Chapter Four

As Qui-Gon and Terrence defeated the last of their opponents, a frantic young Mon Calamarian girl skidded around the corner. "Master Jinn!" She called, breathing hard. "She's in trouble, she told me to get help! You got to come!"

"Calm down," Qui-Gon soothed. "Slow down. Who's in trouble?"

"Duri!" The girl was talking faster now. "You got to hurry! They're going to take her away!" She stopped her explanation, as there was no longer anyone there listening to her. As soon as her friend's name had left her mouth, the master had bolted down the hall, his companion following in his wake.

Qui-Gon and Terrence arrived just as Duri dropped to the deck. Her attacker bent over and picked her up. The two Jedi ignited their lightsabers. At their hiss their opponent stood to face them.

"Put her down," Qui-Gon commanded. "Gently. You'll be coming with us."

The kidnapper's response to that was the same as any cornered criminal. He dropped his stolen "goods" and pulled his blaster. He quickly set it from 'stun' to 'kill.' He was only alive long enough to fire two shots.

Security guards appeared at the end of the corridor. "It's about time they got here," Qui-Gon remarked. He knelt and checked Duri's vitals, then picked her up.

"Master Jinn!" one of the security guards called. "You're needed on the bridge."

"Be right there," As the guard relayed the message through his comlink. "Terrence," Qui-Gon turned his charge over to the knight. "Take her to the healers. She has a burn on her arm and may have a concussion."

"Yes, Master."



"Hello, Master," Terrence greeted the older Jedi the moment he walked in the door. "How'd your meeting go?"

"Fine, Terrence. We determined all the intruders have been taken care of," The master removed his robe and proceeded to hang it up. "Speaking of which, what did the healers say about Kha'jhoai?"

"Ah, yes, the girl. Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Master."

Immediately concerned, Qui-Gon picked his cloak back up. "What's wrong?" He thrust one arm through a sleeve. "Is she okay?" Terrence grabbed his robe before he could get it the rest of the way on.

"Take your cloak off, Master. She'll be fine," He reassured. "In fact," Terrence cleared his throat. "You can see for yourself. She's sleeping on the couch right now."

He hung up his robe again and turned. "On the couch?"

"Yes Master, on the couch."

"OUR couch?"

"Yes Master, OUR couch."

"And why is that Terrence?"

"Well, Master, I took her to the healers' like you said."

"Yes, Terrence, but that doesn't tell me why she's on my couch."

"I know Master, I'm getting there."

"Please, by all means, go on."

"Well, they said she had a third degree burn on her arm and a concussion, like you said, Master. Then they treated her burn and gave me something to give her when she wakes up," Terrence gestured to the hypo sitting on the counter. "They also said that she would have a really, really bad headache when she woke up since she was stunned and she has a concussion. Then they told me that they didn't have room for her and since she wasn't seriously injured but needed to be watched for awhile anyway, that I should take her back to her master. The healer just up and walked out before I could mention the fact that she didn't have a master," He stopped and took a breath. "So that is why she's on our couch."

"Yes, Master, that is why she's on our couch," Terrence shrugged. "I just supposed you were the closest thing she had to a master."

"Yes, well, I suppose I am." Qui-Gon mused.

TBC . . . .