"Of course. Send them in," Qui-Gon replied without hesitating, his voice light. It wasn't really that early after all. We had come home at a decent hour from the haridi, and I felt quite refreshed after the Jedi let me sleep in. They had been up a couple hours earlier than I, meditating and talking - at least, that's what they told me. Shassa disappeared for a moment and returned with Kazik behind her, showing him in before returning to her usual work around the temple. "Chieftain," the Master greeted him kindly. "Good morning."

"A good morning to you, Master Jedi," Kazik said, less cheerfully than usual. He looked preoccupied and a little nervous. "You are well, yes? Everyone?"

"Very well, thank you." Qui-Gon noted the chieftain's demeanor with a twitch of his eyebrow. "You seem unsettled, my friend. Is anything wrong?"

Kazik's black eyes blinked rapidly. "I, uh...heard tale that you chose to visit the haridi last night, yes? And some of my people were...less than respectful to you?"

The three of us shared a glance. Master Qui-Gon didn't seem to understand Kazik's insinuation. Obi-Wan frowned thoughtfully. "Do you mean, the ones who challenged me to the Race?" he asked.

"I deeply and humbly apologize for the behavior of my people, Jedi friends," Kazik burst out anxiously. "Though they were not of my clan, I take responsibility for what any of them do, and had I known that some of them would insult you and mock you and then goad you into the Race..."

"Chieftain Kazik, please," Qui-Gon interrupted him. "We took no offense."

"But..."

"I ran the Race at my choice," Obi-Wan explained, resting his arms on the table in front of him. "I didn't mind, and no one got hurt. You need not apologize, chieftain, I did not take offense at your people or at the Race."

The Chadra-Fan huffed a short sigh. "All the same, I am sorry for what happened to you. You could have been killed in a fall, or any number of things."

"Obi-Wan would not have been killed, Kazik," Qui-Gon curtly assured, turning his attention lazily back to me and his apprentice. "The worst that would have happened to him as a result of the Race would be the shame of losing to a Chadra-Fan, and I hardly think that something worth worrying about." He glanced at the chieftain once again. "As it was, the one in danger was Yatah. Thanks to Obi-Wan, he wasn't killed. My concern is more for your people, that the worst would not happen to them."

"Ah, Jedi. So patient, and thoughtful." Kazik shook his head slowly. "I appreciate your kindness, Master Jedi. But I will keep a closer eye on my people. I wish to not create an incident that would cause the good relations between Chadra-Fan and Jedi to go sour."

The Master's eyes shifted back to the furry figure standing beside the table, and his smile returned. "It will take more than a bit of friendly challenging to ruin the relationship between your people and the Jedi."

Shassa bundled back in, checking to see if we were finished. "Kazik my friend, have you eaten?" she asked him.

"Please, stay, and share a meal with us," Qui-Gon offered.

"No no, I am well. Thank you, thank you Jedi Qui-Gon. You do me an honor by overlooking the faults of my people." Kazik excused himself and left, finding his own way back out.

We sat in silence while Shassa reached in and took away the empty platter that had held some juicy, sweet fruit which we had devoured. "Is that all he wanted?" I wondered.

"Kazik is chieftain, it is important clan Kalinda not dishonor guests," Shassa explained as she busied herself. She had apparently overheard more of the conversation than just the tail end. "Especially Jedi. But I suppose, he can be something of a bushnatter sometimes."

"Bushnatter?" I repeated.

"Worries too much, chatters too much. Old expression." She grinned up at an amused Qui-Gon. "Maybe there is some way you can show him your appreciation? Prove to him he need not frazzle himself over nothing."

"If I can think of something, I will," he replied calmly. "Right now, there are things I intended to do on this retreat, and they won't get done sitting here. Pleasant though this is," he added with a sweet smile in my direction.

"What about a party?" Shassa suddenly suggested.

A curious grin awoke on Qui-Gon's face. "What about it?"

"As I said when you arrived, this place is perfect for throwing a party, like those that go on every night of the haridi all over Kalinda," the elderly Chadra-Fan said as she pattered back toward the table, waving her long-fingered paws. "It is common knowledge, Chadra-Fan have three loves: the bayous of their homeland, the bonds of their clan-kin, and parties. Oh, Master Jinn, a party would be the perfect way to show Kazik that you are not offended!" Shassa clapped her hands together as if she just realized how good an idea she had. "You claim to be in debt to us for hospitality - why not share the hospitality, invite them here to drink and be merry?"

The look on Master Qui-Gon's face was priceless. He was doing his best to think up a kind, polite way of turning the idea down flat, and his expression showed it - discomfort, hesitation, and amusement played behind twitching eyebrows and a confused smile. "Shassa, I thank you, but...I don't think I could approve of...having a party, here."

"What? You Jedi never party?" Shassa chided him. "What are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything -"

"He's not the party type," I quickly noted, interrupting him. He glanced at me, and I didn't know if he was going to thank me or scold me.

"What kind of party are we talking about?" Obi-Wan wondered, with less hesitation than his Master.

The caretaker shrugged. "A little food, a little music. Jedi are not much for entertaining, I know that, but during the haridi, no need for trying too hard. Everybody is in the mood already. The Jedi keep sending shipments of supplies here, to restock, but since no one comes here much anymore, they gather and gather without anyone to make use of them. There is more than enough supplies to throw ten feasts, much less one. And you need not even lift a finger!" she added brightly, circling around the table to address both Jedi. Their eyes alertly followed her. "I will take care of everything!"

"Oh, Shassa," Qui-Gon protested. "You needn't do that."

"Oh, yes I do. It would be no problem, no problem at all!" she cried happily. "It is my honor to help out the Jedi, I would do anything for you. Anything at all. You say you would thank Kazik if you only had a way? You say you're indebted? Pay your debt! They will come, and eat and drink and dance and laugh, and you need do nothing but stand there and smile like a Jedi. Think of it!"

I snorted at that, trying to corral my laughter. My, but this old Chadra-Fan had a keen grasp of Jedi behavior! Master Qui-Gon shot me a quick look of disapproval, which I ignored. "I am loathe to agree with this idea," he said warningly.

"Master," Obi-Wan interjected, "what harm could come of it? Maybe Shassa is right, it would go a long way toward easing the chieftain's mind and assuring the Chadra-Fan that their good standing with the Jedi hasn't been compromised..."

"Yeah, good point. You know..." I wanted to say something, but decided not to, for fear it would seem too forward. But the Master's gray-blue eyes fixed on mine, and I was unable to keep it to myself, as if he were mentally persuading me to share my thoughts. "You can't object just because you don't like parties," I finally muttered.

Qui-Gon sighed shortly, glancing down at his hands clasped on the table. "It has nothing to do with that..."

"Does it? You were saying you wanted to thank Kazik and his people for their hospitality, to show them how much the Jedi appreciated that they didn't let this temple go to ruin even though nobody seems to want to come to Chad anymore," I argued, recalling something we had conversed about the night before on our walk home from the haridi. Then, under the cool moonlight, surrounded by the sweet silence of a world at peace, his words for our kind hosts had been glowing with warmth. "What else are you going to do? Get them gifts? Recommend them to the Council for medals or something?"

Obi-Wan chuckled at that, and a spark of humor rekindled in his Master's eyes. "I suppose not," he said, his voice low. "Inviting them here would...likely be enough to display the gratitude we have." He shifted his gaze back to Shassa, who had paced completely around the table and stood once again where she started. "But I don't know anything about how to throw a party."

"Like I say, leave everything to me," Shassa said proudly, waving her hands. "I know just what to do. The supplies are here, the rest is in Kalinda, would take no trouble to bring it all together."

"But when would we hold it?" Obi-Wan asked. "In order to give notice..."

Shassa grinned. "During the haridi, don't need more than a day's notice for parties. Or an hour's for that matter." She circuited the table again, stopping between the two Jedi. "Don't concern yourselves, I will do everything. I get the music, I make the feast...you just show up and smile lots. Tomorrow night, eh? That good for you? We get it out of the way quickly, then you don't have time to brood about it." Her eyes settled on Qui-Gon, who seemed to flush in embarrassment as he averted his gaze, his mouth twitching with a suppressed smile. "Come come, my Jedi friend. You have no reason to say no. Besides, you do this now, you don't have to worry about Kazik inviting you to his own parties. Those can be much rougher than anything that goes on here, yes!"

Master Qui-Gon smirked at that. "Well, if you put it that way..."

"I can even help out, if you need," I offered.

There was nothing left for Qui-Gon to argue with, both his logic and sentiment stripped away by Shassa's persuasiveness. "I may end up regretting this," he said, folding his arms in front of him, "but I suppose it would be better than simply letting this temple go to waste."

"You will not be disappointed, I promise you," Shassa whispered in delight, patting him on the knee. "The pleasure is mine to serve you, Master Jinn. Anyone who wishes to help, may," she added, nodding toward me, "but I warn you - don't get in my way. That you would regret."

She hustled out of the room, rubbing her hands together, already plotting all the things she would need to do. Obi-Wan turned his mischievous smile on his Master. "Somehow, I believe that threat," he remarked. "Perhaps we shall have to stay out of her way."

"I can't believe I agreed to this," Qui-Gon muttered, shaking his head before resting his forehead against his hand. His eyes darted up and focused on me, across the table from him. "Thank you for offering to help, though."

"It's not a problem," I assured. "What else am I going to do while you and Obi-Wan do your Jedi thing? You've got things you want to get done, with him. This gives you a chance, we'll be out of your way. I'll help Shassa. If she lets me," I grinned.

"Very well, but there are things we must get done with you, as well," he reminded. "There are many unanswered questions about you. Many questions you no doubt have, as well. But...that can wait."

Not long after that, Qui-Gon took his Padawan aside and withdrew to the training rooms on the other side of the main hall from our quarters, to evaluate his training through physical displays of skill, Force ability, and examination of his wisdom. It was made clear that I could join them, to watch, but I let them go without me, under some strange assumption that I would be intruding on something very private. They may not have felt that way about me, but I felt like it, and so sat in the dreadful silence of our sitting room instead, with the pad of paper in my lap, unmarked. There was much to think about, much to wonder about, and though I wanted to jot some of it down, the stylus remained poised in my hand, unused. The blue-white sun was already overhead and warmed the landscape with summery brilliance, I was glad for the breeze filtering in through the windows. It was quite different from the cool night last night, which I recalled as I sat there musing in dreamy delight. The Race was wild, and I was glad Obi-Wan was unhurt and untroubled by it. He had mellowed a bit after cooling down, hanging behind Qui-Gon while we roamed the center of Kalinda listening to music and watching hordes of furry Chadra-Fan dancing in big circles in nearly every square and intersection. It was good to see both of them in this element, steady rocks in the middle of a raging stream, smiling a lot more and seemingly enjoying themselves for once. Missions were times of stress and seriousness, whether I witnessed it in a performance by actors on a screen or here in whatever reality we existed. Reality...can it be? Has this become my reality, now? Is there really no going back?

Settled in the chair, I closed my eyes and strained my mind until I could grasp a delicate hold on the Force all around me, using it to feel out for the presence of the Jedi. I was beginning to be able to simply feel them even at rest, passively, similar to the way a person can sometimes tell when another enters a room even if the entrance is silent. With concentration behind it, I could sense even at this distance what they were feeling. Obi-Wan was determined, hopeful. Qui-Gon was at peace, barely making a ripple in the Force as he presided over the performance review. I tried to view them like I had viewed Obi-Wan during the Race, but this time, I was unable to. It was enough to know they were there, though, concentrated on their purpose, not worried about anything. I couldn't say the same for myself. Though I was thoroughly enjoying myself, immersed in the moment and clinging to every second that passed in order to remember it forever, in the back of my mind an old fear haunted me, fear that I would sooner or later be yanked through time and space back to Earth, back to the boring struggle of the life I had known until a week and a half ago. God, don't make me go back, I instinctively prayed. You know I love it here. Please don't make me leave them!

I lapsed into vague contemplation, trying my hardest to forget about going back, remembering small things that had happened to me so far in this galaxy. Being wrapped up in the Master's robe in the escape pod. His fingertips caressing my head while he used the Force to heal me. Obi-Wan's startled look when I slapped at his ponytail in the hallway. The urgency on their faces when they came into the Rodian governor's estate after I called them. Qui-Gon wounded, weak, dependant on my aid. Laughing together on the patio two days ago. I realized something, then: I still had strong feelings for Qui-Gon. For Obi-Wan, too, a little. Sure, when they were just characters, it didn't matter. I could think whatever I wanted about them, no one could tell me it was wrong and nothing would be hurt by it, not even Lucasfilm's copyrights. I had once speculated that if ever given the chance to be around them, if they really existed, those dreams and silly fantasies would be shot down and I would be unable to feel anything more than respect and friendship toward them. Real people are vastly different from characters. But there I was, my dreams made reality, and the feelings were as strong as before. Stronger, perhaps. Rather than dissipate, like any shallow crush born of admiration, these emotions dug down and rooted themselves deeper, unwilling to give up. However, where I should have been elated, I was scared. If he found out... I thought back to the night on Rodia, the thunderstorm. Qui-Gon's speculative remark. We had been through the lowest valley and back up to the highest hill since then, and instead of mellowing as they should have, those feelings he suspected had grown stronger. I could ruin everything if he found out now. Maybe it would be a good idea after all to have Qui-Gon teach me to shield my thoughts. I sighed at the thought of it, closing my eyes, fretting over the way such a little, insignificant being with natural, unnecessary thoughts could pose such great danger to two Jedi. And then Qui-Gon entered the room.

I knew it was him even before I glanced over my shoulder to see who had entered. His brown robe swept elegantly about him as he breezed past, heading toward his room, only to return a moment later and wander over by me, glancing out the window. "You didn't come to watch us," he noted.

"You didn't need me gawking at you," I said modestly. "I've been just fine, here. I was trying to get some writing done." I twisted in my seat to look toward the door behind me. "Where's Obi-Wan?"

"I sent Obi-Wan on an errand," Qui-Gon replied, turning to me, folding his arms and leaning against the window. "Although he might want company. There is a path which runs around the lake, if you take it northward, it should lead you to him."

The lake? I frowned inwardly, wondering what kind of errand would involve the lake. "But if I do that, what will you do, here? With no one to keep you company?"

The Jedi Master gave me a mysterious smile. "Who says there is no one? I have myself - and if you're not good company for yourself, you're not good company for anyone."

That smile. Where had I seen it before? Then, it came to me, in the form of oft-recited lines: "Only Jedi carry that kind of weapon." A young boy, eyes narrowed, challenging.

That smile. "Perhaps I killed a Jedi and took it from him."

He was teasing, as he would only do with someone with whom he was extremely comfortable, someone he trusted. Like Anakin. I was humbled, and averted my gaze to the empty page in my lap even while he continued to smile at me. "Qui-Gon...why are you being so kind to me?"

His smile faded a bit, and his eyebrows lifted curiously. "You wonder at my kindness?"

"Well, I know you're a compassionate man by nature, you're good to everyone, but..." I looked up at him, uncertain. "...you've gone out of your way for me. Even more so than usual. Who am I that you should take me on missions with you, take on a retreat, even defy the Council over?"

Qui-Gon looked away, out the windows again, and a different smile glowed on his rugged face. "You're right that I try not to deny anyone the kindness they deserve. But you...are not like other beings I have had the pleasure of being associated with." He flinched with a brief look of confusion, and when he continued, he spoke slowly, as if weighing each word before letting it out. "You are a stranger to our galaxy, I know you speak the truth about that. And, you are uniquely bonded to me. I have given you something no one else has ever received, or ever will. In a sense, you are almost a part of me. I feel...it is my responsibility to watch over you, it wouldn't be right if you were left by yourself or with anyone else." The solemnity passed, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "And of course, you have become a good friend in a very short amount of time. You saved my life. Is that enough, or do you need more reasons?"

"Well, no, but..." I couldn't stop the blush creeping into my cheeks, I felt its hot sting almost instantly. "It's just...I didn't think it would be like this."

"Like what?"

I fumbled for a response. "Friends," I finally said, looking up at him with a helpless grin. "You're a Jedi Master, you have a galaxy to protect. I'm just a girl far from home."

"Girl? You're older than my apprentice - though not by much, admittedly." After a silent moment in which we gazed questioningly at one another, Qui-Gon stepped away from the window and approached my chair, kneeling before it and placing a gentle hand on my knee. "Stacey, you don't need to wonder. You are my friend, and it pleases me to have you around. I know Obi-Wan would agree..." His voice trailed off as he searched my face, making sure I understood. I smiled at him, unable to express my gratitude. His hand withdrew, and I thought I saw something troubling flicker in his eyes as he folded his hands on his knee and mustered a smile. "Come, now. No more worrying, you're here with us and you have no need to question why. Go, find Obi-Wan," he suggested with that smile twinkling in his eyes, turning them blue. "Make sure he's all right with his errand. I need to spend some time alone, meditating on what I have learned."

"All right." He didn't need to persuade me, the mere thought of Obi-Wan somewhere by the lake on some errand inspired me to want to find that boy before he got himself in trouble. Qui-Gon rose and stepped aside, bowing his head to acknowledge my departure. I wasn't sure he had told me everything he was thinking, though he was completely right on everything he had said. His assurances warmed my heart, and had me fairly skipping as I crossed the patio, hopped down the steps, and started looking for the lakeside path.

I wound my way along the path in a roughly northerly direction, as instructed, taking deep breaths of warm, humid air as I passed in and out of shadow beneath the trees. Barely a whisper of wind was coming off the lake today, and I looked at the water with a growing desire to go swimming. The path soon left the shore and started uphill into a thickly-wooded area where roots and rocks made it hard to walk a straight line. The sun's color filtered through the verdant foliage gave the understory of the forest a dreamy, fantasy-like atmosphere, where the air itself shimmered in the light, and the shadows held a touch of mystery. I didn't need to imagine myself being anywhere else, though, because the reality of where I walked was fantastic enough. A stillness unbroken by birdcalls or insects covered the forest, a stillness which I realized resulted from the lack of the pervasive, muffled machine-noise that invaded even the most remote wildernesses of Earth. Nothing like it existed here, even with a spaceport in nearby Kalinda. It was so quiet I could hear the river before I ever caught sight of it through the shrubbery, its bubbly sound drawing me further up the path even though I was now a long way from the Jedi center. A small stream, perhaps five feet wide at the most, carved a slight valley through the rising hills on its way to the lake, and the sound came from the swift-moving water leaping over and around large rocks in its center. A fork in the path went straight to the riverbank and hugged its course, so I took it and stood on the rocks, gazing happily down into the cool, black depths. Clouds had drifted over the sun, and the forest seemed to turn even more green than before, though the heat of the day was not eased one bit. I closed my eyes and reached mentally for the Force, finding it much easier to touch here among the richness of life. As soon as my mind connected with the energy of the Force, I immediately felt a vibration along it that sang of a familiar presence: Obi-Wan was nearby. Very near, in fact. I turned my attention to that presence, and nearly jumped out of my skin when a sensation akin to tickling reached back toward me and pressed into my mind. He had picked up on my presence and sent back a response to let me know he was aware of my proximity. I grabbed on to the nearest tree trunk and nearly throttled it in my excitement. It works! The Force, our bond...it works! I bounced up and down on my toes, shaking the tree and letting out a squeal. Obi-Wan sensed me - better yet, I sensed him! I looked around, as if expecting the trees to lean down and scold me for disturbing their peace with my excitement, and the tranquil aura of the forest gradually calmed me. Taking a deep breath for control, I glanced down; the water ran swift by my feet, churling and bubbling around the rock on which I stood. For a moment I lost myself in the reflections of the leaves and the sky above, wondering if it was shallow enough here to wade.

I knelt on the rock and tentatively dribbled my fingers into the flowing water. Finding it pleasantly cool to the touch, I kicked off my shoes, rolled my trousers up to my knees, and settled down comfortably and slipped my legs into the water. It was wonderful, a blessed respite on a day like today! I began to swirl my legs around as I looked happily about me, grinning even though there was no one around to see it. I sat there for several minutes before I noticed Obi-Wan coming towards me from amongst the trees to my left. He stopped a few feet away, a curious look on his face. "What?" I asked him.

"You're up to something," he replied.

"What makes you say that?"

He shrugged. "Now I know what Master Qui-Gon means when he says he can sense when I'm up to no good."

I giggled. "I wasn't up to anything, Obi-Wan. I'm just wading in this stream, that's all." I sighed contentedly. "Oh...this is great! I like it here. All we need now is a waterfall and it would be perfect."

The apprentice perked up. "There's one a short distance that way..." He nodded towards the direction he had come from.

"Really?" I asked excitedly.

He nodded. "Want to go see?"

"Yeah!" I jumped up quickly and grabbed my shoes, following his lead along the side of the stream. We walked slowly for a bit, stepping carefully among the stones and gnarled tree roots. I chanced a glance at Obi-Wan as I moved up alongside him; his mood was light, but he seemed preoccupied with something. Unsure if he would wish to share his thoughts, I said nothing for a while. Then curiosity got the better of me and I touched his arm lightly. "Obi-Wan? Is everything all right?"

The young man looked up at my touch. "Yes, everything's fine. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "You look like there's something on your mind."

He flushed.

"All right, now I know there's something on your mind. What is it?"

There was a brief pause, then, "Laundry."

I stared in astonishment. My companion continued walking a few steps before he realized I wasn't alongside him. Then he stopped and turned to look at me, a wide grin spreading across his face. "What? You look as though you've never heard that before."

I snapped my mouth shut and glared at him. "What do you mean...laundry?"

"That's how I knew about the waterfall. I was there earlier. Master Qui-Gon's tunics are half way done." It was said in such a put-upon tone that I suppressed my urge to laugh hysterically.

"Is this part of Padawan training?" I teased. I was rewarded by a stern look.

"No..." Obi-Wan replied, then added thoughtfully, "although, I'm surprised Master Qui-Gon hasn't tried that line on me..."

"Well, stop dawdling and let's go finish up then," I said, beginning to walk again. "That's why you came looking for me isn't it? You wanted me to help?"

"No, I felt you were near and wanted to see what you were up to, although now that you're here I was hoping that you would offer..." he grinned.

I began to aim a playful blow at his arm but the sight of the waterfall between the gaps in the trees distracted me. We both stopped on the bend in the path that exposed us to a complete view. A roar filled the woodland and engulfed my senses. White sheets of water tumbled from a height of about eighteen feet, sending the river crashing down from the rocks which formed the fall. "It's beautiful," I exclaimed.

The apprentice said nothing but I could sense his agreement. We stood there for a long moment, both reluctant to break the pause between us. Finally, I said, "Laundry?"

An annoyed snort came from Obi-Wan. "You are beginning to sound like him, you know? This way," he gestured, stepping towards the waterfall.

I sighed theatrically before following him. "You know, Padawan, you owe me for this, big time."

"That's funny," came the retort. "I thought this would be repayment for my not throwing you into the lake." There was a thoughtful pause. "Although, if you don't see it that way, I could throw you into the stream now and we would call it even?" It had been said in a questioning tone, but I didn't miss the mischievous tinge in his voice.

"No, no, it's quite alright. It's not as if I haven't done laundry before," I answered quickly. You, on the other hand, I'm not so sure about, I smirked to myself. He led me on a little spur of the path that led right towards the falls. Just as I was going to question him, he ducked behind a rock and disappeared. I followed him into a dark corridor and emerged in a small cave. The falling water formed a translucent screen of movement shielding the cave from view. I gasped in amazement. "Oh my gosh...this is beautiful," I breathed, and even that quiet remark echoed. "I've never been behind a waterfall..."

An absent, "Hmmmm," was the only reply. I looked about. Obi-Wan had already seated himself by the water's edge and was scrubbing away at a tunic. I made my way carefully towards him. The ground here was rocky and uneven, with pools of water in spots, some clear, others faintly muddy, likely a result of soil that had been left behind from the last rainfall when the stream had flooded. I crouched down next to Obi-Wan. He seemed to be doing all right, there were familiar-looking eggshell- and sand-colored tunics draped delicately over dry rocks behind us, presumably finished and now drying. I reached for a tunic but he pushed my hand away gently. I peered at him. "I thought you wanted my help?"

He smiled. "I'm almost done."

"Ahhh..." I said nothing more, realizing that he just wanted some company. I swatted his ponytail before sitting down beside him companionably. He finished up the last tunic and tossed it to the side.

"Obi-Wan!" I yelled.

His head snapped towards me. "What?" he hissed.

I didn't bother replying, merely leaping over to the tossed tunic and whipping it up as quickly as I could, holding it up for him to see. In his haste, he had tossed the tunic straight into a pool of muddy water, coloring it a dull brown. Obi-Wan groaned loudly. I merely burst into uncontrolled laughter.

It was some time before I could regain my composure and enough breath to speak. "Now I know why Qui-Gon's undertunic seems to keep changing colors," I squealed, thoroughly enjoying his bemused look. "He lets you do the laundry!"

"I have not made that mistake before, believe me," Obi-Wan indignantly insisted. "What do you mean, keeps changing colors?"

"Oh...never mind, Obi-Wan," I sighed, worn out from laughing. "Just something some friends and I saw, once." I dipped the tunic into the water below the fall and shook it around to rinse it off, glad when most of the mud dripped away from the sand-colored fabric. The young apprentice hopped up and took it from me, gathering the rest of the wet clothes from their respective rocks. "What now?"

"They need to dry outside," he answered smartly. "The mist from the waterfall will keep them wet if we stay in here."

"Aw, drat. It's so pretty in here." Nevertheless, I followed his lead, bundling some tunics over my arm and joining him outside again. We draped the laundry over low-hanging tree branches, trusting that the sun and the very light breeze would dry them enough before taking them back to the temple. "How long have you been at this?" I wondered idly. "I didn't even hear you come into the room to get any clothes. Only Qui-Gon..."

"Oh, no. The laundry was already bundled to go out, we were merely waiting for a chance to ask Shassa where it could be done. But, as she has taken on another task..." Obi-Wan smiled kindly, putting aside my teasing of his laundry skills. "It's not as if I haven't done it before. Though, most of the time, there is a more...advanced means of doing it. It's been some time since I did it this way." He stepped back and set his hands on his hips, admiring his work. "There. That should do. Now...we wait."

"No wonder Qui-Gon said I ought to come keep you company." My companion moved back towards the stream and I followed, waiting until he took a seat on a large, rounded rock at the water's edge before sitting down beside him. Sprays of small, white, star-shaped flowers grew in clusters around the rock right up to the waterline, and their perfume hung pleasantly in the air. We gazed at the waterfall for a few more reflective moments, Obi-Wan's hands fidgeting in his lap. I noticed he was twirling the stem of a small, broad leaf between his fingers, making it spin like an umbrella. "This is nice," I noted.

"Mmm. Very," he absently responded, his eyes on the waterfall. After a pause he seemed to come to his senses, and his head turned in my direction. "Your planet has waterfalls."

"Yes. Lots of 'em," I confirmed. "I haven't gone out to see one recently, though. Not since...hmm, not since I went camping. Six...no, seven years ago. Seven years in my time, anyway," I added with a stupid grin.

"Tell me what it's like. Your planet," Obi-Wan encouraged. "You haven't really told us much about it at all, just a little about what life was like for you, there. Is it much like this?" He lifted his hands to indicate the forest around us.

I looked around, smiling. "Well, parts of it are. Where I live, yeah, in between all the farms. But my planet has a little bit of everything - mountains, grasslands, deserts, big cities. Some parts of it are like Alderaan, some like Rodia, and even parts like Tatooine."

Obi-Wan's brow furrowed. "Tatooine? The desert planet on the Outer Rim? I've heard how harsh it is, though I've never been there myself."

You will, someday, I thought to myself, burying the impulse under a twisted delight in hearing the name spill off his lips. "Yeah, well, I haven't been to those deserts either. Like I say, where I live, it's mostly farms and forests. It was fall when I left, I remember that. The leaves had all changed color. It's really pretty, I like it there. Well, I did, anyway."

A caring light crept into the apprentice's blue eyes. "You do miss it, then?"

"Actually...no, not really," I said honestly, curling my legs under me. I hadn't bothered to put my shoes back on, the cool, wet stones of the cave and the dry sand of the path felt glorious under my bare feet. "As long as I keep visiting places like this, that are somewhat familiar in some way, I won't miss Earth. I miss my friends, though," I decided to admit. "I wonder if they'll ever know I've gone."

Obi-Wan looked down at the leaf in his fingers. "We don't even know how you got here, I wouldn't be able to tell you if time will pass unhindered there or not, without you. It may be that you will find no time has passed, or..." His eyes flicked briefly toward me. "Well, there's no way of knowing that you ever will go back."

An uncomfortable silence fell between us, magnifying the roar of the waterfall. I didn't want to talk about it anymore, so I turned the inquiry on the Padawan instead. "Obi-Wan...how much of it is true? I mean...there's this story, of the Jedi, on my world. It's how I got introduced to you and Qui-Gon, and I've done my best to read and know everything I could find about you. But...I'm wondering how much of what I know is true, and how much was embellished."

He glanced at me again, his face questioning. "Like what?"

"How did you get to be Qui-Gon's Padawan? Were you really almost washed out of the Order, sent away to the Agri-Corps to be a farmer on Bandomeer?"

His eyes widened. "You know about that? How could you know? Other than Master Yoda and a couple of my friends..." His voice trailed off, and a disconcerted look crossed his face.

I tried to shrug it nonchalantly off. "A...couple books were written about it. I wasn't sure if they were part of the story or just something the author made up on her own, the way it all seemed to come about." Obi-Wan still looked unsettled, so I placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Tell me about it?"

The Padawan kept his eyes riveted on the leaf spinning lightly between his fingertips. "Well, we did go to Bandomeer, but I wasn't about to be washed out of the Order, no. I was...struggling with my anger, I was at that age and wasn't sure anyone would take me as their Padawan learner. Master Yoda sent me to Bandomeer so I could see that in the chance I would not take the path of a Jedi Knight, the other divisions of the Order were just as worthy of choosing instead. At least," he added, a wistful smirk tugging the corner of his mouth, "that's what he told me." His eyes slowly traveled toward me, a vivid sky-blue with the weight of his memories. "How much of the story do you know, then?"

"Well...according to the book," I qualified my statement, "Qui-Gon was there to look for an apprentice, but didn't choose you, so you went off to Bandomeer thinking you'd never be a Knight. He ended up on the same transport - a mining ship - with Hutts and Arconans. There was an encounter with pirates, you crashed...and while you and Qui-Gon worked as a team to solve the problems before everyone died, he wouldn't acknowledge that you wanted to be his apprentice. There was a lot of you trying to prove yourself to him, and him shooting you down. That's just the first book," I concluded. "Is that...accurate?"

Obi-Wan frowned. "Well...the events, yes. But without reading it for myself, I would be hard pressed to say the underlying...emotional conflict...was correct."

"So...you never questioned whether Qui-Gon wanted you for his Padawan?"

"Well...actually, I did. I wasn't sure. He wasn't sure. It's a long story, that was a very complicated and trying time for both of us." His eyes flicked back and forth between me and the leaf. "But, you know about it, so there would be no sense in my trying to keep it from you. To this day I don't know what was going through Master Qui-Gon's mind while we went through all that. Fortunately, over time he has become far more open than those first days I met him."

I had more questions for him, inspired by his responses. "Did his second Padawan turn to the Dark Side? Xanatos?"

Obi-Wan laughed lightly. "No...whatever gave that idea?"

I declined to answer. "So what happened to him?"

"He did leave the Order, before passing the trials. His father was a powerful man, and rich, and perhaps the temptation was too strong," he acknowledged. "But there's no way of knowing what goes on in the mind of someone who's left the Jedi Order, especially under such circumstances. Perhaps he did succumb to the temptation of greed, but that doesn't mean he 'turned to the Dark Side.' That's such a simple thing to say about something much more complicated. But you'd have to ask Qui-Gon about it, I know only as much as he's told me."

"So...was he the one who had you beaten and enslaved, and tried to blow up the mines on Bandomeer?"

"Well, yes," Obi-Wan shrugged as if it were obvious. "I never actually met him, though, apart from a battle in the mines. You know about that, then?" His voice softened. "Did the story tell how Qui-Gon and I were trapped in the mines minutes before they were set to explode?"

"Yeah..." I set his discomfort at ease with a kind smile. "That was where he first called you 'Padawan.' He wouldn't let you sacrifice yourself for him."

A similar smile warmed the apprentice's face at last. "Yes. That's right."

I squeezed his hand gently and decided to move on, these memories were apparently hard on him. "Were you sent straight to Gala - er, got stranded on Phindar? Right after what happened on Bandomeer."

"No...that happened later," he answered with a look that told me he was confused that it should be any other way. "Immediately after Bandomeer, we returned to Coruscant so Master Qui-Gon could formally take me as his Padawan, declaring it before the Council. And this was formed as a symbol of the relationship." He reached up and ran his fingers down the length of the braid. I noticed he never toyed with it, no matter how much he might fidget. Its meaning was not lost on him. "That must be done before a Master and his apprentice go out on any missions, there is rarely an exception. We spent a month at the Temple, as I learned what my responsibilities as his Padawan learner are and grew accustomed to taking his orders. Gala was our first official mission...not including the unexpected side-trip to Phindar." Obi-Wan smirked again, this time remembering something pleasant. "You understood, then, when Master Qui-Gon made that joke about Phindians."

I nodded, but made no comment. He continued. "Is there anything else you know about me? It seems you're rather acquainted with my younger days. I was so young, then," he remarked, chagrined. "Only now as I look back do I realize the mistakes I made, in the assumption that I could never be wrong. Master Qui-Gon...has been a patient and thorough teacher."

"That he is," I mused. "You've come along nicely."

"Thank you. Any more questions?"

One popped into my head, one that demanded to be asked. "Did you really get a rock for your thirteenth birthday?"

Obi-Wan smirked, and then reached around him to a pouch on the left side of his belt. In a moment his hand returned, and resting in his palm was a small, rounded, black stone. My eyes widened, my mouth fell open. "It's the rock!" I exclaimed. "Oh my gosh!"

"Here." He handed it to me, and I nearly dropped it in my excitement. It was smooth and warm, and just as I had seen it described - dark, with veins of red shot through beneath its surface, invisible until the sunlight hit the stone. Another piece of the imaginary had just fallen into reality, and I could hold it in my hand. "I'm afraid it's not much," Obi-Wan continued.

"It's beautiful," I breathed, trailing my fingers lovingly over it before handing it back. "You're so lucky."

He smiled softly. "It is the best gift I ever received." He weighed it gently in his hand before slipping it back into its pouch. "It means almost as much to me as my Padawan braid, because it was the first gift from my Master...and it came from his heart. Until he gave it to me, it was the only piece of his home planet he had. Though Masters are expected to give gifts to their apprentices upon their coming of age, the gift itself was pure Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan glanced at me, and held my gaze for a long moment of silence. The voice of the waterfall filled our senses. I wondered what he was thinking. Then, he simply murmured, "Thank you."

I smiled. "What for?"

"For being here. It's been so long since I had another to talk to - besides Master Qui-Gon, that is. But I've just told you things I've never been able to tell anybody. A Jedi may meet many beings in his lifetime, but rarely is he able to take time to forge a friendship. I talk to people because they have some bearing on the mission to which I am assigned, not because they simply are there."

"That's the life of a Jedi," I reminded him. "I expect that from you, that's why it just amazes me that Qui-Gon took such an interest in me, in having me around. This is highly unusual."

"Yes, it is," Obi-Wan affirmed. "But the circumstances of your being here are also highly unusual."

"Well, you got that right." We sat there by the side of the river, talking, for most of the afternoon, letting the sun and the breeze dry the clothes while relaxing in one another's company. Obi-Wan managed to coax more details about my world out of me, especially about the friends with whom I shared a common interest in the story of the Jedi. While I kept hidden the fact that most of the interest was centered around how attractive we found him and his Master, I did tell him how much fun it was to speculate about this faraway galaxy with friends as like-minded as they. I told him about traveling a long way to meet Shytei and avatar, about buying a book for Shan because they didn't have it in the city where she lived yet, about spending hours in front of my computer chatting and trading stories with all these people. The young apprentice was highly amused by my descriptions, and clearly perplexed that he and Qui-Gon were already legends in a distant galaxy. He saw no problem with our level of interest in the phenomenon, just that he and his Master were part of that phenomenon. "Well, it's not like we don't know about other Jedi," I tried to clarify. "Yoda is famous world-wide."

"He should be. He is a great Jedi Master." Obi-Wan grinned and shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, it just seems odd to me. I may never understand it. But," he added, looking back at me, "if these friends of yours are as interesting and fun as you are, I wish I could meet them."

I grinned back and said, quite honestly, "Oh, Obi-Wan, they would love to meet you, too."

He chuckled a little, and then looked around. "I suppose we should head back. The clothing should be dry by now, and Master Qui-Gon will wonder where we are."

"All right." I stood and wedged my feet back into my shoes - I had ceased wearing socks, they just felt unnecessary - and followed the Padawan back to the bushes draped with tunics. We both grabbed arm-loads before starting back down the path which stretched through the woods like a brown thread laid on green carpet. My stomach was telling me it was time for dinner, and I had a feeling that when we returned, it would be waiting along with a patient but curious Qui-Gon. None of us were in the mood for the haridi after what happened the previous night, so I anticipated spending a quiet evening alone with my two Jedi friends. Obi-Wan must have sensed what I was thinking about, because he turned his head and smiled at me as we walked, at the very moment I felt warmth and delight about the idea of just sitting around the temple talking with the two of them. I grinned back, and quickened my pace to walk beside him.

On to part 13

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