Disclaimer: I only own Rae. And the OCs. Though I will admit to... inspiration when it comes to the OCs.
Guest: I believe you are thinking of Irish Coffee. That is a yummy drink, but perhaps not when one is already nursing a hangover? I dunno, drinking more of the stuff that made you feel bad to make yourself feel better sounds counterproductive. Maybe an Irish Coffee will be offered some other time. (...) I wonder if there's a tea variant and how good that would be. Hum... (Research Mode Activated!)
Time-line: four years and a month after Naboo.
Chapter 27: Reunions, Retribution, and Re-Dos
Billy swallowed heavily as he stared at the holo-disk. How had she gotten in? How did she know his address? How had she gotten in?! He shook his head and replayed the message. "Billy-boy~! Heard you and the boys finally set up a meeting with Obi! Sounded like you boys had fun. I feel so left out~! So! Here's the deal. The class is getting together. Three weeks, the Bulwark Plaza. Refreshments will be provided, but you may want to eat before hand. Or don't, I don't care. 1300, don't be late~!" Oh, he really didn't like the look in her eyes. No, those eyes promised pain. He sighed and made a note of the time and place.
"Maybe I should have argued against bringing Jal into things a bit harder," he lamented.
/*/
"Three weeks. Bulwark plaza. 1300. Got it memorized, Axle?" Rae's hologram asked with a vicious grin that was more of a snarl. "Oh and, introduce yourself next time." The redhead moaned, needing no explanation as to what this was about. It was clearly about the meeting they'd had with Obi-Wan Kenobi two nights previous. This... was going to hurt.
/*/
Rodians were not too easily intimidated. The message Jaxxo had just gotten? From a holo-disk that had been left on his kitchen counter next to a cup with dregs of tea in the bottom? That... well. It wasn't the message so much as the messenger that had him intimidated. In fact, he hadn't watched the disk yet but it was clear who had left it. "Rae is none too happy," he mused to himself, staring at the disk. Wary, he activated it.
"Heard you and the boys had a meeting with Obi-Wan. Sounded like a real riot. Still, can't help but feel like you boys need to be shown how it's done. Bulwark Plaza, three weeks, 1300. I trust you won't forget." He sighed and let his head drop forward.
"None too happy at all," he lamented. Bringing in Jal'Shalith might have been a bad idea.
/*/
There was a disk. On his counter. How? The door was locked, there were no windows, all his traps were still intact, and the camera... The camera! He swiftly pulled up the footage and... it fuzzed for five seconds before clearing to reveal the disk on his counter. He cursed. Admitting defeat, he activated the disk... from a safe distance. "Wow. I know Bothans are known as spies and diplomats but like... you're paranoid Rel'dur. I actually had to plan to get this to you. Too bad you didn't put as much thought into your Guys Night Out. So. I'm going to show you boys how it's done. Meet me at Bulwark Plaza at 1300 in three weeks. Do try not to be late, Rel." He stared. Really? She broke into his apartment for this? Wait...
"Oh dear. I do believe we've made a terrible mistake," the feline bouncer breathed. Guys Night Out. Planning. They'd planned to get the Jedi drunk and then gather blackmail on both him and Rae. Then Jal'Shalith got called in because Emotional Repression and the Humans were sentimental and Jaxxo egged them on. He winced. Even their original plan might have crossed a line or two with the temperamental female in their group.
/*/
The 'invitations' had been sent and accommodations had been made. Now it was just a matter of waiting. She could do that. Waiting was... not exactly easy but there were things to keep her busy in the meantime. Training, baking, working, texting Padme, gathering information, sourcing certain... items she'd be needing in... little over five and a half years, and maintaining her reputation to name a few. Finally, it was time. Jaxxo was the first to arrive, dragging his feet like one being lead to their execution. She just smiled and pointed to a line of chairs. The Rodian sat without a word. Billy was next, striding forward with his head held high and eyes full of resigned defeat. He took a seat beside Jaxxo without prompting. Not even a minute later, Rel stepped from the shadows and took a cautious seat beside Billy. Rae took a glace at her watch. Five minutes until one o'clock. Four. Three. Two... and Axle stepped out of his speeder with a grimace. "Now that you're all here..." Rae drawled, rolling her shoulders and shaking out her wrists, "it's time to get started~!" The men swallowed heavily, noting that she didn't have her standard shock stick on her. She had weighted gloves. Right hand impacted with left palm and there was a crackle-pop of an electrical spark.
"Wh-! Where did you get those?!" Billy asked in fear. Rae grinned evilly at him.
"I have my sources~!" she sang, then sunk into a fighting stance. "Now, ready or not, here I come~!" The men dodged, wary of her electrified fists, and furiously thought of how they could get out of this with minimal harm.
/*/
Obi-Wan arrived at Bulwark Plaza at one thirty on the dot. Rae was at a picnic table laden with food and drink, her classmates arrayed on the ground as they nursed their bruises. He blinked at them. "Rough night?" he asked, though the smile on Rae's face told a rather different story. Rel scoffed and flashed him a toothy grin.
"If only! Would have had a couple of hours to heal up," the Bothan said. Obi-Wan blinked, then brought his hand to his face with a heavy sigh.
"Rae... you didn't have to beat them," he said. Rae hummed and handed him a mug of something cold and fruity smelling.
"I needed to ensure they knew they crossed a line... and that they knew the consequences for doing so were real. No-one will take me seriously if I don't back up my claims after all," she said. Accepting defeat for the time being, Obi-Wan took his drink. "Now, I wanted you lot to meet and be friends because honestly, Obi-Wan, you need more people in your life than just the Jedi. That's part of why I have you bring Anakin over for dinner every so often."
"We can be friends," Axle groused. Rae gave him a dark look.
"Before or after you get him drunk and set a freaking empath on him?" she asked. The man shrunk down and muttered mutinously into his own cup. "What was that, Axle~?" Rae asked with a poisonous smile, eyes closed and grip tightening to the point the handle of the serving spoon she held whined in protest.
"I said I'm sorry, alright?" the man growled. Rae nodded imperiously.
"Good. And the rest of you?" she asked. The rest of the bouncers rumbled their agreement and Rae pulled out a large med kit. "I have bacta patches if any of you need them. Along with painkillers," she said, setting the box on the table. Obi-Wan smiled as the bouncers raided the red box and picked up a plate of food for himself.
"Regretting the beating you gave them?" he asked. Rae snorted.
"Hardly. Some sentients need a good brawl every now and again to keep their wits about them," she said. "Besides, with what I know? Pain is something I'll need to learn how to deal with, both giving and receiving." Obi-Wan gave her a concerned glance.
"Rae... what you know..."
"Changes what will happen," she said firmly. "I strongly agree that by simply knowing what may come to pass you alter what will. Besides, in all my 'visions' of the future... I didn't exist. My mere presence has changed the course of this galaxy. But enough of this. I meant for this to be a fun outing for you and the guys. Let us focus on the here and now, yes?" Obi-Wan sighed but relented.
/*/
After wounds had been properly tended and hunger stated, the stories began. "So there we are, crammed into a speeder with this large thing, and Anakin just has waves of pride rolling off of him. I have no clue what he's done now but I'm hoping it won't come back to bite us, and the apartment landing bay is fast approaching," Obi-Wan was saying, Rae sipping her Sunrise with an amused smirk beside him while her classmates are hanging on every word. She hadn't been aware of how much trouble her Jedi boys had gone through just to find Christmas presents this past year.
"How did you get the packages out of the speeder?" Rel asked. Obi-Wan smirked.
"Through judicious use of Force," he said, causing Rae to snort into her drink as she tried not to laugh.
"Obi... that was awful," she finally managed to cough out. Obi-Wan appeared rather pleased with himself and carried on with his story.
"So finally, we made it into Rae's apartment and found that Padme had already beaten us there. Of course, neither of the women could resist a bit of ribbing but we settled our gifts under the tree all the same."
"Oh, just tell us what Anakin slipped past you already! The suspense is killing me!" Axle pressed, green eyes sparkling with mischief.
"It was PRWL-13," Rae answered with a smirk. "An Anakin Special." Axle gaped at her.
"Prowl was a gift from a thirteen year old Jedi?!" he asked. Rae nodded.
"Anakin is a natural when it comes to droids. Built a functional protocol droid when he was nine. Out of scraps," she said. The others whistled while Obi-Wan moaned.
"Droid's a pain," he groaned, causing Rae to chuckle.
"Ah, 3PO isn't too bad. You just need to know how to tune out prattle," she said. Obi-Wan gave her a wry look.
"Wait wait wait... how long have you known these Jedi?" Billy asked. "Seems you're always talking about them."
"Eh, I've known them about... four years now?" Rae answered, turning to Obi-Wan who nodded in agreement.
"It feels longer, but yes. It's been four years." The Jedi blinked, then gave Rae an incredulous look. "You named the droid 'Prowl'?" he asked.
"It fits," she told him. "After all... he is a scout droid."
"Anakin told me he reprogrammed it," Obi-Wan said with a faint frown.
"He did. Doesn't change the fact Prowl was manufactured as a scout," Rae countered.
"Why would you need a scout droid?" Jaxxo asked.
"Prowl serves as security for my apartment," Rae answered smoothly, crossing to the large cooler by the table. "And extra training for overly curious Padawans." Billy's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Overly curious Padawans?" he asked. Obi-Wan appeared amused while Rae calmly pulled a pie out of the chilled container. "I'm sensing another story here."
"Someone thought it would be... amusing... to raid my chocolate stores," Rae said. "Sometimes, the thief would take it straight from the counter."
"It hasn't happened lately, has it?" Obi-Wan asked. Rae huffed as she stabbed the pie.
"The Sand Rat seems to have learned not to mess with my chocolate, though if you find Anakin with unexplained burns... Well. Prowl takes his duties seriously, as all droids should," she said. Billy and Axle chuckled while Jaxxo and Rel gave Obi-Wan questioning looks.
"Anakin stole chocolate? From Rae?" Rel asked.
"The Shocker?" Jaxxo added. Obi-Wan shrugged.
"He was barely eleven," he said. "And I was still trying to figure out how to be a teacher." Rae passed out slices of pie.
"Hadn't known I got a title. When did that happen?" she asked, sitting back down beside the lone Jedi of the group. The other bouncers shared uneasy looks, as though silently debating who would be the one to tell her. Finally, Rel shrugged and turned back to the woman.
"I'd say it was around the time you came to re-certify and disabled everyone with precise hits from a shock baton," he said. "Though, it could have been before that. Your continued use of electrically charged weapons only lends legitimacy to the title of Shocker." Rae hummed, holding her fork in her mouth as she thought. The men around her thought it was entirely too innocent an expression, and misleading at that.
"I suppose I can accept that," she said. Then she caught Obi-Wan giving his pie an accusing stare and smirked. "Something wrong, Obi-Wan?" she asked. He turned his stare on her.
"This is Quin-Lei pie," he said, low and calm and dangerous. Rae continued to smirk while the bouncers slowly laid down their forks. "Rae... why."
"It's been nearly four years, Obi-Wan," she said. "Can't you see the humor in it all now?" Obi-Wan huffed and set his pie aside.
"That night ruined Quin-Lei for me," he moaned. Rae chuckled and once more moved to the cooler.
"I had thought perhaps it had not been long enough for you," she admitted, drawing forth a second pie. "Don't worry, this one is apple," she said, cutting a fresh slice for the Jedi Knight. Seeing the amused sparkle in her eye, Obi-Wan sighed.
"You're never going to let me forget, are you?" he asked. She chuckled and shrugged.
"Probably not. You put on quite the performance that night. We might not speak of it... but it shall remain a treasured memory to brighten my dreams," she said.
"Ah, you really gonna taunt us with a story you're not gonna tell?" Billy whined. Axle elbowed him in the gut and Jaxxo quietly ate his pie. Rae smirked at him but continued to eat her pie... and Obi-Wan's abandoned slice as well. "Hungry?"
"Revanous," Rae answered, perfectly casual, and Obi-Wan nearly choked on his – blessedly apple – pie. Of the bouncers, it appeared that only Rel caught the pun in Rae's response.
"Might want to take it slow, Rae. Don't want to get Sith do you?" he asked mildly. This time, the rest of the men nearly choked.
"Rel..." Billy began, eyes wide.
"That was awful. You should be aShaned of yourself," Rae said mildly. Rel shrugged.
"That one wasn't much Beskar," he countered. Rae grimaced.
"And going Mando is? I thought you had more Trask than that."
"Are... are they... ?" Axle began. Obi-Wan groaned and dropped his head into his hands, plate hovering beside him.
"Force, I thought she disliked puns," the Jedi moaned.
"Is that what they're doing?" Jaxxo asked, intrigued.
"What, do Rodians not know what puns are?" Billy asked.
"More that I thought I needed to brush up on my Basic," Jaxxo answered with a shrug.
"Really? You'll need to Treia harder than that," Rel said with a smirk. Rae shrugged.
"The situation isn't very conducive to a lengthy pun exchange. I'll have to aNihilus you some other time," she said, standing to dispose of her plate. Obi-Wan sighed heavily and stood as well.
"This was... interesting... but I should really go save Master Yoda from Anakin," he said, prompting a snicker from Rae.
"Going stir crazy, is he?"
"Standard schooling seems to go against his very nature," Obi-Wan sighed. Rae hummed and gave him a pointed look.
"And in four years, you haven't tried nonstandard schooling? Practical lessons? Interactive lectures? Teaching history through legends and politics through thought experiments? Negotiation through verbal sparring? Or are you perhaps trying patience through council meetings and self-control through Windu?" she asked. Rel snorted and Rae rolled her eyes. "That wasn't even a pun." Obi-Wan shook his head.
"I'll take your words under advisement. In the meantime... would you like any help packing all this up?" he said. Rae grinned at him as she waved him toward his speeder.
"Nah, I've got it. Go back to Anakin and his moody teenage angst," she told him. Shaking his head with a fond smirk, Obi-Wan left the bouncers and headed back to the Temple.
/*/
Once the speeder was out of sight, Rae turned to her 'mates. "So? Y'all learned your lesson?" she asked. They nodded and she grinned. "Good. Divvy up the left over foodstuffs, I certainly don't need this much pie!" Grinning, the bouncers did as requested with a sense of relief. It didn't seem as though they were going to suffer any more 'education' from their female classmate.
/?/
A/N: Yeah... I had meant for a few different things here and they just... didn't cooperate. So, you get a minor mess. Sorry?
