not the time. And what would she say or do? He wasn't sure which frightened, yes, frightened him more, the possibility that she might blow him off, or that she would feel the same way. Of every danger, enemy, personal challenge or sticky political situation he had faced in his life, he had nothing to quite compare with this. He wondered for the hundredth time how it was he could feel so much like a confused, besotted teen-aged boy inside when he looked into her eyes. The attention she was giving him was melting his insides in ways he hadn't felt in...well, he'd never felt this way in his life. He'd known for some time she physically wanted him, and was shocked all over again by the notion. It was dangerously flattering.

Valia dropped her gaze down to the dish in her lap and sighed. "I...Well, I ...yes, I enjoy it as well." She peered up at him through her bangs. "Like you say, maybe too much." She thought she heard her name being called. It sounded like Ravi. She suddenly resented being surrounded by what seemed like thousands of noisy people.

I want to go somewhere alone with you.

A look of gladness then regret flickered in his eyes. Did she imagine it or did the back of his hand glide across her cheek?

Not wise.

Why?

Before he could answer, she was distracted again by someone calling her name.

There was Ravi in the crowd. He looked right at her without seeing her. In fact, no one at all seemed to see her and Qui-Gon.Only half aware she had done so, she had placed her hand on his. She was startled to see it there and would have drawn it away, but he turned his big wrist and gently held it, partially inside the sleeve of his tunic. To cover her shock and the crazy joy that jolted through her, she reverted to teasing.

"What have you got up your sleeve today, Master Jinn?"

He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. Sadly, he'd picked no flowers for her today. He thought of leading her to some secluded corner in one of the Temple gardens and showing her all manner of blooming things. "Just my hand," he answered. And his heart. Surely she would hear it trying to pound its way out of his chest so it could flop at her feet like an offering.

They decided at the same instant this needed to end. For now. With a final caress, Qui-Gon let Valia have her hand back. She cleared her throat. "All right. One more freela because I won't have anyone leaving here hungry or thirsty, and then you'd better be on your way. And it's back to work for me."

"Those are most sensible ideas, Miss Traxis."

So when she lifted the fruit to his lips, the last thing she expected was for him to take two of her fingers in his mouth along with it. It was a move as impulsive as her own had been. The sensations that flooded her nerves swept away all sensible ideas or wisdom. She felt the light flicking caress of his tongue against her fingers. Warm. So warm. She closed her throat over the low moan that threatened to escape. Part of her had suspected, but now there was no doubt that the physical desire was mutual. Not hers alone. She lightly trailed her fingers across his lower lip and the crisp hair of his short beard, savoring the feel of him. What store? What customers? The rest of the universe had dissolved away around him, this man who had at some point pledged to desire nothing physical, yet desired her. He'd never taken his eyes from hers. She'd caught the briefest 'I can't believe I did that' expression in them, quickly followed by a flash of fire, and then that roguish sparkle. He chewed slowly, a bemused expression on his face.

Valia glimpsed Obi-Wan over Qui-Gon's shoulder. He had turned around and was wearing a puzzled expression as he took in the two of them. She pulled her hand back from where it was suspended in the air. She quickly glanced around, sure that everyone in the entire area was staring at her and Qui-Gon. To her shocked relief, everyone was oblivious to them. They continued to eat, drink, laugh and talk. No one had noticed a little thing like the bar owner's libido going supernova in their midst. The heat that had bloomed between her thighs exploded upward and flushed her forehead.

Obi-Wan had literally and figuratively turned his back on the discourse between Lia and his master. Now he was plagued by that voyeuristic feeling again. Her face was that of a woman in an erotic painting he'd seen once. Now what had happened to bring on that expression? What was he doing, eating out of her hand now? He'd been patiently waiting, musing on the future when he had been rudely jerked into the here and now by a jolt of pure emotional current. For the first time, he found himself wishing the apprentice-master bond between himself and Qui-Gon was not so strong. Standing this close to him, it had been a conduit for something he wanted no part of. He felt vaguely like he'd been electrocuted. The sexual tension between Qui-Gon and Lia was setting his teeth on edge. It was monstrous, dark and sultry. And he was a fool to get in the way of it. The wildly impractical idea of locking both of them in Lia's walk-in cooler for several hours crossed his mind. Cool them both off. Or see what they would do to keep warm.End this discordant wanting, needing.

Composing herself, Valia rubbed the back of her neck. She mustered a weak but raffish grin. "Who's teasing who, now?"

Qui-Gon was not so distracted that he didn't see what was about to happen next. In fact his senses seemed to have sharpened. Before the first brush of apron fabric against the corner of the glassware tray told him. Perhaps long before that, the determined stride of the server Drre as she moved toward the walk-in. Perhaps just because it would be so crashingly appropriate.Her hip nudged the corner of the tray as she moved behind Lia and turned it just enough to up-end the entire thing and send it sliding over the edge of the counter. He reflexively held up a hand to summon the Force to stop the tray. It did, but part of its contents still slid into a spectacularly loud and messy wreck on the floor.

There was a second of total silence after the last piece of glass had shattered and the final drop of juice had splattered. Then the place erupted in noisy cheers, hoots and clapping. The din resumed, even louder than before. A mortified Drre had her hands over her blue-skinned face and was apologizing. Chuluk came barreling around the corner and took in the scene. "Sorry, Boss." He and Drre began picking up the mess. A hover-droid, attracted by the sound of breaking drinkware buzzed into the area as well. Valia sat rooted to the counter watching as if from light-years away. She'd nearly jumped out of her skin. She heard her name again. Go away. She looked toward the shouting. Ravi, hands on his hips, a devilish smirk curling his lips. He jerked his head in a 'come here' motion.

"Traxis! Dance with me!"

Valia sighed. Of course. He would want to dance right now. Though she wanted to, she couldn't really leave her spot. Broken glass, sticky liquid and bickering employees blocked the only way out. She still had enough adrenaline pumping through her that she probably could have flown right over the counter and halfway across the plaza. She distractedly reassured Drre and pulled herself back to reality. Of anyone standing nearby, she noticed only Qui-Gon wore an expression of placid calm as if nothing at all had happened. Even Obi-Wan looked slightly blanched as if his nerves were jangled, too.

Qui-Gon stepped back and held out his arms toward her. Not comprehending at first, Valia stared at him. Every molecule of her seemed to cry out at the rightness of the sight. He gestured toward himself with his fingers and waited. Oh. I see, she thought dully. To help me over the counter. She rose and climbed toward the offered escape route.

His grasp was gentle and very politely placed around her ribcage. She lightly placed her hands on his broad shoulders. All she would have to do is slide them around his neck and mane of hair and fit herself against him. For just a second Valia thought or hoped he would wrap his arms all the way around her and lustily crush her to him. She imagined them locked in a plundering kiss. None of this happened, however and he set her on her feet outside the storefront. His hands stayed on her no longer than necessary, and he stepped back.

"Hey Lia! We're wasting good music!"

Qui-Gon looked down at her, a faint smile on his face. She'd seen that fire in his eyes again before he quickly banked it.

"I know, I really need to beat some respect out of that boy."

"Be gentle. Off with you, then." Qui-Gon gestured toward the waiting Ravi. "You'll think about what I asked?"

"I'll think about it." There were moons and stars shining in her eyes before she dropped her eyes away from his face. Then there was nothing else to do but thank him. He gave her a polite bow with his head. The gesture was a laughable contrast to the potent man-woman thing that had just flashed between them.

Qui-Gon watched Ravi's smile spread into an impudent grin as Lia approached him. "I did not spill that..." The beginning of her indignant protest clearly reached his ears above the crowd. Ravi put an arm around her and spoke something in her ear as he guided her to the cleared area. Whatever it was earned him a sharp pinch in the side.

The two Jedi paused long enough to watch them smoothly move into lockstep with each other. The words to the song were in a tongue neither of them understood, but the rhythm was distinct, ancient, and suggestive. No longer boyish or playing the buffoon, Ravi expertly led Valia. It was obvious they had danced together many times before. They moved together sinuously, their footwork precise and practiced. The metal ornaments on their boots flashed in the sunlight. Valia joyously threw herself into the dance, work briefly forgotten. If she couldn't give herself to him, she'd give herself to this. She could still feel where his hands had been on her. She flung her head back on the turns, causing more strands of hair to loosen and twist free from its thick knot. Becoming warm, she reached up to loosen the top of her blouse and shake it open. She spread it wantonly, to several approving cheers from onlookers. Ravi's eyes widened, then he grinned. He wasn't such a fool that he couldn't recognize her misdirected passion when he saw it. He also wasn't going to miss an opportunity to thoroughly enjoy it. He made wild animal noises at her, encouraging her. "Yeah, mama, dance fierce for me...!" Her eyes sparkled, and her lips previously parted in a 'ravish me' expression closed in a wicked smirk.

This time it was Qui-Gon urging Obi-Wan away and onward to their destination. Obi-Wan had caught himself staring. He'd had no idea she or her friend could move like that. Those supple moves for no other purpose than...fun. Ravi's exuberant howl drifted over their shoulders as they quickly slipped away from the crowd.