Of Tricks and Treats

Part 2

An Unexpected Invitation

Siri once again was flying through the halls, hair streaming behind her and jedi jumping aside to let her by. She was racing past the Kenobi apartments when Obi-Wan stepped outside, and straight into her path. For the second time in as many days, the two fell to the ground in a heap. Papers went flying. Siri leapt up again and began rushing about colleting them. Obi-Wan sighed, and began to help her.

"Must we do this every time we meet?" he asked. Siri didn't answer as she sorted through the papers in her arms.

"Yours, mine, yours, mine, yours... Oh! You've gotten a letter from Erirea!"

Obi-Wan snatched the letter away from her before sorting out his own load. A signature on the bottom of one of papers caught his eye.

Tray

"A letter from Tray, what did he say this time?" Obi-Wan asked, as he handed the letter back to its owner. Siri took it and added it to her pile. Tray was Siri's older brother who Obi-Wan had had occasion to meet months previously.

"Tray was writing on behave of the Minister of Galactic affairs and extended an invitation to the whole jedi order to spend Halloween on Dar Valin," Siri explained.

"Does Master Windu know yet?"

"I was headed to tell him just now," Siri said, gathering her stack of papers and returning them to her folder. All except Tray's letter which she held separately.

"Should I be packing up my costume then?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I doubt it. Still, Windu might, it's possible, be in a good mood."

"I wish you luck then."

"Thanks, and tell Erirea I said hi."

"Siri..." But Siri was gone, darting off down the hallways. Obi-wan shook his head at her.

"Pleeeeeaaaasssseeeee," Siri begged. Mace Windu sat massaging his temple with his hands. "I promise I'll help make sure the younglings don't wander off, and Dar Valin is one of the most peaceful places. Sure, the capitol has a few canals, but I'm positive Mareya, Obi-Wan, and I can keep the younglings from falling in. Anakin too. Ah, keep him from falling in as well, I mean. Also my father is Minister of Galactic affairs, and has already been to the Minister of System Affairs about appointing one of the hotels to open its doors and house the entire Order free of charge. The senate has also been extended an invitation, so no doubt the Chancellor will be approaching you with similar news shortly. Also, Halloween is greatly celebrated on Dar Valin, but there are laws in place preventing certain costumes for younglings similar to our own..."

"Enough!" Windu barked. "Enough already! Alright! Alright! I give up! I shall bring this before the council if I could please leave my room."

Siri beamed happily. "Of course master Windu, and thank you for patiently listening to my argument without signing me off for dining hall clean up."

"Did I really have a choice?" Master Windu muttered as he hurried from the room. He checked his chromo. Five minutes. Great, he was going to be late for the meeting.

Obi-Wan, as well as the rest of the council, were surprised - nay, astonished! - by Master Windu's late appearance. It was quite obvious he was well worn out, and did not seem as angry about arriving late as he should have been. It was clearly an effort for him not to simply collapse indignantly into his chair. The council members exchanged looks and waited for him to speak.

"Miss Tachi," he began, "has just informed me that we have received an invitation through the Minister of Galactic Affairs to spend Halloween on Dar Valin."

Aaah, the council members faces seemed to say, that explains it.

Yoda's ears twitched. "Believe that accept this invitation we should, do you?'

Windu winced. "Yes, Master Yoda," he said reluctantly. "I have it on good authority that if we don't, we'll get no peace from anyone for the next two months."

Master Yoda nodded. "A vote then. Vote, to go to Dar Valin for Halloween, who does?"

All the hands were raised. An irate Siri was something no one wanted to face.

"Daw Valin! Daw Valin! We all goin ta Daw Valin!" All the younglings cheered. The temple was in an uproar. With only a week till Halloween, the Council decided the entire order were going to spend Halloween on Dar Valin with the entire senate. As was mentioned in a previous holiday story, the two groups rarely celebrated a holiday without the other. The masters were ready to lose their minds as the Padawans raced up and down the halls getting last minute costume parts, and packing them all up for the trip.

"I can't believe it took Tray until the week before to write one silly invitation!" Siri complained to Obi-Wan as she dashed about her room piling things up for the trip. her costume was already safely tucked away where Obi-Wan couldn't find it, so she didn't mind his presence at the door. Even if he was grinning in that annoying way.

"I doubt your Father was able to get permission any sooner," Obi-Wan said. "You know the government in any system is bound to procrastinate on anything. Besides, he had to write two. One for the Senate, and one for the Order."

"I know that," Siri said irritably. "Still, it would have been nice to have at least two weeks notice."

"We'll make sure to send out a galactic announcement," Obi-Wan teased. " 'To all systems who might in the future be crazy enough to invite the Jedi Order and galactic senate for a holiday celebration, make sure you give us two weeks notice. Three for Christmas and Halloween."

"Haha," Siri said, and she rolled her eyes. "Stop teasing me! Shouldn't you be packing?"

"I don't get to tease you to often, can't I enjoy it?" Obi-Wan asked. "And I finished my packing an hour ago. Ben is still going crazy trying to get his done."

"Oh, thank you so much for rubbing that in," Siri remarked sarcastically. "Should I give you a trophy?"

"A certificate, or free dinner would do fine thanks," Obi-Wan replied.

"Gaaaahhh!" Siri cried, and she threw down the pile of cloth she'd been holding.

"Do you have to bring all that sewing?" Obi-Wan asked, fingering the forest green wool on top of the stack.

"Yes," Siri answered. "I have a cloak and Christmas dress to make, and a regency dress to finish... and did I mention I have nearly two dozen presents to make between now and Christmas?"

"Point," conceded Obi-Wan. "You aren't the only one though."

"Oh, you have a regency dress to finish too?" Siri asked innocently.

"Very funny, no. But I do have presents to finish making myself."

"Hhhmmm, I can't wait till the December First Party!" Siri said wistfully. "It seems so far away. We still have to get through Thanksgiving. Thank goodness they start playing carols on the radio the day after!"

"Yes, you and all the padawans feel the same. Anakin's already been complaining to me about Ahsoka making preparations for the infamous Day After Thanksgiving. He's worried about being woken up again with The Day After Thanksgiving song at six O'clock in the morning."

"Aaaah, I remember that song. It seems like last year we would sing it at five O'clock and wake up our own masters."

"I don't remember ever doing that."

"You did."

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Hey guys," Garen said abruptly walking in. "Siri, you're still packing? I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"Garen, perfect timing," Siri said cheerfully. "Do you remember Obi-Wan singing the Day After Thanksgiving song?"

"Do I ever," Garen answered, with a grin. "I remember I slept over one Thanksgiving night and Obi-Wan couldn't wait till five so we sang at four-thirty. Qui-Gon had such a bad case of bad-head. Needless to say, he wasn't happy."

"Garen," Obi-Wan groaned. "That did not happen!"

"Yes it did," Garen insisted. "You have to remember when the ice cream sundae I ate... er, didn't agree with me."

"Ha!" Siri cried triumphantly.

"Well, I know for a fact you woke up poor Adi Gallia one morning at four in the morning with your singing. You had turned on the radio and thought you had the volume low enough, but your singing more than made up for that."

"Maybe..." Siri admitted.

At this moment Shaniel poked her head into the room.

"Are all of you ready to go yet? Master Windu wants us all to be packed so we can leave early tomorrow morning."

"Early? How early?" Siri asked excitedly.

"Six O'clock sharp."

Siri cheered, Obi-Wan shook his head at her, and Garen groaned.

TBC