Chapter Seven

Dooku relished his time on Chandrila. He had gone to the popular beaches several times and enjoyed himself immensely. The Prime Minister had spent many hours with the apprentice talking about defensive strategy and building up their defense systems. He always enjoyed talking to the man.

The days turned into weeks with no pirate attacks. Dooku was beginning to wonder if there ever would be one or if his master had invented the assignment to get him away from Coruscant. /Exiled…/ He mused. /Well there are worse places to be exiled/ He thought ruefully.

He was walking along the beach gazing out at the sunset. Vivid reds, pinks and oranges all seemed to melt together in their dance across the sky mingling with the purple reflected off the water.

A stray thought crossed his mind as he wondered how Qui-Gon was doing. He had picked up some sand and some purple water and a shell into a small container to give to the boy when he returned that he thought the lad might like. He smiled thinking of the child. It was amazing how such a small child could make such a big ripple in his life.

He looked forward to taking the boy to Chandrila when he was older. /Listen to me, as if he'll be old enough anytime soon/ he thought in amusement. Laughing at himself, he turned to go back to the lavish quarters he had been given.

He needed to soak before bedtime.

Qui-Gon sat in the floor of the gardens playing by the lake by himself. He missed Dook. His life had not been easy while Dooky had been away.

Several nights he had awoken from nightmares of Dooku getting hurt. Without warning, water suddenly drenched him, shattering the uneasy tranquility he had managed to achieve. He looked up, startled wondering who had intruded on his peace.

"Hey tree boy, where's your big friend?" N'hirik sneered. Without Dooku around, he could make this one pay for getting him in trouble.

"On Cha—" What was the planet's name again? "Chandrila."

"Pish, Yoda just sent him so he could get away from you," the green skinned boy said gloating.

Qui-Gon's face crumpled, but he would not cry. Was it true? "You're a liar!"

"Jedi don't lie, Quiggy," he taunted.

"Well you're not one then," he said glaring. "If you hurt me I'm going to tell!"

"Want to run that by me again Quibrat? You little Sith, nobody who talks to trees can be a Jedi," N'hirik said grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

Qui-Gon tried to pull away. "Let go!"

"Not a chance, Quiggy. You're mine."

"I don't belong to you!" Qui-Gon said angrily.

"Well I think you do." He reached up to grab Qui-Gon's hair and tugged his head backward.

Qui-Gon gasped in pain as N'hirik tugged on his hair. He lashed out with his foot, kicking him and N'hirik let go of his hair but held on to his collar as he danced on the spot with pain.

"I'll teach you, brat," he said and smacked him hard, sending his head back.

Qui-Gon yelped as his head snapped to the side and tears ran down his cheeks at the force of how hard he'd been struck.

"That's right Quiggy, cry for me," he taunted.

Qui-Gon glared at him and bit down hard on the hand holding his tunic.

N'hirik yelled in pain and let go quickly. "Why you little Sith!"

Just then Master Raylen came hurrying over having heard the commotion. "What's going on here?" she asked sternly. She had heard a slap followed by a cry that had brought her running.

"This little brat bit me!" N'hirik said in anger.

She narrowed her gaze and looked at Qui-Gon. He had a bruise on his cheek that was forming. "Was that before or after you hit him?" she asked sternly.

N'hirik's face turned red and he glared at Qui-Gon, but didn't answer.

"Did you bite him Qui-Gon?" She asked.

Very reluctantly Qui-Gon nodded.

Master Rayeln sighed. She pieced what happened together and grabbed both boys by their arms and began dragging them back to the crèche. "We do not tolerate fighting here at the Temple."

N'hirik glared at Qui-Gon. Now he was in trouble again. "But I…"

"Are you going to tell me you didn't hit Qui-Gon?" She asked severely.

"Well.." N'hirik began, but then fell silent.

"Jedi do not lie. Since you attempted to hide the truth, N'hirik you will be scrubbing rocks in the gardens for two hours. After you are finished, Master Perchel will mediate with you. Do you understand me?"

N'hirik scowled. He hated cleaning rocks in the gardens and he hated meditating even more. The brat would pay for this later, but he didn't want to get in more trouble right now so he said, "Yes, Master Rayeln."

She nodded and said, "Good," in a stern voice. "Qui-Gon, you will be spending the afternoon in your bed thinking about your actions. We do not bite or fight at the Temple," she said sternly. "Do you understand?"

Qui-Gon looked stricken. How else was he supposed to get away? "Yes, Master Rayeln," he said.

Master Rayeln deposited Qui-Gon on his bed when they arrived at the crèche with strict orders to stay put and think about his actions. N'hirik was whisked away to Master Perchel's office.

Qui-Gon buried his face in his pillow and began to cry. It wasn't fair that he got in trouble. N'hirik had picked on him first. He longed for Dook to come back. But those awful things N'hirik said… were they true? He tried to push them from his mind but it was hard. N'hirk was doing his very best to make his life miserable.

…and he was succeeding.