The tall, pale man smiled coolly. "Ah. You've heard of me."

"Uh...sort of." I wasn't going to tell him what I heard, though. My eyes went to the mark on his cheek, recognizing the scar at last, the broken circle. It's true. "Nice...nice to meet you," I stammered, taking a step back. And then I saw it in his eyes: that flicker of dismay that crossed the mind of every Jedi from Master Yoda to Niall Oberanu who had tried to use the Force to examine me. But Xanatos recovered from it much more quickly than anyone, as if trying to hide either his use of the Force or his reaction to what he discovered. In the space of a blink his assured smile had returned.

The sudden interruption of a welcome voice made relief swell in my heart. "Were you looking for me?"

Xanatos gave a start as Qui-Gon swept in and brushed past him, but a cool look gathered on his thin features. "Well, well. The news was true. It's good to see you...old friend."

The last two words were said so thickly, so quietly, that his true meaning behind them was ambiguous. I couldn't believe that I was really looking at this piece of an uncertain past. I knew he existed from what Qui-Gon had said the day before, and Obi-Wan had said months ago, but apart from that, I couldn't be sure anything I knew about him was truth or fiction. He certainly looked as described: black hair, startling blue eyes, a penchant for dark clothes - a long, elegant coat with upturned collar and some indistinct layers of black beneath it. He had not the accent of either Master or current Padawan, though his voice was cultured and perfect. But the hot-blooded youth who had betrayed his Master did not exist - this was a man, almost forty, who may or may not have been the student just prior to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Qui-Gon appeared calm as he turned just in front of me, standing like a shield between me and the visitor. "Was there something you needed, Xanatos?"

"Me?" The man chuckled dryly. "Actually, Qui-Gon, I'm here to help you."

"Help me?" the Master repeated in mild disbelief.

Xanatos executed a smooth turn on one heel and began to pace slowly in front of the windows, meticulously taking off his gloves one finger at a time. "It has come to my attention that at some point in the past two weeks, my company's name has come up in negotiations on this...little planet," he suavely explained, his reedy voice serious. "Naturally, I was surprised, as until my regional manager brought this to my attention I had never even heard of Daramin, much less brokered any business deals on it. I got as much information about it as I could and made some time to come here and clear up the matter in person." He clasped his hands behind his back and turned to face us, his expression and his voice both becoming dark and seething. "Believe me, Qui-Gon, had I known in advance that you were the Jedi overseer currently stationed on Daramin, I would have thought twice about coming. But to my misfortune, I didn't find that out until I landed in Takra yesterday and inquired about the overseers."

Qui-Gon patiently folded his arms, tucking his hands inside his robe sleeves. "It's good to know that this friendly encounter isn't intentional, then." Sarcasm flavored his otherwise pleasant voice and made me smile behind his back. "So, now that you've flown to Daramin, what is it you want?"

Xanatos averted his eyes for a moment while he thought, still facing us with his hands behind his back. "Just one small thing," he answered, his keen eyes returning to the Master's face. "I want to find out why the people of this planet are bringing up Offworld when I've had no contact with them, nor have I authorized any of my managers to do so." His blue eyes narrowed in a sneaky sort of smile. "And, I suppose I might as well take a look at what they have to offer, just in case."

"That would not be a good idea," Qui-Gon solemnly advised. "Industry on Daramin is prohibited by interstellar treaty laws from accepting any deals with off-planet interests..."

"Yes, I am aware of that much," Xanatos snidely interrupted. "Hence my visit. Whatever opinion you might have of Offworld and my business practices, I'll have you know that it is not my policy to make deals under the table. If I'm going to buy a mine or invest in the landholding, I'll do it straight. I don't know what these people are trying to pull, but it would be more than a slight inconvenience to have my name and Offworld's dragged through the mud this way."

I was itching to make a nasty comment about Offworld's name already being in the mud, but I restrained myself. It would not have done well to have me insulting Xanatos even with Qui-Gon standing between him and me. The Master raised an eyebrow, his face remaining placid. "You deny sending the Mining Guild of Skoda any offers for their holdings?"

Xanatos' eyes darkened even more. "Of course I do. And you know, dear Master, that I am not lying to you."

Qui-Gon drew in a very slow, deep breath, perhaps to keep himself in check. There was a slight flicker of the Force around us that even I could detect. "No, you are not lying. Yet, I have a document in my possession with Offworld's letterhead attesting to just such a thing."

Xanatos glared indirectly. "May I see this document?"

Qui-Gon coolly nodded. "If you will wait just one moment." He gave me a warning glance as he turned, and while his back was to Xanatos I saw his hand slip under his robe and pat the pouch that held his comlink. I nodded my understanding and desperately watched him leave the room - leaving me alone with his past.

For a moment our visitor seemed disinterested in me, turning his attention to the windows and the little yard beyond them. I quietly crept back to the desk and collected my journal, intending to make myself scarce as soon as Qui-Gon came back in, but then the oily voice spoke up behind me. "So. Qui-Gon has a little friend along." When I said nothing, he pivoted slowly on his heel and fixed me with a disdainful smile. "Cute. What is it you do...for him?"

The implication in his voice was unmistakable; I glared in disgust like he was a high school junior. "Don't get your hopes up. It's nothing nearly that exciting."

Qui-Gon strode back in right at that moment, thankfully. Xanatos chuckled sardonically. "She's a feisty one, Qui-Gon. Where ever did you pick her up, and do they make them all like that there? I might want one of my own to play with."

"It's no concern of yours," the Master snapped curtly, handing a datapad to his former student.

Xanatos took it and perused it airily, though he seemed inclined to continue taunting me, but as he read on his attention became fully trained on it and his mocking smile vanished. His blue eyes clouded with confusion and irritation. "What is this?" he growled. "That is indeed our letterhead and the stamp of the regional office on Geonosis, but...I didn't write this." He stared narrowly at Qui-Gon. "This had better not be your idea of a joke to get me to confess to something."

"I assure you," Qui-Gon said, his patience becoming strained, "this is what I received through a third party, who received it directly from someone here in Skoda who wanted to brag about off-planet interests in their mines."

"Have you asked them who sent it originally?"

"We are still trying to set up meetings with the mining guild," the Master sighed. "I spent all morning going from office to office. Obi-Wan is still working on some connections even now."

Xanatos' eyes went suddenly cold. "The little Padawan is still around," he muttered under his breath.

Qui-Gon went on. "Even so, I strongly suspect that this was not accidentally leaked to us. When the time comes to confront the guild on the source of this letter, I expect them to deny ever sending it."

"Of course they will. They're playing you," Xanatos sneered. "And, they're playing me as well. This is precisely why I came to Daramin - to stop you from accusing me of being a part of this ridiculous game."

The Master folded his arms again, more firmly this time, and cocked his head slightly. "Is it? Couldn't such a matter have been handled by anyone in your employ? Or don't you trust any of them?"

Xanatos clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "Don't you know anything about business, Qui-Gon? About the value of a personal appearance?"

I rolled my eyes. Qui-Gon didn't flinch. "Your personal appearance was not for my sake - or for whichever Jedi occupied the overseer's position when you found them here."

"Admittedly, no. I received a similarly-worded transmission this week," Xanatos told us, casually tossing the datapad onto the desk, "extolling the value of the mining industry in Skoda and all but inviting me to come have a look. I was already suspicious, so I figured, why not? I would make pretense of coming for a business meeting and use it to investigate why they were dropping my name like we were already bedmates." He swung mocking eyes toward Qui-Gon. "That's not illegal, is it?"

"Fortunately for you, not yet," the Master replied shortly. "It is not illegal for these people to talk to you, or make offers to your company - the law is broken when contracts are signed or money changes hands. Until that time, you're safe. But if I were you, I would be wary." He paced closer to Xanatos, holding his gaze as he lectured. "The Daramindi have no right to court you when they cannot legally deliver anything to you. There may be some laws in the galaxy which you treat lightly and easily overlook, but interstellar treaty laws are not among them." Xanatos scowled at that, but did not interrupt. Qui-Gon paused directly in front of him, a hint of condescension coloring his voice. "You would not be so foolish as to break a treaty, with all the consequences involved. And I'm sure the last thing you want to do to Offworld is put yourself in a position of illegally accepting the mining guild's offer, only to have them call in the authorities and point the finger at you, leaving you to the courts and letting Offworld lose all that money on a false deal." The eyebrow arched upward again. "What was that about not knowing anything about business?"

Xanatos seethed under the heavy gaze of the Master. "I concede you the point. Nevertheless, my visit here may be of more help to you than you might be to me."

"You don't want the Jedi looking too deeply into Offworld's business," Qui-Gon cleverly pointed out, his smile sly but cold. "You and I both know it."

"And you don't want to undertake a complicated investigation when your term as overseer is nearly up," the other said gloatingly. "Especially when it seems that no laws have been broken and one party denies the slightest involvement in the first place."

Qui-Gon stepped to one side and picked up the datapad. "Yet, I have evidence, even if it might be falsified. You seem to be the one who has the most to lose, Xanatos."

Xanatos sighed firmly, his face going hard like stone. "I want this cleared up, Qui-Gon. These people are making fools out of both of us, and I want to know why. Their little joke could cost me my business if I wasn't already keen on the treaty laws." A dark fire flickered in his eyes. "I will not stand for this."

"Then, perhaps it would be in our best interests to cooperate, for the time being," the Master quietly offered. "What does the mining guild know about your visit?"

"I'm only supposed to be here for the day, and will be leaving tomorrow morning. I'm scheduled to meet this guild this afternoon. I will do nothing more." Xanatos looked sulkily up at Qui-Gon. "I suppose you'll want to know what they say."

"It would go a long way toward clearing you of any charges." Qui-Gon paced back towards me, leaving a clear path between Xanatos and the doorway. "Conduct your business as you see fit, and simply send me a transmission if anything comes up that proves Offworld is innocent of making any offers to any Daramindi businesses. Before or after you leave. You need not even see me again."

"I believe that's a deal I can live with," Xanatos agreed with a grim smile. "And once this is all cleared up you will forget you even heard my name?"

"That shouldn't be hard." The Master's voice held a quiet threat.

"Very well. It was good to see you again, Qui-Gon." Xanatos offered a slight bow in acceptance and made use of the unobstructed route to the exit. Just before he reached the entranceway to the foyer, Obi-Wan materialized from around the corner. Xanatos stopped short, and his aloof composure fell away from him with a frightening snarl. "There's the little boot-licker. Out of my way, Padawan." He managed to make the title into an insult in his anger, and shoved Obi-Wan bodily into the wall as he shouldered past.

Obi-Wan did not fall to the provocation, only standing there rubbing his shoulder until we all heard the door whir closed. "Master?" he wondered, turning concerned eyes on us.

"It's all right, Obi-Wan. Thank you for coming back when I called."

"I couldn't ignore a message like that." Obi-Wan stared through the foyer to the door, his brow knit with a disturbed frown. "I can't believe he was actually here."

"He had some important information for us. I will brief you after we all have something to eat and calm down." Qui-Gon mustered a smile for me. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine," I assured, shrugging. "Just a little surprised. Master, I'm sorry - I honestly can't remember if I locked the door when you guys left."

"Don't worry, you didn't - I did, from the outside," he said.

I opened my mouth in an outraged gasp and stared at the Master. "He broke in?"

"It looks that way. He did not expect to find anyone here, I'm sure. No one would, there are only supposed to be two overseers." Qui-Gon gave me a pointed look bordering on an admiring smile and gestured for both me and Obi-Wan to go with him to the kitchen.

I kindly rested a hand on Obi-Wan's back as we walked. "You okay?"

"Compared to the sort of damage Xanatos has inflicted upon me in the past," Obi-Wan dryly retorted, "I'm in perfect health."

While we ate, no one wanted to bring up our visitor, as his appearance had rattled the Jedi almost as much as it had me. Even with the document transmission that hinted at his involvement, neither of them expected to actually see or hear from Xanatos, and certainly not so soon after the first mention of his name. Qui-Gon instead shared information on what he had been doing all morning, and requested the same report of his Padawan. I sat in silence, nibbling away at lunch, only half-listening. My thoughts were consumed with Xanatos, reconciling reality with my previously-held conceptions of his existence. Boy, would certain friends of mine love to hear this story! I admitted to myself that he scared me a little, because I didn't know what to expect from him. Was he really not so dangerous after all, as Qui-Gon seemed to imply, or did that aging face hide a psychopathic personality so well that even his old Master couldn't see the truth? It didn't matter, since we'd be getting his transmission in a day or so reporting what he could and then we'd be done with him, but I still wondered out of sheer curiosity. Part of me wanted to see him one more time, but the greater part of me wisely thanked heaven that he was gone. Afterward, I remained in the kitchen and cleaned up while the Jedi retired to the office one room over so Qui-Gon could brief Obi-Wan on exactly what had happened. All I could hear of it was the Master's calm, even tone, floating in short phrases, and a rare interjection by Obi-Wan in a concerned lilt. When the conversation wound down into longer and longer silences, and I had finished up, I drifted into the doorway to see the two of them sitting opposite each other, their faces serious and the Padawan's brow furrowed unhappily. Qui-Gon's eyes shifted briefly to me, and he sighed. "Well, that is all we need to be concerned about for the moment. I'm sure things will be much more clear when we've spoken with the guild representatives." He pushed himself out of his chair and swept his robe behind him elegantly. "Now, I think we ought to do something constructive with the rest of the afternoon, if the guild's time is going to be consumed with entertaining Xanatos."

He glided purposefully out of the room through the doorway that led to the sitting room. Obi-Wan looked my way for a moment, and utterly failed to muster a smile as he also got to his feet and made for the next room. I followed, curious. Qui-Gon kept talking, almost thinking aloud. "I need to get a better feel for Skoda, for the way of life here and the prevailing attitudes among its citizens. I want to know whether anyone here feels the same as those colonists far to the south." He shook his head, turning back towards us with his hands snaking into his robe sleeves. "I don't like the way this is turning out. I should like to see evidence that my suspicions are not correct, for once." Sighing, he dropped his pessimism and focused on me. "Would you be up for a walk through the city?"

"So you can look around? Yeah, sure."

"You as well, Obi-Wan," his Master implored. "We should take advantage of our time to quiet our minds and simply observe for once."

I looked back and forth between the two of them, concerned. "But...then no one would be here. In case Xanatos decides to break in again."

"Xanatos is busy this afternoon meeting with the mining guild. Something we should be doing," Qui-Gon grumbled. "The house will be perfectly safe. I insist."

"All right," I relented. "How cold is it out there?"

"You might want a light coat," Obi-Wan offered.

I didn't have a light coat, but I did have a couple of long-sleeved shirts, and layered myself appropriately before heading outside with the Jedi. The weak banks of clouds were reluctantly giving way to sunshine, but a chill wind was still coming off the ocean, making me huddle into my warm shirts and tuck my hands into my pockets. My loose hair swirled around my face every time we stepped out from behind a building screening us from the seacoast, but I found the fresh air and pale sun invigorating. Qui-Gon walked with his head held high, as if tasting the wind, his pace slow enough for me to keep up without having to try. Obi-Wan remained a step behind us, and every time I glanced at him, his eyes were elsewhere, watching, scanning. There were people on the streets, I noticed in interest, clad in jackets and gloves, and many of them nodded politely at the passing Jedi. We were wandering away from the affluent sector, toward smaller residences and marketplaces, areas where the mine-workers likely lived on the outskirts of Skoda. A short distance into the walk, Qui-Gon glanced down at me and kindly asked if I would like to see the ocean. I could hardly keep the squeal from my voice as I assented, clenching my fists excitedly inside my pockets. As if I'd say no! The Jedi housing was located fairly close to the edge of the city that butted up against the coastal cliffs, so we did not have far to go to find incredible views of the ocean. Paved paths ran along the tops of the cliffs, with observation points and wind-breaking guard walls built at points all along the miles and miles of coastline. Before too long I found myself stepping onto a half-circle platform built atop the high sea-walls, a firm railing keeping me back from being blown into the raging sea that beat steadily against the cliffs. Marine birds wheeled overhead, flapping their wings frustratingly against the wind that buffeted them, squawking hoarsely. I squinted into the reflections dancing at the crests of the waves, feeling my jaw fall open and my heart nearly stop in awe at the vastness and constant motion of the water. It was the first time I had looked out at an expanse of water and not felt like there was something on the other side beyond the limit of the horizon. Gingerly resting my hands on the cold metal railing, I gazed out in silence for a long time, no longer even aware of the strong presence beside me and the other pacing behind me. Obi-Wan was restless, but in the end even he went to the railing and looked out on the sea, albeit further down from where I stood.

Qui-Gon's voice murmured into my consciousness. "Your thoughts are heavy."

"Not heavy," I corrected, also murmuring softly. "Just...awed. You'd think I'd know what to expect."

"How could you, if you haven't even seen the ocean on your world?" the Master wondered.

"But I've seen pictures. And I have seen great lakes so huge that you can't see land on the other side," I said to him. "Still...it's incredible. So powerful, yet so peaceful. It's tranquil and wild at the same time. I don't understand it."

I felt Qui-Gon's firm hand alight gently on my back. "There is a reason many Jedi who come from such worlds compare the Force to the oceans."

"You can almost feel the Force in it," I whispered, staring longingly at the tiny dashes of color, blues and silvers and golds, spattered on the surface of the great expanse where it broke into waves. "Not that the Force is made by water, but...I know what you mean."

Qui-Gon's voice seemed as heavy as my thoughts. "There exist worlds in this Republic that are entirely water."

I lifted my gaze to him, smiling when I saw the calm reflection in his eyes. "Have you been to any?"

"One or two," he replied, lowering his eyes and blinking before turning to me with a smile of his own. "They are staggering. One must keep focused or go mad with the constant motion of the waves and lack of firm ground on which to stand."

"And remind oneself of the beauty of it all," Obi-Wan interjected as he came close to us. His blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight as he looked out at the horizon. "What do you think?"

"I don't have words," I purred with a grin. "All the poetry I've ever read about the sea doesn't come close. Thank you, both, for bringing me here."

They both smiled in response, and an unspoken signal seemed to pass through us that we had seen enough and must move on. I lingered until the last, giving one more dreamy look out at the eternal sea before following the Jedi away. It was some good distance before the roar of waves breaking on the rocks faded from hearing.

The rest of Skoda seemed to be an average town with average folk living average lives, nothing overly exciting to arrest my attention as we walked through its streets. I remembered seeing a signpost at a trail-head indicating that yet another weather station lay off in that direction, and translated something about an ocean-side sanctuary before we moved past it. Traffic increased as we wandered through the market areas, both pedestrian and speeder, and the watery sunshine gleaming on everything made it feel lively and fresh. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan paced side-by-side now, their heads turning to catch everything, their eyes sharp and voices stilled. I honestly could not see anything unusual or noteworthy, but then again, I didn't know what we were supposed to be watching for in the first place. We made it eventually back to the house without incident, and I went to throw off one of my extra layers. When I returned to the sitting room, Obi-Wan was reporting to his Master, "There is a message from the mining guild."

Qui-Gon had found a comfortable seat, but jumped out of it immediately. "It's about time." They drifted to the office together, and did not object when I came along.

Obi-Wan reached for a button on the communicator console, and a willowy blue form sprang up out of the holograph generator. Even without the benefit of proper colors I could tell this representative was Pfand. "I am Neb Nalob, secretary to the Mining Guild of Skoda," he said calmly, placing his hands together and bowing slightly. "We offer our apologies to the Jedi team for our failure to make contact sooner. There was a bit of an emergency issue that needed to be taken care of. We hope that in the meantime your inspections have been fruitful, and your meeting with the regional administrator went well. If you would consent, the guild would be delighted to meet with you tomorrow at the noon hour to discuss any concerns or issues you are here to raise with us. We are very eager to hear your impressions of Skoda and to help you in your mission any way we can. A reply transmission to my office will suffice to let us know your plans. I look forward to meeting you."

The holograph fizzled out. Master eyed apprentice. "Is that all?"

Obi-Wan sat down at the console, his fingers flying over tabs and buttons. "It looks like it, Master. There are no other messages." He looked up to Qui-Gon, his eyes hard.

"Very well. Set up for return transmission," Qui-Gon said gruffly, moving to one side of the console. I shuffled around back behind Obi-Wan to be out of the way. The Padawan's hand hovered over the switch to transmit until he received a nod from his Master. "Secretary Nalob, this is Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. We have received your request and will be at Guild headquarters at noon tomorrow. There is much we need to discuss. Transmission ended."

*****

The confirmed meeting sent the Jedi to work all the rest of the day, as they needed to brush up on all current information and organize the thoughts and questions they intended to bring up to the mining guild. Qui-Gon was in and out of the rooms, hunting for this report and that, while Obi-Wan remained in the office going over files both digitized and paper, and neither of them spoke more than two words all evening. I made myself as scarce as possible, but as night fell on Skoda and I felt the radiant heat coils in the floor begin to warm my feet as I wandered around the house, I got the urge to distract one or the other of them just for the sake of hearing voices in the house again. I wasn't sure I could interrupt Qui-Gon, since I kept misplacing him - just when I walked into the sitting room to try to talk to him, he wasn't there. Shrugging it off, I headed into the office instead and padded noiselessly around behind Obi-Wan. The Padawan was seated at the desk, one hand clenching a fistful of his short hair while the other one tapped idly at the keys of the datadex whose screen flashed with pages of scrolling Aurabesh characters. He definitely looked in need of a break, so I let my hand slide onto his back and began to rub the base of his neck gently. Obi-Wan sighed shortly. "Not now, Stacey."

Confused, I withdrew my hand. "What's the matter?"

"I'm busy," he mumbled. "I haven't got time for distractions. This meeting tomorrow is important."

"Okay," I said quietly, stepping away from him and returning through the door to the sitting room. He didn't even look up from the datadex as I left.

Just as I passed the darkened windows, Qui-Gon came in from the other direction, surprisingly dressed-down. His robe was laid neatly over the back of a chair, but belt and tunic were now gone also, and the hem of his thick, warmer undertunic flowed loosely around his hips. He gave me a pleasant smile as our paths crossed, but the look I gave him in return puzzled him. "What is it?" he wondered.

"Nothing," I grumbled. "Just Obi-Wan. He blew me off - said he didn't want me distracting him." I huffed a sigh and swept my loose hair back from my face, mustering a sheepish smile. "I perfectly understand the need to let him work, though. It's okay. He was just a little curt about it."

Qui-Gon nodded his understanding. "Well, if he does not have the time for you, I certainly do."

I stood frozen a second, perplexed, until a grin flashed onto his face and evoked one of my own. "Oh?" I flippantly questioned.

"I was just about to start a fire," he continued, gesturing to the ornate bin on the side of the hearth that until now had stood empty. There were a few split pieces of wood in it. "More for atmosphere than warmth, I think. But, I know you were interested in one."

"Yeah!" I gushed, plopping into a comfy chair while Qui-Gon knelt before the hearth. "Where'd you get the wood?"

"The house has its own supply, out back."

"Do you need any help starting it?"

He glanced over his shoulder at me, one eyebrow raised suspiciously. "You think I don't know how to start a fire?"

I dared to smirk at him. "Do you?"

He snorted and simply went to work, laying out a nest of small sticks and breaking a chunk of something that looked like a brick in two. For a moment he hunted for something, until he spotted it sitting on top of the mantel and raised his hands toward it. The Force flicked it neatly into his palm, and he used it to spark a flame. The brick-like substance caught instantly, glowing richly until the sticks caught and burned brightly. Qui-Gon continued to add kindling until the fire was strong enough to take logs, after which he sat back on his heels and brushed the dirt from his hands. "There. Good enough for now." He turned to extend a hand toward me in invitation.

"Very nice," I complimented, taking his hand and letting him pull me off the chair. At the same time the Master sat back, and I found myself drawn around him to a seat on the floor, and into his embrace, his arms curling around me. It was our first chance to be together, forgetting about the rest of the galaxy for just a moment, since the break at High Point Base. He must have been thinking the same thing, for I felt him settle down with a huge sigh, squeezing me tightly, while I purred in pleasure. The warmth of his breath brushed across my ear. "All right, I take it back," I smiled as I stared into the wavering flames, "you know how to build a fire. What was that stuff?"

"An accelerant," Qui-Gon casually replied. "Of course, most of the fires I've had to build have been in remote wilderness areas where none of it was available, so I can assure you, it wasn't cheating."

I chuckled low; that was exactly what I was about to accuse him of. "Fine, you're a mighty man of the woods."

"And don't you forget it."

We both laughed and then settled into comfortable silence, mesmerized by the fire's glow and the heat radiating outward from it. Everything from the past days and weeks, especially the troublesome visit from Xanatos, faded from my mind and memory for just a while. I wasn't on Daramin, I wasn't among Jedi, I was only wrapped in the arms of a man I loved, who loved me in return. Of all my dreams to come true in the past months, this one was the greatest, and the only one I had ever wanted to come true. Everything else was incidental by comparison. The fire made me sleepy, so I closed my eyes and stretched out my other senses, willing myself to forever remember the way my body fit against Qui-Gon's, the feel of his heartbeat against my back and the shape of every muscle's curve that touched me in some way. His hand moved slightly, gliding along my arm in soft gesture of comfort, making me open my eyes again. I lay my hand over his and picked it up, bending my head so I could press my lips to the soft skin of his inner wrist. A light gasp sighed from the Master, and his bristled cheek nuzzled against mine as his kiss sought my temple. Closing my eyes dreamily, I murmured, "I wish this moment would last forever."

"But then it wouldn't be a moment," Qui-Gon whispered in typical Jedi fashion. "And the moment is all we can ever count on."

"Then, may every moment be just like this one," I smiled, clutching his hand to me. "Or better."

Qui-Gon hugged me to him. "I will do my best to make sure the moments of your life are this...pleasant," he chuckled, nuzzling my cheek once more.

So engrossed were we in our affections that I did not hear the tread of boots until they came very close to me. The chair against which Qui-Gon was leaning hid him and me from any line of sight, so it wasn't until Obi-Wan had crossed the room completely and approached the fireplace that he saw us sitting there. I looked up just as he looked down to see me nestled in Qui-Gon's arms, and he immediately looked away, startled. "Oh, I'm sorry," he muttered, and quickened his pace until he was practically running out the door into the hallway that led to our rooms.

I sat up. "Obi..." But he was gone too quickly.

Qui-Gon's hand still on my arm pulled me gently back down. "It's all right. Let him go."

I sighed in aggravation. "Did you see the look on his face? I hate doing that to you - either of you. I don't mean for him to be hurt just because I'm with you..."

"It's not your fault," the Master patiently insisted. "Obi-Wan and I both know very well how you feel." He sighed. "He is still having trouble finding balance. Until he does, he will continue to do that to himself."

A reminder of the previous night's meditation came to me. I shifted slightly in Qui-Gon's arms until I could see his face. "Does it hurt you to see me with him, at all?" I wondered in a very timid voice.

Much as he wanted to smile away my worries, Qui-Gon could not. "Jedi are not like most people," he said, reaching to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "We do not see the people we love as possessions, to be claimed as mine or his or yours. It would be wrong. You are free to do whatever you want with either of us, I cannot demand that you not." Now he did muster a weak smile. "I understand this. Don't worry."

"I'm sorry." I laid my head on his chest and sighed into his tunic. "I have these feelings for both of you, I don't want to hurt either of you."

"It will be all right," he assured. "I accept that you care so much for Obi-Wan. He must also accept that you care so much for me, or stop expecting anything of you. Balance can be tricky."

I settled back down into Qui-Gon's arms and focused on the merry fire again, though now my thoughts wound in troubled circles. I couldn't get my mind off the pulse of pain that entered our collective meditation, because now I had even less idea whose it was. Obi-Wan was hurt to see me with Qui-Gon, I could feel it even now as we rested by the fire. Yet, the Master didn't deny being hurt in turn. I had the distinct feeling that I was doing everything wrong. I forced myself to think of something else, and concentrated on the fire, on the orange tongues of flame licking along the split edges of wood stacked in the fireplace. Qui-Gon resumed his gentle caress, smoothing his large hands along my arms and my back, and after a while the combination of heat and affection lulled me almost to sleep. I felt his voice rumble deeply in his chest as he suggested when the fire burned down that we - or at least I - go to bed, and I had to agree that it was a good idea.

I slept poorly that night, assaulted by dreams of unsettling circumstance that mixed my past with my present in pathetic ways, and woke much earlier than usual. The moment it switched on my brain went back to harping on the pain I had caused Obi-Wan the night before, and decided that I ought to make up for it at the earliest possible moment. Sinking back down into the pillows, I closed my eyes and let the Force control my senses, listening and feeling for signs of the Padawan's presence. He was awake. I flipped back the covers and prowled out of my room, thankful for warm floors on cold mornings, and navigated down the hallway to peek in the sitting room. No Obi-Wan. On a whim I backtracked and went to the exercise room instead, finding my prey in a kneeling stance before the broad windows. Not wanting to interrupt his meditation, I hung back for a few minutes until he finished and rose slowly to his feet, raising his arms over his head and stretching fully to his fingertips. I stepped out from the doorway as he came my way, his undertunic fluttering open over his chest and giving me a nice view. Obi-Wan smiled wanly, but his blue eyes held a lingering sadness. "Good morning..."

"Hey," I returned, offering a hopeful smile. "You okay?"

He blinked in surprise. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

I lowered my eyes away from his. "Well...I didn't mean to hurt you, last night. I didn't think of your feelings when you...when you saw us."

"Oh." He folded his arms loosely over his middle. "It's all right. I don't blame you."

"Don't blame yourself either," I begged. "Or Qui-Gon! I..." A frustrated sigh escaped me. "I just want to know you're all right, and let you know that the last thing in the world I want to do is hurt you." I reached out to touch him on the arm. "I tossed and turned all night because you were on my mind. I wanted to get up first thing and find you and tell you I'm sorry."

A smile touched Obi-Wan's lips, faint but growing slowly, as he lifted his head and met my eyes. "Really? That's...very kind of you."

"I understand that you were busy. I didn't want to bother you."

His eyes closed briefly. "I was not as busy as I might have led you to believe. I was...preoccupied. There was a lot on my mind." His arms dropped to his sides, and he tilted his head in a slight shrug. "It's all right. I was meditating on my feelings just now, and..." The smile strengthened. "...I think I'll be all right."

"Good." I couldn't help my eyes wandering downward to the exposed portion of his chest. "You know I care about you. I'm honestly not trying to make you jealous or anything."

"Jealousy is unbecoming of a Jedi," he said matter-of-factly, self-consciously wrapping his undertunic back around himself. "Now, are you hungry? I suspect we have a long day ahead of us."

"Yeah, I know we do." I let him go first, and followed close enough behind that I could keep a hand on his back as we walked. He glanced at me and smiled shyly to let me know that he appreciated it.

Once Qui-Gon was awake and breakfast out of the way, the two Jedi sat down to give their plans one last consultation together, to be sure that they were both expecting the same things of the meeting with the mining guild. It was close to noon and they were just throwing their robes over their shoulders to begin the walk to the headquarters office when a visitor signaled the door. Giving Obi-Wan a curious look that was only mirrored back at him, Qui-Gon went to answer it and returned to the sitting room with a hunched Hodran in a thick coat. "Jedi overseers," he greeted them. "Thank you for your time. I am so glad to find you here."

"What can we do for you...?" the Master wondered, trailing off in quest of a name.

"Dran," the Hodran introduced himself. "There is a bit of a problem. We have a...a dispute, down in the marketplace. We could use your help before it turns into a riot."

"A riot?" Obi-Wan repeated.

"We were about to go meet with the mining guild," Qui-Gon informed the visitor. "Is the situation that dangerous?"

"Oh yes, sir. I would not have run all the way here if it were not."

Master Qui-Gon sighed shortly and turned to face Obi-Wan. "Go ahead to the meeting. Take my place."

"But Master..."

"You are more than prepared, Obi-Wan. You know what needs to be done. If I can I will join you when this is cleared up."

"Yes, Master," his Padawan reluctantly agreed. "You will contact me if you need my help, meeting or no meeting?"

"I will," Qui-Gon agreed. He shot me a quick glance and smile before resuming his authority. "Lead the way, Dran."

"Thank you, Master Jedi!" the Hodran gushed, toddling toward the door with the Jedi right behind.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I don't like this. This meeting is too important."

"Do you think there's no riot?" I wondered of him.

"If there isn't, he will be at the meeting shortly after I arrive," Obi-Wan mused. "Annoyed, perhaps, but there is little chance even the most clever deception could keep him away from duty for too long."

"You'll do fine," I assured him, rubbing his back. "You two wouldn't be on this mission if you weren't worthy of handling half of it all by yourself."

He smiled slyly at that and nodded. "Quite right. I will be in contact if things run long, or if Master Qui-Gon doesn't arrive. Take care of yourself." His smile faded, and his eyes darkened. "Keep an eye on the door and your comlink at hand. Until we know how things went yesterday, I don't consider you safe."

"Xanatos," I muttered, realizing what Obi-Wan was fretting about. The prickles of urgency coming off him in the Force were clear. "If he sends any sort of transmission I'll call you right away. Okay?"

That seemed to ease the young apprentice's mind. He nodded and brushed a hand along my arm as he turned to leave. I followed, and when the door closed behind him I coded the lock so I could be sure this time that I was safely locked in. That done, I retreated to the far wing of the house, to the practice room, where I had intended to occupy myself while the Jedi were away on business.

For an hour and some I practiced the forms and moves I had learned, and then took a staff from the weapons trunk that was much longer than my Be'a'lai fighting stick and played around with it for a while. My mind detached from all conscious thought while I exerted myself, leaving me free to easily recall the steps of the short forms and concentrate on not whacking myself in the legs with the staff. The pale beams of sun that flickered in the large windows overlooking the courtyard gradually faded, and after a time I realized the room was getting much too dark to work in. Glancing outside, I saw that clouds had rolled back in, low and gray and wet, and stood for a while pondering the changing weather while I caught my breath. Then I heard firm footsteps in the house, far down the wing, and Qui-Gon's voice calling my name. "I'm here!" I called back, putting aside the staff and fairly skipping toward the source of sound, glad that someone was back. I found him in the sitting room, looking frustrated. "What happened?" I asked. "Was there really a riot?"

"Very nearly," Qui-Gon sighed, resting his hands on his belt. "I had to exert a little force before I could sort through the conflict. What incredibly poor timing that was."

"Is everything okay?" I worried.

"At the moment. But I'm not sure I took care of everything." The Master settled onto the arm of a chair and looked at me. "Have there been any transmissions, yet?"

"Nope. Nothing."

His eyes dropped to the floor as he thought. At that moment one of his belt pouches chirped, and he brought out his comlink. "Yes, Obi-Wan?"

"Where are you, Master?"

"Back at the house. Is something wrong?"

"No, everything is fine. We are in recess for a moment, and I thought I would see if you needed my help. What happened?"

"There are some unpleasant tensions among the working class. I had to use force just to get their attention, to say nothing of breaking up the dispute." Qui-Gon frowned at the comlink. "I'm not sure where it will go from here, but I came back to see if you were finished or if there were any transmissions."

"Are there?"

"No."

A thoughtful silence broadcast over the signal before Obi-Wan continued. "If you need to look into matters further, Master, I'm all right here. The discussion is slow but not troublesome. I sense much evasion on the part of these guild-members, but we are making progress."

"Do you think it will take much longer?"

"It's very likely, Master. We've hardly scratched the surface."

"Have you brought up Offworld, yet?"

"I haven't had the opportunity. The way things are going I may be able to shortly, but I hesitate, since they're getting as frustrated with me as I am with them."

Qui-Gon's eyes darted furtively about as he tested his next comment. "What sort of impressions do you have of this guild, and what they're telling you?"

Obi-Wan's voice was much more quiet when he replied. "Most of them are eager and pleasant, and not too happy to have me bringing up suggestions of improper behavior. Yet some of them are deceptive, bordering on hostile. I have not confronted them with what I sense, just yet, I want to get more information from them first."

"That's a good idea, Obi-Wan."

"I'm making note...hold on." There was a brief pause. "The Secretary has just called me back in. They're ready for me."

"Very well. Continue as you are, Obi-Wan. I will join you if I can." Qui-Gon closed off the channel and shook his head slowly. "He will have to take care of the meeting without me."

I gave him a puzzled frown. "What are you going to do?"

"Take a walk to clear my head." He rose and went around the table that stood between him and the entranceway. "I want you to stay here in case a transmission does come through. Field it as best you can and then call Obi-Wan."

"What about you?" I pressed.

"I need to be free of distraction so I can think. This situation is most certainly not what it appears to be, and I cannot figure out why. Perhaps if I get away for a moment and quiet my mind I can think." He turned at the door and tried to smile. "Thank you for your help. Having you here eases my mind considerably."

I smiled back. "I do what I can. Take care - I hope nothing else happens while you're out."

"I hope so, also." Qui-Gon pressed the pad to open the door, and then gestured knowingly at it as he slipped out. I nodded and re-locked it behind him.

Walking back into the training room, I looked at where I had left the staff and playfully threw my hand toward it, not entirely surprised when the Force did not bring it to me. That got me thinking; why didn't I practice using the Force more often? The fact that I couldn't quite move objects with it was no reason to prevent me from using it at all, to sharpen my senses and maybe even augment my physical stature. I laughed at myself, realizing that in all this time knowing and experiencing the Force, I had not once tried to run, leap, or flip using it. Maybe I couldn't move objects or influence even the other two in my bond, but why couldn't it work on myself?

I paced back and forth across the soft floor mat for a while, trying to work up the courage to try something stupid. If I failed and blew out my knee again, or worse, with no one around to help me, I would probably earn a healthy scolding when the Master came back. In the meantime, I steadied my breathing until it came under control, slow and deep, and summoned the Force to hand so that when I needed it, it would be there. Glancing up, I eyed the sturdy rafters spanning the ceiling and formulated a plan. They were easily ten feet above me, maybe more, and my pathetic white-girl vertical jump could barely allow me to touch something more than six feet tall. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply until I could feel the Force tingling at my fingertips and wavering about me, and then envisioned myself leaping up and grabbing the nearest rafter with ease. It was all a matter of not letting myself think of missing or falling. Gathering myself for the spring, I felt the Force pulse into my feet and then burst out laughing as the realization of what I was doing leaped into my mind. Instead of jumping up and catching the rafter, I collapsed on the mat and laughed myself silly for a few minutes. Yeah, like I'm Luke...or Obi-Wan! What was I thinking? I lay there until I could sober up, and climbed back to my feet. Maybe I'll wait 'till the guys get back and ask Qui-Gon to help me. That way if I screw up someone will be here to catch me. I paced another circuit of the room, and decided to stretch out with the Force in as many ways as I possibly could. Something, sooner or later, was bound to work.

Calling the Force to me again, I reached out toward random objects in the room to try to call them to me. The staff, the vase, and my shoes all stayed put. Groaning, I thought maybe the opposite tack would work and started attempting Force-pushes. I thought the lid of the weapons trunk rattled a little, but everything else I tried to push or throw stubbornly resisted. For a while I leaped like a maniac around the room, either pushing or reaching in a complete failure to manipulate any object, anything at all, with the Force - but it sure was fun trying. I ceased to take myself seriously and just flung my hand out at anything, making a hilarious "Fwaa!" sound every time I did. Despite my inability to influence anything, the Force remained hovering about me, needles of its power rippling along my skin. It lent me strength, and gradually it became less about trying to move objects and more about my own movements, as I caught a reflection of myself in the clouded windows making a particularly graceful high leap as I stretched out for my shoe again. Subtly impressed, I spun and leaped around the training room, pouring my heart and the Force into my own wild dance, until an attempted roll across the mat turned unexpectedly into a handspring. Whooping excitedly, I clutched the Force thankfully to me with mental hands and bounced around for a bit, amazed that I had just taken one more step towards a greater ability to use the Force. My hands shot out involuntarily, and I had to duck as my shoe came hurtling toward my head.

That was the point at which I decided I had had enough. Much as I wanted to jump around rejoicing, I knew I needed to think about this - about what it took to concentrate just enough on the Force for it to respond to me, but not so much that I over-thought it and rendered it useless. And why, of all the objects in the room, I could only get my own shoe to come anywhere near me. Still breathing hard, I slid to a seat on the mat and crossed my feet under me, intending to meditate to calm myself and let go of my excitement. In that state I could focus on my senses instead of objects, and within a few minutes I could extend my sight and hearing beyond my body just like I did the very first time I ever meditated in the Force. I saw the clouds rolling in off the sea, the waves distantly crashing against the rocks of the cliffs. I heard the murmur of thousands of voices, their individual conversations on the streets and at work blended into one quiet, pervasive sound, and more close to me, I heard the tone signaling an incoming transmission all the way on the other side of the house, in the office. Incoming transmission!

I snapped out of meditation and leaped to my feet, dashing sock-footed through the house to the opposite wing where the office was located, seeing the flashing beacon on the communicator console. Dropping myself into the chair, I took a breath to calm myself and pressed the "receive" switch. Until his sallow face appeared on the screen, I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to expect a call from Xanatos. "Yes?" I managed to choke out.

"Ah, the cute little friend," Xanatos purred at me through the communicator. I couldn't tell where he was, the background was generic and indistinct, blocked by shadows. "And how are you today?"

It wasn't just a holographic transmission of a recording, this was live. I glared at the screen. "Is there some message you would like me to give to Master Qui-Gon, Xanatos?"

The dark eyes narrowed with a gloating smile. "Perhaps I want to talk to you today."

"I've got nothing to say to you."

He clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "Such hostility. Did you learn that from the Padawan? I'm sure he probably still dislikes me quite a bit."

I took a deep breath and tried to shed the open note of seething anger in my voice. "Really, Xanatos, what can I tell Qui-Gon? What do you have for him?"

The eyes staring at me through the screen darkened. "He's not there."

"Not at the moment. He has important work to do in the city. I'm supposed to relay any information you have to him."

Xanatos could be seen standing in view, head to waist, and I watched him patiently clasp his gloved hands before him. "I have nothing to tell him," he snapped curtly. "Only that he had better watch out. He knows that I would be a fool to waste any opportunity to avenge myself upon him."

Damn! I knew it! I steeled my face so as not to show alarm. "He's not afraid of you," I challenged.

"Not of fighting me," the man acknowledged. "But I'm not stupid enough to go up against him again. I have other ways of breaking him, ways that hurt much worse." The twisted smile returned. "You still haven't told me exactly what your relationship is to him..."

I rolled my eyes at his implication. "What are you going to do," I asked, hoping I wasn't correct, "kidnap me and try to get at Qui-Gon that way?"

Xanatos gave me a disdainful look. "Don't flatter yourself," he replied coolly. "It's unbecoming." I glared sourly at his insult. "I have other ways of getting at him, as you put it." He smiled cuttingly, glad that he had so obviously bothered me. "The question remains, though: who are you?"

"I'm not going to tell you anything," I quietly murmured.

Xanatos' eyes flicked to his own console, and he fiddled with a switch. "Fine, keep your silence. I will find out, one way or another. If you won't tell me, I'm sure I can decipher it from my old Master's senses. It will be fun trying." He shot me another infuriating smirk, the kind I couldn't resist reacting to no matter how much my common sense told me not to. "Anyway, at the moment, it's not you I want. Curious though you are. No, there is only one person among your little trio that I'm interested in right now...and for his sake, you had better hope that I don't find him first, and find him alone."

His voice was cold and dangerous, having lost its mocking overtone and slicing through me with its sincerity and seriousness. I clenched a hand in my lap, starting to fear Xanatos for real. "Don't bother," I managed to say, swallowing. "Last I heard he was on his way to join Obi-Wan at the mining guild."

Xanatos watched me speak, and then stood there in silence for a moment. "Your voice betrays you. You know he's out there," he finally said, "and no one is with him to save him. Good. Thank you for all your help, my dear." His eyes oozed a calm, confident smirk, an absolute delight to have used me against myself, as he reached for his console. "I'll be back for you later." Snap. Transmission ended.

I let out a curse in an unabashed yelp, and then streaked out of the office for my bedroom, and my comlink. I grabbed it off a table and put in a call to Obi-Wan, and then paced nervously through the house while waiting a response. It came in just a few seconds. "Obi-Wan, it's Stacey," I hastily said to him.

"What's going on?" he asked, sounding uncertain.

"You need to come back. We're in trouble."

"Trouble?" he repeated in disbelief. "Is it life or death?"

"YES!"

"Just a moment." The channel went silent briefly, and when he returned Obi-Wan was speaking more softly. "I had to step away from the table. What's happening?"

I resumed pacing in my panic, heading for the sitting room. "I just got a transmission from Xanatos..."

"Did he say anything of importance?" Obi-Wan asked in interest.

"No, he came right out and said he's looking for Qui-Gon to destroy him!" I cried. "I knew it, Obi-Wan, I knew he wasn't going to help us. He just wants to get at Qui-Gon again. You've got to go to him, he's all alone!"

"Where is he?" the Padawan questioned intently. "Did you call him?"

"Not yet, he told me to contact you first if anything happened. He said he needed to take a walk to clear his head and he didn't want to be disturbed. I don't know where he is."

There was a terse sigh. "Stacey, I can't leave this meeting," Obi-Wan said alarmingly. "It's too important. If I leave now I'll jeopardize everything we're working towards."

"What are we going to do, then?" I whimpered, staring at the darkening sky beyond the windows.

"Listen to me," Obi-Wan hissed. "Master Qui-Gon can take care of himself. How long ago did he leave for this walk?"

"Um...it's been an hour, maybe. Give or take."

"Did he say where he was going?"

"No, not at all. Just that he might join you where you are eventually if it's not too late."

A more calm tone entered the Padawan's voice. "He'll be all right. He's probably on his way back to you or to me. Go ahead and contact him, and tell him about this - he won't consider it being disturbed. All right?"

"Obi-Wan, I'm scared," I whispered into the comlink. "Xanatos said when he was finished with Qui-Gon he'd come back for me."

That sobered him considerably. His voice was that much more subdued when he spoke again. "I will see how quickly I can wrap this up. But I can't just drop everything and leave right away. Can you keep watch until one of us returns?"

"I...I think so."

"Good. Do that. I will be there as soon as I possibly can."

I listened to the comlink shut down and bit my lip, trying not to cry. I doubted Obi-Wan's reassurance, as all my playing around with the Force had not alerted me to the proximity of either his or Qui-Gon's presence. Master Qui-Gon was still on his walk, and Xanatos' threat pounded in my ears. For his sake, you had better hope that I don't find him first, and find him alone. Frantic, I switched codes and practically stabbed my finger through the comlink in my urgency. Come on, come on! I willed him, staring at the comlink as it burbled the connection tone repeatedly, clawing a hand through my hair in a flustered gesture. He was taking forever. Then, I heard a corresponding tone over by the window, coming from the antique desk. I looked, and my heart shattered. Qui-Gon's comlink was sitting on the desk. I closed the channel, and just to be absolutely positive, watched myself punch his code into my comlink once more. The comlink on the desk started beeping again.

"No," I cried aloud, shutting down my signal. The Master forgot...no. Qui-Gon doesn't forget things. He left his comlink here so no one would disturb him. I stood there, staring at the little piece of equipment on the desk for a moment, paralyzed by indecision. There was no way I was going to let that little black-cloaked rat get Qui-Gon, not when he had so many important things to do in the galaxy yet. Determination welled up in me, and I grabbed for the nearest piece of paper and stylus. Dumping my comlink in my pocket, I very carefully crafted a short note in the most simple phrase I could think of, because my Aurabesh was still shaky. "Went to find Qui," it said. I cleared off the desk and left just the note on it, sitting beneath Qui-Gon's comlink so Obi-Wan would notice it, and ran to my room for an extra warm layer. I may not have been able to do anything to stop Xanatos, but I could warn Qui-Gon. That was all the advantage he would need.

On to part 50

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