The bare floor was cold when my feet touched it, waking me even more as I padded softly into the main room, wrapping my arms around my body. It was cool in our quarters, but not uncomfortable in the two-piece pajamas I wore. Sure enough, it was raining steadily outside, and flickers of lightning preceded a jolt of thunder which shook the cliffside on which the estate rested. Water ran in steady streams down the transparisteel panes, disfiguring any view of the city whose lights twinkled in the wet dark. I stood in front of the windows just gazing into the night, hungering after the lightning and anticipating each distant peal of thunder which followed. Maybe this will soothe me to sleep, I hoped, because it always did back home. Home. That made me sigh. I don't care whether or not I ever see it again, as long as I can go places where it thunders once in a while.

"You like thunderstorms, then?" a soft, deep voice behind me asked.

I jumped. It was Master Qui-Gon. He had entered the room without making a sound, and stood just a few feet away, watching. Clad in a loose shirt and leggings, he seemed to be just as alert as I was. His long, dark hair fell unbound over his shoulders and around his striking face, which was given new dimensions by the play of lightning and shadows on his noble features. I recovered my composure as quickly as I could. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." He took a few steps closer, glancing at the rain-streaked windows. "Watching it rain?"

"Yeah," I replied wistfully. "I love storms."

"You have them often, on your world?"

I sighed gently. "Not as often as I wish. Only in the summer. But I'm an idiot, I'll actually chase them down. I used to stand on my balcony and watch the lightning."

A smile touched the corner of Qui-Gon's mouth. "There's nothing wrong with that. I don't get to see electrical storms very often, I probably spend more time flying between planets than on one where it rains very much." He was standing right beside me, now, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his eyes gazing distantly out at the pouring rain. I was too taken with him to try to reach out with my mind and find out what he was thinking, but I should have been more careful. "How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

"Fine," I answered, nearly whispering.

"That's good." Without shifting his gaze, he slipped one hand away and brought it to rest on my back, gently caressing with an imperceptible motion. "If you were my Padawan, I would warn you to be mindful of your feelings," he said unexpectedly, speaking low so I could just barely hear. I felt a hot blush creeping into my cheeks. "Fortunately, only Obi-Wan and I could ever know what you were thinking about, and Obi-Wan cannot see with the clarity I can."

Oh, no, he knows...

"But, you're not my apprentice. You're in control of your own destiny," Qui-Gon went on. "Just be sure of what you feel, and don't let it get in the way of what must be done."

I stood there in silence, dreading to think about his advice for fear he would know everything. Then again, I recalled some of what he had said to me a day or two before. "What is it you think I should be mindful about?" I asked hesitantly, softly.

The hand on my back gave another kind caress. "I sense an attraction to me. But, such feelings are hard to make an exact conclusion about, especially in your case. They are hardly predictable. I don't think Obi-Wan has caught on to anything, if there is anything to it." He turned his head and fixed me with a tender smile, one I could hardly read for motive. "Is there?"

I couldn't answer. My mind roiled like the storm outside, unable to fix on a single thought worth speaking aloud. I managed to stutter, "You...you don't know?"

"I can sense only feelings, directions. I can't actually hear the words you speak to yourself. That, and you're not as easy to read as most people. The link between us is tenuous, limited. And, you have not the discipline of a Jedi."

An embattled sigh escaped from me. I didn't know if he was going to reject me for being attracted to him, or what, but the hand on my back and the gentle, calming tone of his voice were not helping. "Master Qui-Gon..." I turned my head so I could look at him at last, at the unclear emotion on his bearded face. "I lack the words to express my thoughts, but these kind of thoughts aren't the kind that should be stolen through the Force, they have to be spoken."

A flicker of surprise lit his eyes, making his eyebrows twitch briefly. "You're right," Qui-Gon said, nodding once. "You're free to keep them to yourself, or to share them. It's up to you." He withdrew his hand and smiled again before starting back toward his room, giving the storm outside another glance as he went.

I suddenly blurted out, "What woke you?"

The Jedi Master halted and turned back, clasping his hands behind his back. "I felt you were unsettled. I wanted to see if you were all right."

I finally tried sensing his own thoughts, and received a subtle impression of compassion and concern, and something else I couldn't identify. He knew what I was doing, but didn't counter me or shield himself - he only smiled. "I...I think so," I said. "I just couldn't sleep."

"There is much on your mind," Qui-Gon noted. "It doesn't surprise me." He stepped back toward me, his face sobering unexpectedly. "There is something unsettling about this place," he said under his breath. "I can't say for sure, but we may be in danger in some way. Be very careful. Keep that comlink close at hand at all times."

"Yes, Master Qui-Gon."

"But don't worry," he added confidently. "Obi-Wan and I will protect you, with our lives if we have to." He reached out and touched my shoulder gently before returning to his room, leaving so many things unsaid. I could hardly begin to imagine what he was thinking about me, now, since I had been so careless with my admiration. More worried about what the Master would do with me than about any sense of danger, I gave up on watching the lightning and walked back to my room and my bed. It was better to curl up and agonize alone in the dark than stand there in the sitting room, wondering.

*****

To my extreme relief, come morning, Qui-Gon gave no indication that he wanted to needle me any more about the previous night's encounter. He went straight to work, taking Obi-Wan with him as they scouted out the estate, the senator's local office, and the main polling areas of the capital, all possible sites of attack or unrest. They didn't return until late that evening, told me what they had been up to, and that was all. They were gone most of the next day, too. Meanwhile, I was left to basically guard our quarters, lounging about trying to entertain myself with the holographic-projection-based view screens. Anything I could bring up was in Rodian, though - no subtitles - so I gave up on that quickly and spent my time glancing through files on planetary systems, the Republic government structure, and ships from a datapad brought from our ship. I couldn't read the letters of their alphabet, but every entry was accompanied by clear pictures and diagrams, so I spent my days scanning through images like a child with a picture-book. Slow and dry though the days passed, it was important and even a little exciting to read up on the cultures and names of places I had never heard of before, in the off-chance I may visit them someday. The estate's staff confirmed my earlier suspicions that I was being seen by the Rodians as the Jedi's servant, as they kept asking me what the Knights would be requesting for dinner, for service, and so on. I played up the role, taking complete responsibility for having everything in order so Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would not have to worry about it. It helped that I was wearing my brown hair pulled back in a tail much like the one hanging from the back of Obi-Wan's head, I looked slightly like a Padawan myself. My assumed connection with the Jedi also gave me an elevated respect around the place, at least in the eyes of the staff, who deferred to me as they would the Jedi. In the meantime, I also kept my ears open for any news of the threats made against the senator, in case the Rodians turned out to be fairly gossipy. To our advantage, they were.

Our second full day on the planet kept my companions busy elsewhere, and allowed me a chance to roam about the estate as if making sure that things remained satisfactory while the Jedi were gone. As I went from room to room, just looking, not actually doing anything important, I overheard whispers and rumors that some of the estate staff thought I was maybe a Jedi spy, left behind to keep an eye on them, or a mercenary in their employ. Oh yeah, like I've got a lightsaber hidden under this tunic, ready to slash out at any would-be attacker, I mused to myself with a grin. The more they gossiped, though, the less likely it seemed any of them would try to cross me or my companions. Perhaps that's how the Jedi maintain such influence - it's all in a well-made reputation. Passing near the kitchens, I stayed alert for more of the help, who seemed to lurk everywhere outside the visitors' suite. I heard the gibberish of the Rodian language coming from rooms right and left, but then, as I went beyond the kitchen and started toward our suite, I heard the contrast of perfectly understandable Basic being spoken in subdued tones. Curious, I followed the sound to an alcove in the hallway with a window overlooking the front door, where a small Rodian hunched over a hand-held communicator, his back to me. The communication was all audio, and took on sinister tones as I listened. "No, they are not here," the Rodian said with a fearful hush to his grating voice. "They have spent the last two days reconnoitering the city. I don't like them here. I thought you were going to take care of it!"

The voice on the other end was unmistakably human, and much more controlled. "What are you afraid of?"

"The Jedi are mind-readers. They will know what we have planned, all they have to do is steal my thoughts and they'll know!" the Rodian squealed.

"That's just legend. The Jedi aren't that powerful, and they won't steal your thoughts, you fool," the voice snapped. "Get a hold of your wits, or everyone else will know you have something planned."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Leave it to me. I'm arriving in the late hours overnight, I'll take are of it."

"That's what you said before, and they got away from you."

"They won't this time. They have nowhere to run." Evil glee oozed from the voice over the communicator. "What about their quarters? Can you get me in there without being spotted?"

"Getting in is not a problem," the Rodian answered, calming himself again, "but you won't be able to. They have a servant along, and she is in their rooms while they are out. You cannot attack them there."

"Hmm." Before the disembodied voice could continue, harsh interference broke into the transmission with a zapping sound. "Damn, I'm being traced. We have to cut it off. I will meet you when I land, I need to know more details."

I quickly ducked around the nearest corner and started away, hurrying to get as far from the alcove as possible before the Rodian could figure out that I had overheard his transmission. I forced myself to remain detached about what I had just heard, at least until I escaped safely to the private peace of the visitors' wing. There, I bounced up and down on my heels, paced around the room impatiently, clenching my fists as I resisted the urge to scream. I was scared, angry, and excited all together at once. Our attacker in the Headhunter...a spy among the governor's staff...they have nowhere to run....

I couldn't simply wait until Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan came back to quarters, they had to know. I rushed to the door and activated the electronic lock, and then stood in complete silence to listen for any sign that anyone but me was in our rooms. No, I was alone, and that was an odd comfort. I dug the comlink out of the sash binding my tunic about my waist and activated it like the Master had shown me how. "Qui-Gon...are you there?"

It took a moment, during which I all but willed him to answer, but then his voice came through clearly. "Yes, what is it?"

"Where are you? Are you alone?"

Another pause. When he replied, he sounded puzzled. "Only Obi-Wan is with me. We're outside the polling station. Are you all right?"

"No," I said honestly. "I just overheard someone in here talking over a communicator - they're going to attack us again!"

The split-second pause between my desperate message and his return changed him from calm to urgent. "Stay where you are and let no one in," he ordered, his voice hushed and tense. "We're on our way back right now."

"All right." I clicked off the comlink and sank into the nearest chair, the enormity of the news finally catching up to me. My knees went weak, I was trembling and hot, realizing what it was I had gotten myself into. I had overheard two conspirators, who had already contributed to the destruction of a whole ship's-worth of crew and threatened to kill an unimportant senator, plotting to carry out the destruction of the meddling Jedi which they had failed to do in space. And I was a part of it. They knew about me. I sat there for what felt like an hour, my fists tight balls in my lap, the suite of rooms eerily silent around me, though it was only a few minutes until I heard the chirp of the door's sensor announcing an arrival. Oh, thank God, they're back! I encouraged myself, springing out of the chair to release the door lock and let them in. When the door hummed open, though, it wasn't the Jedi. It was a Rodian - which one, I couldn't tell - with his hands clamped together in front of him. "Excuse me?" I said, the first words which came to me.

"Do you need anything, mistress?" the Rodian asked. I then recognized the timbre of the voice, and froze in terror.

"Uh, no..." I managed to stammer, reaching a hand for the panel that would shut the door in an instant. "Thank you."

"Where are your Masters?" he wondered, with a bit too much curiosity.

"They should be back any minute," I said immediately, excitedly. "I just talked to Qui-Gon, they're on their way. Is there something they can do for you?"

The Rodian froze this time, and then shook his bulbous head. "No, no, that is well. I was only sent to see to your needs. Pardon my intrusion." He spun in place and started away, his gait clipped with what I guessed was probably panic. He had sounded pretty scared before, and now confronted with the possibility that the Jedi could appear at any second, he left rather than complete what he came to do...whatever that could be.

In a particular twist of irony, the two brown-robed figures drifted around a corner into view at that very moment, nodding a curt greeting at the little blue creature who had not gotten out of the way. The Rodian paused and bobbed his head submissively, but as the two tall men kept going, so did he, and at a doubled pace. Qui-Gon saw me standing in the open doorway and frowned. "I thought I told you to let no one in," he said before even entering the room.

"I didn't!" I insisted as they brushed past me. "I had the door locked, I thought it was you and I had to go let you in. It's all right, now."

"What happened?" Obi-Wan wondered, his brows knit with concern. The door hissed shut, and the two of them faced me. I told them exactly where I had been, what I had overheard, and what it sounded like to me. Obi-Wan stared in alarm, but Qui-Gon reserved his reaction in his typical stoic manner. When I had finished, the Padawan decided to check the door to make sure it was locked, and gave the high-ceilinged room a cursory glance as if to inspect for listening devices. "Are you absolutely sure of this?" he asked for confirmation.

"As sure as anyone can be," I replied. Their presence calmed me down, and I could speak with restraint and wisdom again. "I know I heard it all clearly. I just wish I caught the name of the person on the other end."

"You say they thought they were being traced?" Qui-Gon pondered that for a moment, and then stepped over to our private communicator. "I'll see if the governor's security net is the one who traced the transmission. Perhaps they can provide some answers."

While he worked, Obi-Wan stepped closer to me and rested his hand on my shoulder. "Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

"Just shaken," I answered, and he withdrew. "What were you guys up to?"

"Nothing much. Just making sure the main public areas are safe," he said, disinterested in going into detail. His eyes lingered on my face for a moment, but he decided to say nothing more, instead looking past me to his Master. "Anything?"

"Just a security alert that an unauthorized off-planet transmission had been detected, but it terminated before they could get a trace," Qui-Gon muttered, turning away from the screen. "The origin was in the estate, though. All transmissions are going to be monitored tightly from this point on, which was a precaution I was planning to advise they take anyway." His face wore no expression as he returned to where we were standing, folding his arms over his chest. "How about you? Are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine."

He scrutinized me for a second, and he knew I was lying. "You're scared."

"Do you blame me?" I retorted, instantly regretting being so bold. More cautiously, I asked, "What are we going to do?"

"We shall be patient," Qui-Gon said firmly, putting down any protest with that simple phrase. "No one will hurt you, I will make sure of that. The life we need concern ourselves with is the senator's, if his enemy is on his way to this planet. Being afraid will not help you, it will only hurt you."

I nodded, understanding completely. He was not scolding me, just instructing me as he would anyone else with the capacity to comprehend. As if to reassure me of this, Qui-Gon gripped my shoulder with his large, firm hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We need you to be alert, and ready in case something happens. If you're afraid, we can't rely on you. Fear is your enemy. I need you clear-headed and able to think, should we come under attack."

"Yes, Master," I said, even though we already knew I didn't need to use the title. He only nodded in acceptance and turned to take the next step in the investigation.

Before night fell again, the Jedi Master had instructed the governor and anyone in his employ to monitor all incoming and outgoing transmissions involving his estate or his government staff, and to have the passenger manifests from all ships landing overnight - no matter where on the planet they landed - sent to the estate for his perusal. If the mysterious conspirator was coming in on any sanctioned ship, using a disguise or not, a record of his passage would be in Qui-Gon's hands by morning. That would not help if the stranger came in on his own, landing secretively in some black, abandoned jungle, but every possibility that could be ruled out early had to be, the elder Jedi explained. "We must make everything secure that we can, leaving a very small window of opportunity for this assassin - so small, we can watch it closely." He gave me a sneaky little smile over his shoulder as he sat monitoring the trails of information scrolling across a computer screen, logs of transmissions made in the past few days. "Nothing will be left to chance. This person, whoever he turns out to be, will probably not be aware of the extent of our precautions, so he will make his attempt as expected, only it will be on our terms."

Obi-Wan dropped a data pad onto the table next to his master. "The security teams have been assigned, and sweeps are being made of all locations, Master," he reported as he sank into a chair and leaned back into it, brushing a hand absently across his brow. "It will be on our terms. In public, and where he can be easily subdued."

"Good, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon complimented with a nod. "A few details stand to be taken care of yet, but those can wait for morning. The senator's ship will be arriving late tomorrow afternoon, in time for a reception in his honor - and this one we cannot avoid."

"Do I get to come?" I wondered. "Not that I like receptions, but it would beat sitting in here."

Qui-Gon nodded slowly, but didn't smile. "You may certainly come. By now, the governor's staff would find it unusual if you didn't, they think you're a Jedi servant. The senator will want to speak to me, so while I play diplomat, I'll need both you and Obi-Wan to keep an eye out for anything unusual. And I mean, anything." He gave me a warning look, which I interpreted to mean I should pay attention to figures like the under-secretary or anyone suspicious on the staff like the young Rodian who made the unauthorized transmission. "Let no word go idle. Parties conducted by heads of state are rarely for the sake of enjoyment, there is always something going on beneath it, whether the motives are clear or hidden."

"And they are hidden, here," Obi-Wan noted with an ominous tone. "I sense a great deal of hesitation. They are honestly concerned about these threats, but they are still hiding something from us."

"And it will be up to them to reveal it to us, we can't try to force them at risk to lives," the Master concluded. A growl of thunder intruded on our conference, making me turn in my chair to look for lightning. Another storm was passing over, as they often did. "There will be no more scouting tonight," Qui-Gon sighed as he regarded the specks of rain beginning to spatter the windows. "We ought to get some rest. Tomorrow is an important day in terms of this mission."

He stayed where he was, though, while Obi-Wan got up and moved toward his room, shedding his robe as he went. I glanced at Qui-Gon a moment before rising and going to the windows, only half interested in the lightning which was becoming more frequent as the rain started to fall steadily. My mind was filled with countless small details, having listened to everything the Jedi had discussed among themselves and hoarding this information in the hopes I could do something with it. The threat of danger also had me on edge, but I forced it into retreat by reminding myself of Qui-Gon's earlier promise of protection. I just hoped that my need for protection would not end up costing someone else their life. It was small comfort to me that I knew that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would be fine, they would meet their end much later in time.

"You're troubled." The blunt statement came from Qui-Gon, still sitting with his back to me.

I glanced at him and decided to say something rather bold. "Do you have any idea how annoying that is?"

He turned to me, surprised. "What?"

"Not being able to conceal anything from you. You always know how I feel, and you can just tell me point blank like that."

"It saves me having to ask," he offered in explanation with a non-threatening smile. "Do you regret being placed in this position?"

He probably already knew the answer, but I had no problem confessing it. "No," I admitted. "I'm very grateful, Qui-Gon. Don't get me wrong. Being thrust into this position is a blessing, not a burden. Just...don't tell me what I'm thinking, I already know."

Qui-Gon's faint smile lingered as he turned back to the screen. "As you wish." I thought that was the end of it, but no sooner had I returned to the scenery outside, his deep voice intruded on my thoughts again. "What has you troubled?"

I sighed. "I don't want to get in the way."

"You're not in the way."

"Not now. But what if something happens? I don't want to be the cause of a disaster."

Qui-Gon pushed himself to his feet and crossed the room to where I stood, the smile gone from his face but remaining in his gray-blue eyes. "You're here for a reason. I have no doubts that the Force made it possible for you to come to us, so our only recourse is to trust the Force and let things occur as they must." He draped an arm over my shoulders and embraced me lightly. "There are no accidents. Every Jedi knows it."

"I know it, too."

Without trying, I was able sense the minor intrusion of his mind into mine, as he puzzled out the meaning behind my statement. At that moment, Obi-Wan returned from his room and came to stand with us. "Master," he began, "I just realized we've been so caught up in this mission, and everything else, that it's been much longer than usual since we got some practice."

Qui-Gon gave him a wise look, one eyebrow raised. "Has it? I must have lost track. Well, we're not doing much else this evening, perhaps we ought to..."

For some reason, I went temporarily dense. "Practice what?"

"Sparring," Obi-Wan replied simply. Before I even noticed the movement of his arm, his lightsaber was in his right hand and poised, but not ignited.

"Oh yeah?" I looked with delight from him to Qui-Gon, seeing the venerable Master smirking as he dropped the robe from his shoulders and casually took the long-handled saber from his belt. Without even pausing to consult either of us, he shoved the table away from the center of the room. Obi-Wan moved the chairs and sofa from the sitting area, effectively clearing out a large area in the middle of the room. I climbed onto one of the moved pieces of furniture and waited eagerly for the show to begin, thrilled beyond the ability to express it.

"Begin with the exercise," Qui-Gon ordered, idly adjusting the sleeves of his tunic as he stepped into the middle of the room and turned his back. Obi-Wan went to him and stood with his back to his Master's, and closed his eyes as he drew a deep breath into his lungs and called on the Force to still his thoughts and focus his concentration. Behind him, Qui-Gon seemed to be doing the same. I reached out and tried to sense them, and received an overwhelming charge as of liquid electricity, flooding outward from them and between them, both tranquil and turbulent at the same time. They drew from me, but also gave back, as the Force filled our collective concentration and became easier to sense. As he faced me, I could see Obi-Wan's young face grow calm and blank, eyes still closed, body rigid without being tense. His shoulders relaxed, and both hands clasped the saber handle lightly, holding it in front of him in a meditative position. As if on cue, both he and Qui-Gon ignited their lightsabers at the same moment, a movement which made me flinch but bothered neither of them. The blades hummed with static charge, glowing brilliantly in the soft incandescence of the room, blue and green. Neither of the Jedi made a sound, but stood still with the sizzling blades shining before their faces, until both suddenly moved to their respective right sides. It looked like a pre-choreographed set of exercises, designed to flex the movements and positions most helpful to a sword-fighting Jedi, but they did it in perfect mirror to each other, back to back and with their eyes closed. I sat there in open-mouthed wonder, my breath stolen away by the grace and fluidity of their movements and the stilled look of concentration on their faces, young and old. The saber blades traced wide arcs of color as they whirled, swept, and spun, dodging each other with perfect precision, each aware through the Force where the other was, and avoiding the furniture and me as well. Whether through my own excitement or the clear presence of the Force, I could feel the electricity of their dance vibrating on my skin, the blood rushing through my head, the tingling of my foot which fell asleep as I sat on it. I dared not move, I only wanted to sit there and watch forever. The way they matched each other, move for move, stride for stride, was living poetry. Taller, stronger Qui-Gon and younger, leaner Obi-Wan became one as they put themselves through their paces, completing each segment of the exercise until it brought them face to face at last, ending with a crash as their lightsabers met in a spark of energy. Only then did they open their eyes, and smile with satisfaction. "Very good, my young Padawan," Qui-Gon said with thinly-disguised affection. "Days of menial work and sitting around haven't dulled your reflexes."

"The Force is strong here," Obi-Wan observed as he thumbed the saber off. The blue blade disappeared instantly. "Maybe it's Stacey. I felt like I had another source to draw from."

Though flattered, I said nothing. I just wanted to see more lightsabers. "That may be," Qui-Gon acknowledged, also flicking off his saber and wiping a tiny bead of sweat from his brow, "but you must remember that you need to be able to tune into the Force wherever you are, no matter who you're with or what situation you're in. Without the Force to guide, a Jedi is nothing more than a man with a sword - a man who can be easily struck down."

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said, nodding.

Qui-Gon backed away a couple of steps and powered up his lightsaber again, clasping his hands on the handle and raising it to strike. "And now," he announced, "guard yourself, Obi-Wan."

The apprentice grinned a little in anticipation, lighting his saber and poising it to meet any attack. They crouched facing each other for a moment, the tension stretching taut like a rubber band between them, until Qui-Gon swung without warning and met his Padawan's lightsaber with a zing and a crash that startled me. They sparred for endless minutes, the Master playing aggressor in order to test his apprentice's skills, swinging and dodging, thrusting and parrying. Obi-Wan handled his weapon deftly, but he was clearly the less skilled of the two, just barely holding his own under practiced attack. The Force was so powerfully present that I couldn't catch any glimpse of their thoughts or reactions, just that dazzling fluidity that gave them their power and insight. They fought seriously, purposefully, the Master's blade so driven by his talent and the Force that had he actually been out to kill Obi-Wan, he probably would have. But the Force also gave Obi-Wan a slight advantage that a true foe would lack. "It's no use," he said breathlessly, taunting, as the fight continued on. "I can sense every move you plan before you make it, Master. If this were real, it would come to a draw."

"Do you intend to yield, then?" Qui-Gon returned, implying a taunt of his own.

"Hardly." The apprentice suddenly shifted to aggressor, striking out with a series of fast, intense moves that effectively backed Qui-Gon almost out of the cleared center of the room. But the Master was undaunted, and with one swift move, eluded Obi-Wan and circled around behind him. The young man whirled quickly, saber held out in front of him in two hands, blue eyes dancing in the light with fervor and excitement. Again they faced off, and battled around the center of the sitting room until both had worked up a sweat and began to tire. The blades hummed and zinged as they swept back and forth, their vivid light reflecting in the transparisteel panels. I thought for sure Qui-Gon would break off first, being the Master and presumably in control of the training, but he did not falter once, pressing his apprentice until Obi-Wan's confidence flagged and became a stoic resoluteness to not be the first to yield. At last, Obi-Wan grew impatient with the lasting battle and threw in a few of his quick, flashy moves to try and force a quick end with himself the victor, but his plan backfired. Qui-Gon patiently deflected each move and suddenly stuck out a foot, tripping the young man. As he stumbled, trying to recover, he had to power down his saber lest he take a chunk out of the wall. Down he went, and Qui-Gon's green blade hovered just above his chest. Obi-Wan lay there panting, staring blankly up into his Master's calm face. "I yield," he managed to gasp.

Qui-Gon only nodded and put away his lightsaber before helping his Padawan to his feet. "I am much impressed, Obi-Wan," he said. "You've been improving steadily. Your impatience, however, is still your weakness."

"Why did you not break off?" Obi-Wan wondered, following his Master as he went back to rearrange the furniture. "You knew we were headed for a draw. I could not best you, and you could not hide your moves from me."

"If I broke off, you would have learned nothing from this session," Qui-Gon replied matter-of-factly. "To let you win would not have benefited you. Instead, you have seen that your impatience cost you a fight, and against anyone else it would have been your life. Rather than settle for the draw, you tried to push for victory. But victory is granted only to the one who is alive at the end."

Obi-Wan bowed his head submissively. "Yes, Master. I understand. I will make this a learning experience."

"See that you do. But apart from that, very well done, Padawan. Consider that instead of a number of sparring matches, our whole evening has been consumed with just one. I consider that excellent." The Master stepped toward me and smiled as I climbed down from the back of the chair where I had been perched. "Well? Did you enjoy that?"

"More than you'll ever know," I gushed, standing aside as he shoved the chair back into the table where it belonged. "It was a wonderful sight to behold."

"And it's not likely you'll see anything like it, outside of our sparring," Obi-Wan remarked as he stripped off his belt, sash, and tabard in order to open his tunic and cool down. "Few, if any, conflicts we see are against another lightsaber user. No one but the Jedi use them, unless you run into a rogue, a fallen Jedi - or a thief."

"Or a Sith," I commented.

Qui-Gon whipped toward me with such passionate anger in his eyes that I nearly reeled backwards into the window from the force of his gaze alone. "What was that?" he hissed, his voice cold. "A Sith? What do you know of the Sith?"

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, afraid of his wrath. I had said the wrong thing. "I just...heard. It's nothing."

"The Sith are not nothing," Qui-Gon said firmly, striding towards me. He towered over me, his face intense, his eyes blazing with deadly threat. "They have not existed for a thousand years, only the Jedi continue to remember them as a part of their history. How can you know about them? How, unless..." The anger faded and was replaced by a cold, distant look that might be called fear in anyone but the Jedi Master. His eyes held my gaze intently. "...unless your knowledge of our future includes the Sith."

My heart turned to ice, and I cringed under the power of his blue-gray stare. "Master Qui-Gon..." I whispered. "Don't."

His threatening stance relaxed somewhat, and he retreated a step to give me more space. "Stacey, you must tell me what you know."

"It's your future," I protested. "It would be wrong of me to tell you."

"From your point of view, perhaps. But there is no guarantee that what you know will come to pass, the future is always in motion. You can't make a comment like that and expect it to pass-not here," he added. "You know about the Sith. I can only conclude that in the part of our lives unwritten, the part you know about, the Sith will return. Your own refusal to talk about it tells me that much."

I sighed hard and covered my face with my hands for a moment. I could feel his subsiding anger and alarm, and could faintly sense that across the room, Obi-Wan was distraught by this unexpected exchange. Finally, I faced the Master again with as much courage as I could muster. "Master Qui-Gon," I began, "I don't think it would be right of me to tell you the future. You couldn't change it anyway. You figured out that much, please let that be enough for you."

Qui-Gon gazed at me for a long time, his face tight, but little emotion showing. At last, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Very well," he said quietly, with reluctance. "I won't press you for any more. But I warn you..." About to turn away, he paused to step back towards me and lean down to give weight to his warning. "Do not breathe a word of this to the High Council or anyone else we come into contact with," he murmured darkly. "If any Jedi, the Council in particular, hears that you have knowledge of the Sith, their suspicions will flare up and you will not be able to spend another moment of your time here safe from them. They will take you away from me, and interrogate you until you reveal to them what you know, whether they can sense your mind or not."

"Yes, Master," I whispered, my throat suddenly dry.

He stood there and gazed at me, then closed his eyes and shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." His large hand came down on my shoulder. "Forgive my outburst. You shouldn't feel threatened by me. I don't mean to alarm you, but you understand...this was not something I could take lightly."

I nodded. "I know. It's all right."

Disturbed, Qui-Gon withdrew and crossed the room, passing Obi-Wan. "Let this matter not be brought up among us again."

I waited until he had gone into his room before letting out a massive sigh. "I'm so stupid," I lamented to Obi-Wan. "I should learn to keep my mouth shut."

"You couldn't help it," the apprentice tried to counter, coming over to me and putting his arm over my shoulders for a comforting half-embrace. "Master Qui-Gon was right, it's not a laughing matter, but you bear no fault. Neither does he. But..." He glanced toward the Master's bedroom with a concerned frown creasing lines in his noble brow. "...I believe he will spend some time in meditation to quiet himself after hearing that."

"Maybe we all should," I muttered, though I never meditated. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. I didn't mean to do this to him - or to you. You can't say I didn't freak you out, too."

A slight smile graced his lips. "I wouldn't say that...startled, definitely. But, like Master Qui-Gon said, let this not be brought up again. Let it drop."

"Fine. Gladly."

"If you'll excuse me," he said contritely, "I must wash up. Relax," he added confidently, "everything will be fine. We have much to do tomorrow, remember."

I nodded absently as I watched him go. Alone again, I crept to my room and closed the door behind me, feeling ready for bed even though the day was not quite over yet. I changed and lay down on the comfortable bed, but my mind was so awake and pounding with turbulence that sleep would avoid me for many hours. I lay there in silence watching the room darken with nightfall, hearing the indistinct sounds of my companions moving about in the sitting room, and the muted tones of their voices in serious conversation, but dared not get up and join them. I didn't care whether they were talking about me or not, I was too worried that I had crossed Qui-Gon one too many times, and was over-staying my welcome. To me, that was more disastrous than being separated from him by the Council or killed by Rodians or anything else in this galaxy.

I don't know when I finally dozed off, but after some time of drifting in and out of disturbing dreams, I fell into a dozing dream where Qui-Gon stood over me, watching me, his eyes intense like they were when I blurted out that silly comment. But it wasn't a dream, not completely, for I woke at that very moment to find a shaft of light coursing into my room from the open door, and the Master Jedi standing in the entrance, his hands on either side of the door frame, silently watching.

He knew the instant I awoke, because he said, "I didn't disturb your rest, did I?"

I rolled over and propped myself up on my elbows, blinking at the light and his unmistakable silhouette. "No," I replied. "I wasn't sleeping well."

"As I sensed." Qui-Gon stepped out of the doorway and entered my room, leaving the door open. I had no idea where his Padawan was at this point, but I could care less. He came over and perched on the edge of the bed, his weight causing me to sink towards him. "Are you all right?" he asked concernedly, his voice low.

I gave no answer, either affirmative or negative. "Please tell me you're not angry with me," I said in a very small, defeated voice.

A comforting smile appeared on his face. "I'm not," he confirmed, and I knew he wasn't lying. "You just...surprised me. It's not every day I hear the name of the ancient enemy of the Jedi from someone I thought would never have that information."

"I didn't mean to..." I tried to continue.

The Master's hand raised, silently asking me to stop there. "I know you didn't. But your fears are not justified." He leaned closer, scrutinizing me with cautious eyes. "What is it you fear I would do to you?"

I lay back down, staring at the ceiling rather than at him. "I'm afraid you won't want me around anymore. That, if I offend you enough, you'll cast me away. I'm not your Padawan, I don't belong with you, everyone knows that, you know that..."

Qui-Gon waited until I ran out of words to say, his face calm and unruffled. Then, he covered my hand with his. "It's not a matter of where you belong, in that sense," he said wisely. "You're not my Padawan, and you never will be, that much is true. But there is a unique connection between us, of the kind no one has ever seen before nor probably will ever again. We cannot operate under the usual logic, we must do what is right. You belong with me, and this connection won't be denied or broken so easily. There is no danger of you offending me," he added, and the smile returned. "I won't cast you away. I'm not upset. Please don't be afraid of me."

I sat up and looked straight at him, finding nothing but honesty in his expression and the steady hand lying on mine. "Thank you," I said in relief, and impulsively leaned forward to hug him. I felt him chuckle as his arms curled around me and returned the embrace. I clung to his shoulder and whispered into the folds of his robe, "I owe you everything. I'm so sorry I said what I did. Thank you so much..."

"You're welcome," he said in return, holding me at arm's length to look at me. "And now, I think you may find it easier to rest."

"I couldn't stand thinking I had ticked you off," I agreed.

"You have such interesting expressions, Stacey." Qui-Gon reached out and set his hand briefly on the top of my head as he rose, and turned to leave with no further comment. He only shot me a momentary glance over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him, one I could hardly read for meaning. But my fears had been sufficiently allayed, which I suspected was his intention for coming into my room so late at night. I wondered, though, as I rolled onto my side and curled up under the blanket - how long had he been standing there, watching me sleep?

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