Chapter 9

A round of enthusiastic applause rose from the long table as Binny and a kitchen helper bore the heavy platter from the house. Everyone was smiling with anticipation as they set it down in the one clear space on the long table, which happened to be in front of Valia and Qui-Gon. The iridescent purple eye of the roasted kirilliki glared balefully over the bed of greens it rested on. It had come from the large sea some distance to the west, such a large one an extravagant treat for this occasion. Steam drifted from the split down the striped conical shell of the creature which was so long it hung over the end of the platter. A salty sea scent rose from the glistening white meat in the opening, drawing a collective sigh from nearby diners, including Valia. Across the table from her she saw Velk greedily eyeing the cluster of tentacles in front of the eyes, which had been marinated to perfection, and contained the sweetest meat of all. Since this morning he'd been restored to his usual easy-going nature, but she knew underneath it he was nervous. He had not been able to get those canisters out of his mind, and furthermore he had told Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan he had decided to say nothing to Tak about them. He would take charge of resolving this matter himself, at least until it became impossible to keep it from the rest of the family. But at the moment he was eyeing the star dish of the dinner, no doubt with hopes of snatching the prized parts.

"Back off, boy," she warned with a smile. "At least two of those aren't going to be landing on your plate," she shot across the table. He answered her with a sneering grin.

At long last, when the kirilliki and all its prized tentacles had been eaten, as well as nearly everything else on the table which had been groaning with its local offerings, and high praises sung to the food and its cooks, the adults drifted away to smaller tables and seats. The smaller children had long since abandoned their places. They could be heard playing in the trees. Every now and then the crashing of leaves or branches punctuated some noisy, laughing game. There was an air of peace and plenty over all.

The adults segregated themselves out of generations-old habit. The men gathered around one table, while the women clustered quietly at another. Valia sat among them, fidgeting and trying not to look too obvious as she scanned the area for Obi-Wan, or Jax. Jax had not appeared when the festivities had begun in the afternoon or during dinner. This did not mean he still wouldn't pay a visit. The night was still very young, and guests had been coming and going for hours. Qui-Gon was depending on her and her eyes to help spot him. As for Obi-Wan, he had eaten along with everyone else and then vanished. No one had asked about him for over an hour, until, as predicted, Binny had wondered where he was. Qui-Gon had reassured her that he was simply studying and explained he needed to get to sleep early, as he had a test the next day. Valia had overheard her mother's protests on his behalf, that he shouldn't be having to work so hard while he was vacationing, of all things, and that he was missing even more food, especially the sweets she had made with him in mind. She didn't hear everything Qui-Gon had told her to ease her mind, but whatever it had been, Binny protested no more and had walked away from him with glowing blush and a smile. Valia thought she'd overheard him use the word 'temptress', and smiled herself with a shake of her head.

She knew where Obi-Wan really was. He was taking his turn on watch over the suspicious-looking stash of canisters they had discovered earlier that day. His return would only mean some activity had taken place there, that someone might have returned to collect them. Qui-Gon and he would be taking shifts, watching and waiting for this. Qui-Gon believed a pick-up was imminent, that whoever had put the chemicals there had not intended to leave them there long. Valia did not know if Obi-Wan had gone all the way out there on foot which would have been slow but more quiet, or if Velk had given him a small air bike.

So many unknowns, but there Qui-Gon sat, impassive and unperturbed as a rock in the middle of the men at the next table. With the exception of him, every man held something alcoholic to drink or something to smoke, or both. It looked as though he had been roped by her father into taking part in some interminable political discussion. Tak was jabbing the table with a finger and was raising his voice to emphasize some crucial point to a neighbor. The rest of the group raised their own voices in consenting or dissenting opinions. Qui-Gon offered a diplomatic comment only when called for, and correct information when needed, which was often. Galactic politics bored Valia out of her mind, but the conversation at her own table was hardly more scintillating. Restless, she reached into a shirt pocket for a slender herb cigar Velk had given her earlier. She sniffed it appreciatively. Home-rolled were always the best. But before she could light it, a small cough caught her attention. Valia raised her eyes. Prawni was sitting next to her, stroking her stomach, her mouth pursed in mild disapproval.

"Valia, please. Don't do that here. The baby..."

Valia stiffened with irritation. She nearly lit the smoke anyway, just to be defiant and make a scene. Prawni had obviously made sure everyone had heard her protest. But instead, she sighed and tucked the cigar back into her pocket. She thought of the health of her unborn niece or nephew and forced a conceding smile. "Of course," she said softly. "I wasn't thinking." Never mind that the men at the next table were smoking like chimneys. She felt her teeth starting to clench together again. Then she caught Qui-Gon's eyes on her across the littered tablescapes. He slanted that small smile at her as if he knew exactly what had happened. Then he flicked his eyes away again, back to whomever he had been talking to. Valia felt the little tingling mental hand-holding she loved, that was possible only because of him, and when they made eye contact. She smiled, and for the moment, all the issues with her sister-in-law suddenly seemed petty and laughable.

How easily he could get along with everyone here, she thought as she watched him, from the tiniest child to the whitest haired elder. It seemed he and Obi-Wan fit in more easily than she did with her own family.

All right, Traxis, don't start pouting, she told herself. She excused herself and rose from the women's table. She didn't feel like she fit in well with the women, and she would hardly feel comfortable around the men's table, but there had to be somewhere she could go. And she was desperate for a conversation that did not involve the latest juicy gossip about this or that neighbor and other people she did not know.

Qui-Gon watched her go, slowly leaving the area beneath the light-strung tree branches. She wandered toward a cluster of young people. He noticed she was being contrary again with her clothing. While all the adult women were now bedecked in the traditional finery and embroidered, square-necked gowns of this local area of Nyme', she had chosen to wear dark trousers and a light tunic. Part of him would have very much liked to see her in her traditional homeworld dress. But he was sure she had her reasons for choosing not to wear it, and one of the things he most admired and loved about her was that she insisted on simply being herself.

She stopped to talk to the group beneath a tree. He read the surprise in her body language, and then saw her slowly ease into the stance she adopted when falling into casual conversation. The slightly defensive way she folded her arms was gradually relaxing. However, the black-haired man she was talking to looked a little sick with nervousness. He looked the same age as Valia, and without knowing exactly who it was, Qui-Gon was reasonably sure it was Lommi Dekkar. He studied the two of them talking, while still staying somewhat engaged in moderating the debate around him. Where did the young man's nervousness come from? Was it only because it was Valia he was talking to? Their shared past would probably explain it. He seemed to relax a little more when Valia said something that made him smile, and she laughed. It appeared she had left the heartache of their break-up far behind her, and indeed she had told him all that seemed so long ago, part of another life to her now. But what if...what if she had regrets? Suppose part of her was still drawn to living a life like this, with someone like him at her side? And would not someone like him be more suitable for a life partner for her? Would that be best for her, make her happy? Qui-Gon put a firm stop to such ruminations. He had been dwelling in the realm of 'what if' far too often lately. Today he had been more distracted than he could ever remember in his adult life. Not once, but twice Obi-Wan had had to patiently wait for him to respond to a question. It was an inexcusable lapse in concentration, and tonight he planned to take extra time with his meditation.

He needed to make some sense of what he felt. His feelings about anything were usually clearer than this. He needed to touch the Living Force and find his center of strength and surety. All day his mind had returned to what Valia had told him last night, and her dream. And not so much the dream itself, but how she had felt about it. How it had affected her.

He stared at the candle flickering in its pool of wax on the table before him. Why was there so much cloudiness in his mind about his relationship with her now? He crossed his arms and took a deep breath. He slowly exhaled it. Clarity would come. He willed himself to be patient and wait for it. He did know one thing for certain, and that was he loved her. He had never loved anyone as swiftly and easily as her. Not even Obi-Wan. And there was another thing for him to ponder. The swift, easy things were too often the beginnings of the paths to the Dark Side. But no, not this. It could not be.

He knew his feelings toward her, but what did it mean to live them? What actions should he put with the words? The physical desire, and what to do about that was easy as breathing. But even he knew that was fleeting, and as powerful as that was, would not last forever. So then, what other ways could he give of himself to her? How could he help her without stepping on her toes? He stepped naturally into the role of teacher with her, and so he had shown her such skills he knew she could use to cope with her daily life. Helping her get a better apartment, one within a reasonable distance of the Temple had been one of the first things he had thought to do for her. He made a mental note to himself to have a definitive and crystal clear word with her landlord on that subject as soon as he returned to Coruscant. That plan had somehow misfired, but he would fix it. Beyond those things, what did it mean to truly put his love into action? Did it mean to leave Obi-Wan to another master's charge? To leave the only life he had ever known behind? To give up what he was?

The discussion around him had returned to local politics, something he had little helpful knowledge of. He saw a fleeting opportunity to excuse himself from the table, and he took it. The lull in the conversation and the mayor of Alcotis' turned back was a combination too good to pass up. The mayor had been posturing and puffing all evening, and as soon as he heard a visiting emissary connected to the Galactic Senate would be here, he had nearly attached himself to Qui-Gon's cloak. He had competed steadily for Qui-Gon's attention all evening. The Jedi master had patiently listened to his complaints and petitions and ideas. He sighed. All the roles he filled, depending on who he was with. He knew it was so with most of the Knights, because of the mysterious and mercurial nature of Jedi. They could be magicians and superheroes to a child; to others, ideals of behavioral purity. To a minor government official on a mid-rim world, a direct line to the Senate, and something to be used to swell his own importance among the local people. Qui-Gon had never found himself dwelling on this before quite this way, and abruptly dismissed his maudlin thoughts. Fixing his eyes on Valia helped him to do that. He slipped away from the table and walked to where she stood under the tree, still talking to Lommi.

Valia introduced Qui-Gon to him, thinking how much more interesting this moment could have been. But it passed without incident or much emotion for her at all, and Qui-Gon was ever the picture of courtesy. Lommi seemed to suddenly run out of things to talk about and excused himself.

Valia watched Qui-Gon closely as he followed Lommi with his eyes all the way back to his table.

"I think you scared him," she said teasingly.

"He was scared long before I got here," Qui-Gon said, still watching him. "Can you tell me why was he such a bundle of nerves?"

She shrugged. "He didn't really act any differently than the last time I talked to him. I suppose it's just me."

"You asked him if his brother was here."

Valia met his eyes and then dropped her own guiltily. "Yes, I did. But I made it sound really casual. It was just a normal conversation, and I was asking about the family."

"And he lied, and said he wasn't here, didn't he?"

"He said he wasn't here, but how can we be sure he was lying?"

"He was lying," Qui-Gon said. "I'm certain of it."

"Are you sure about...never mind," Valia said, realizing it was probably foolish to second-guess him on something like that. "Well, if that's the case, what are we doing loafing around here picking our teeth if you know he's here? Shouldn't we go find him and pick him up?"

"Patience. Everything will come together very soon, and we will have our chance to do that." This he was also sure of. Sometime tomorrow he felt they would see the conclusion, one way or another, of this mission.

Valia made an exasperated noise with her lips. Qui-Gon smiled and placed a reassuring hand on her back. He was well aware of how much she wanted to return to Coruscant and her life. "Would you say Obi-Wan and I have given the impression to everyone here that we are a couple of weary sojourners stopping to rest on their life's path; two tired and hungry travelers taking up the kind offer of a friend; a student and teacher taking a short side trip for a different view, a fresh perspective?" He slowly and casually guided her across the lawn as they talked.

Valia snorted with amusement at the poetic picture he painted. "Ha! I'll say. Especially the part about being hungry."

"Then things are going just as they should be," Qui-Gon said. "Trust me." He still felt they should not underestimate the man they were searching for, and should not tip him off in any way. "Besides, even Jedi need to take a rest whenever they can. Another opportunity may be long in coming."

Valia smiled. "I hope Obi-Wan isn't falling asleep out in the grove, after that feast." A distant flashing low in the sky caught her attention and she turned her head and glanced nervously toward the trees. "Then again, I doubt anyone could fall asleep with all that target shooting going on out there. I hope he's all right."

"He'll be fine. Meanwhile relax, my love, and observe," he said dropping his voice still more softly so no one could overhear them. He nodded his head slightly toward the house.

"Observe what? Who, Prawni?" Valia looked toward the steps going up to the porch. Near the base of them, she saw her sister-in-law talking to Lommi. It looked like a casual enough conversation, like they had both been heading into the house at the same time. They exchanged soft, rapid words. Prawni glanced toward Qui-Gon and Valia and then quickly looked away as though she had not meant to look at them.

"Prawni and Lommi have known each other for years. They're just talking," Valia said.

"It's more the way they are talking," noted Qui-Gon. "They're sharing a secret."

Valia watched Prawni and Lommi end their conversation and drift their separate ways. Prawni, keeping a secret? Valia doubted she was capable of keeping any sort of secret, but then again how well did she really know her? She turned look up at Qui-Gon's face and saw that again he was following Lommi with an intent and thoughtful gaze. She studied it in the gathering darkness, the way the lantern light reflected off the handsome planes of it, and it was nearly on the tip of her tongue to tease him about being jealous, but then she decided not to say anything. It wouldn't be like him to be that way. He turned to look at her, and at once his face relaxed into a soft smile.

"I'm not sure it really matters now, but in case you were wondering," Valia pointed to the group of people Lommi had been sitting with under the tree, "Lommi's married now. He met his wife shortly after we parted ways. That's her over there. The dark haired one. The one who's looking at me like I'm a pile of rancid oojab peelings." Valia smiled brightly and waved her fingers at her. The woman coldly averted her eyes.

Qui-Gon laughed softly. "That's mind over matter," he said, his eyes sparkling. Valia turned a questioning look up at him, not understanding. "It's no Jedi skill," he said. "If one doesn't mind, then it doesn't matter."

Valia rolled her eyes and smiled. "I didn't mind. And I don't now."

"And I don't either."

A burst of raucous laughter drew their attention to the main group. One of Valia's cousins was balancing a full glass of wine on her head in the middle of a circle of laughing women, more than likely part of some vague wives'-tale fertility test.

"I've told you before," he said softly, placing a discreet guiding hand on her lower back and gently urging her toward the lantern-lit area. "That whatever happened in your past, and whoever it happened with doesn't bother me."

Valia smiled and enjoyed the way his touch sent a nice little jingle up and down her spine. She longed to turn and lean into his warmth, walking pressed against him like she'd seen another couple doing earlier. But she wanted to keep what was between them private. It seemed far too precious for the inquisitive, prying eyes of those around her. "You'd be one of the few," she said. But I might not mind, she thought to herself, if I saw a little more reaction from you over the sight of me talking with a former lover. Just one little reaction.

She sighed at the odd wish and turned to rejoin the gathering. And nearly tripped over a group of about a dozen children who had quietly approached from the trees.

"May we see Master Jinn's lightsaber now?" a boy of about ten years old hopefully asked. Several others shyly chimed in.

This was only one more in a string of unsuccessful requests for a lightsaber demonstration. The two Jedi had been child-magnets all afternoon. Not the least bit intimidated or put off by them, they had happily trailed after both of them. Some of the little ones who had befriended Qui-Gon had been entertained by having flowers or feathers plucked from behind their ears or smooth stones out of their pockets. Obi-Wan had found himself entertaining an eager group simply by telling them stories of his adventures.

"Yes, it's night time now, we want to see it shine."

"May we hold it?" another boy boldly asked.

"Come on you guys, this is getting old," Valia said.

"Aww, aunt Liiiiiiiia..."

"A Jedi's lightsaber is something that is...well, it's sacred to them." she said.

"She's right," Qui-Gon said. "A Jedi warrior never willingly gives up his or her weapon."

"But you're safe here," the first boy stoutly insisted. "You don't need it. There's no danger anywhere around here." Qui-Gon merely smiled at him. The boy saw only the smile, not the somber expression in his eyes.

"Not even to show a friend?" a girl asked.

"Not even for that," Qui-Gon said.

"Nana Binny would have fits if she saw him using it, besides," Valia told them. The first boy grinned as if imagining that very thing, and as if to say that was the whole point. "Not even to show it off? Just a little?"

"Especially not for that," said Qui-Gon with an easy smile.

"That's not what it's for," Valia added.

"Then what is it for?" An adult voice smoothly interposed itself into the conversation. The children moved off, deciding another game of tag in the dark would be fun. A group of five young men stood now where they had been. They had sauntered from the fruit trees and ranged about in a semi-circle behind the one who had spoken, in what had been just shy of a sneer. He could have been a younger version of Tak Traxis.

"It's for slaying dianogas, Blannix," Valia answered dryly. Qui-Gon readied himself for yet another tense family encounter for Valia. But the man seemed to recognize Valia's remark for the inside comment it was and dismissed it with a chilly smile. "Good to see you again, cousin," he greeted her in a voice that was slightly warmer. He inclined his head in greeting to Qui-Gon that seemed an oddly formal gesture for a young man.

Qui-Gon had watched the approach of the Traxis gun club with mild amusement. The young men had declined to eat with the rest of the adults, and had swaggered off into the fruit trees toward a target practice area, each bearing at least two blaster rifles, pistols, and bandoliers of power cells. Joking warnings from several of the adults to not kill anything had been called after them, drawing snickers and scattered laughter. Qui-Gon had noticed a couple of the adults had not thought these comments were funny, and had worn looks on their faces that suggested anything but humor.

Now here they were again, and Qui-Gon felt his amusement shifting to something else. Puzzlement, and the faint whispering of a dark warning. But this had nothing to do with their present problem, it was far off in the future, something unformed. Something slithering. Pale gray eyes met blue in a level stare as the young man called Blannix boldly held eye contact. His posture communicated his thoughts to the Jedi Master as clearly as shouting. The women and children might fall all over you and your simple magic tricks, it said, but I refuse to be impressed. Qui-Gon sensed an arrogance that was thickly laid down, but did not quite go to his core. Curious and cautious, he looked more deeply. He saw images before his mind's eye, fleeting and disturbing. A gray place, men dressed in gray. Tools or machines, gleaming silver points against gray and black. Bright shining points of pain. Questions with no answers. Then nothing; no more would the Force show him, and he retreated. He was left with only more questions and a chilly wash of fear. He found himself wishing Obi-Wan was here with him. For all that his young apprentice struggled for harmony with the Living Force, he may have been able to see more, had there been anything to see. He was more in tune with the Unifying Force. Qui-Gon found himself confounded for a moment by what seemed to him nearsightedness. But his face revealed nothing but polite dignity to the young man.

After a few brief words of greeting, the men left Qui-Gon and Valia and went on their way toward the main house. Watching them, Qui-Gon decided there really was no course of action to be taken at the moment, especially for such a vague feeling.

"That was either your very first case of heartburn, or another bad dream."

He turned to look at Valia. In contrast to the shrinking sensation he had just felt, there was warm blooming relief at the sight of her. She was looking up at his face with a perceptive but puzzled smile. "But it's not surprising," she said, looking after the departing group of cousins and neighbors. "Blannix does that to some people."

"That one bears watching," he said softly.

Valia just laughed. "He's always been a bit strange, but he's not as bad as all that."

"There's something about him that seems very...corruptible." Qui-Gon said.

He had sensed a seeking of purpose and power, a desire to belong that was surprisingly intense despite being surrounded by family.

"He's always gotten along far better with animals or droids and machines than people. I've heard he's already built and designed some of his own droids. Hmm, maybe he's the one who disabled that droid." Valia said. "It would be nothing for someone like him."

"I don't think so. He only arrived here late this afternoon," Qui-Gon said. It had taken considerable charm and powers of persuasion on his part, but he had asked Taras to coordinate every roving farm droid on both the Traxis and Dekkar properties and set up a network that would identify every sentient being and when they came to or left the area. He had also made a discreet inquiry of the police and their wanted criminal file in Tyannis. These had revealed much information, but nothing as to the whereabouts of their man.

Valia shrugged. Her odd cousin and most of her relatives didn't take up much of her thoughts. She found she would much rather center them on the man standing next to her, arms folded and gaze directed within, or somewhere else she could not guess. Would she ever know all of what really went on behind those eyes? Eyes that could go from lavender gray to the deepest gem blue, depending on his mood or the light of the day. She remembered they had been her favorite shade of blue earlier in the evening, one of the times she had observed him sitting among the adults. The color of a peaceful ocean. The reason for it was fairly obvious. It looked as though he had made a fast friend from earlier in the day. A child of about two or three had nestled in his lap and was sound asleep. Valia could not tell if it was a boy or girl, and could not place who among her family or neighbors the child belonged to. All she could see was a mop of curly white-blond hair and a sweet pink cheek pillowed on a chubby fist. Qui-Gon appeared casually oblivious, but one arm and part of his cloak were wrapped protectively around the little one. Valia had been unable to take her eyes from him. Now she'd seen him with children in the Temple before, but the sight had never quite left her with the aching feeling that she could fall in love with him all over again on the very spot. She blinked and swallowed the lump in her throat all the while nodding at whatever someone said to her and trying to look interested in the conversation around her. Trying to look as though her head were not completely full of sap, and her heart was swelling with a longing she'd never known before. That was her own kin resting so peacefully in his lap. Maybe that was the difference. Then a worried-looking cousin had spied her small daughter, and the concerned, searching look on her face had smoothed away when she saw where she was. Qui-Gon had shaken his head 'no' in response to whatever she had asked him, most likely if the child had been a bother. He carefully rose and handed over the sleeping child, dwarfing her mother. She was transferred to her mother's shoulder somehow without being awakened, and carried away. The edge of Qui-Gon's cloak rose and followed, still clutched in the child's hand, then gently dropped as it pulled free.

"Any news?" Velk's apprehensive half-whisper snapped Valia out of her memory. He'd walked over from the men's table, where the discourse on politics was going on unabated.

"None yet," said Valia. It seemed they were no closer to achieving their purpose now than when they had arrived. Qui-Gon was the picture of calm and seemed not in the least bothered by it.

"I'm going to check in with Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said quietly, taking out his commlink and glancing about for a dark concealing place where he could do so unobserved. In a few hours, he would relieve his apprentice keeping watch out in the groves. "And talk to a few more people." He didn't mention Prawni would be one of them. "In the meantime, I suggest both of you relax," he told them, moving off.

Velk snorted. "'Relax', he says," he said, watching the cloaked figure disappear into the dark. "Actually that's a good idea, now that I think of it. It reminds me of something I wanted to show you. If you can tear yourself away, I'll get it right now."

"Oh, I don't think that will be a problem," said Valia dryly with a last glance back toward the gathering.

"It's something to taste, to be more exact."

"I couldn't possibly eat any more right now, after that dinner."

"Oh, don't worry, I think you'll be able to find room for this," Velk said with a smile.