| As Long as there is Hope By Jemmiah |
| Two days later and the Jemmiah that Qui-Gon had first caught sight of during their stay in the ship had begun to resurface at long last. She was unsure of herself, slightly quiet at times and still looking desperately pale and unwell, but at least she was fully conscious again. They'd been force feeding her with a tube into her stomach but An-Paj was quite keen to start to see if she would eat normal food again, not that infirmary food could ever be deemed as normal. When Qui-Gon caught up with her one day after a week or so in the infirmary he came in to see her sitting up in bed clutching something possessively under the covers: something grey and fluffy looking. "What have you got there?" he asked her. "Oh…someone gave it to me." She stated in a careful voice. "Along with the flowers. I was half-asleep at the time but he popped in to say hello and told me to get well soon. He brought these, too." Jemmy nodded tiredly at the bunch of white orchids that sat in a glass vase. "They're nice, don't you think?" "They are very lovely." The master agreed with a slight touch of concern coloring his voice. "But who was he?" "I don't know." Jemmy shrugged. "I forgot to ask. But he was really nice. And he smiled a lot." "Is that it?" Qui-Gon frowned at her. "Nothing else?" "He was fair haired. And Corellian." Jemmy said in an approving tone of voice. "And," she whipped away her cover; "he gave me this!" Qui-Gon followed the girl's thin arms to where the grey, fluffy object sat in her grasp and worked hard to keep the dismay off his face. The toy that stared back at him was in the shape of a rather familiar looking Gundark, tattered and much loved in its day but clearly past its best as the single remaining eye testified. "Dex!" Declared Qui-Gon, utterly dumbfounded. "Master Berlingside gave you that?" "Yes." Jemmy replied solemnly. "This is Shorni. Your friend said he was lucky so he gave him to me. Guess that makes me lucky too, huh?" "Not in the same way that Master Berlingside meant it." Qui-Gon said through gritted teeth, determined to speak to his friend when he had the chance. "He said he won him at a fairground some years ago." Jemmy added helpfully. "I know…I was the one who won it!" Qui-Gon stabbed at his chest with his finger. "But I thought it was so hideously ugly that I couldn't bear to have it anywhere near me. So I gave it to Dex just to be rid of it!" Qui-Gon covered his face with his hand and gave a small groan. "To think the little snake has been waiting all these years to get his revenge on me!" "You can't outwit a Corellian, Master Jinn. It's not possible." Jemmy shrugged. "Look, give him here and see that he's humanely disposed of." Qui-Gon held out his hand. "No!" Jemmy grabbed the creature and hugged it closer to her. "He's mine!" "I'll buy you a new one…anything! Just please get rid of that ugly thing!" he begged her. "It's enough to give anyone the creeps!" "I like it." Declared Jemmiah by way of having the last word. "And it's not nice to throw away other people's gifts. I'll be throwing away my good luck!" And with that Jemmiah squeezed the one-eyed monstrosity to her chest and lay back down on the bed, daring Qui-Gon to do what he could about it. ********* Two weeks came and went, although to Jemmiah they dragged like a Hutt on a speeder bike. She'd been counting the tiles on the ceiling she had been so bored and although they had all tried to make her feel at home, sometimes going out of their way to help her, the Corellian still felt lonely and vulnerable whenever Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan left her for any length of time. Then there was An-Paj and Ferdi. An-Paj improved on knowing him better, so she felt, even though he was still experimenting with the levels of her medication and trying to force her to eat food that looked like it had lain for an extremely long time in the bottom of somebody's pond. She was still being sick although not nearly as much which had been a considerable relief to everyone, herself included. Even so, Jemmiah had found herself warming to the man who seemed to genuinely care for his patients. At the back of her mind though she wondered if he really liked her in return… Ferdi was just plain scary! She was big, bossy and wouldn't take no for an answer. No matter how much Jemmiah complained that she hated bed baths the evil woman wouldn't listen! There were other younger healers too that popped in from time to time: one very hesitant and small woman by the name of Healer Leona who always seemed to be looking about her as if afraid that she would get seen by someone she didn't want to. Maybe she'd botched some operation on someone and the patient's relatives were going to search her out? Jemmiah's overactive and imaginative brain decided that was the most likely scenario and from that moment on the Corellian girl wasn't terribly keen on the idea of letting the woman too near her! Gethin Territ, a young man on the end of completing a brilliant and brief spell as a padawan learner, had been attentive and - dare she admit it - rather handsome in a dashing sort of way. She got the impression that sometimes Gethin and An-Paj argued and bickered over certain matters, especially regarding the padawan's trials which Jemmiah understood was some kind of big test sat by the rat tailed brigade that let them become more important people if they passed. Apparently, this healer Territ was only approaching twenty-two years of age and that was considered by most (An-Paj included) to be on the young side to sit his test. Gethin stood out from the other padawans in that his hair was never short or shaven, instead being tied back into a small but floppy fringed topknot. An-Paj did not approve. Lastly there was Simeon. She kept forgetting his name. The boy was young, near Obi-Wan's age or thereabouts and had dark, black eyes that twinkled like stars at night. The only other thing of note other than his extra-strange curly-ish shaven hair on top was his extremely amusing trick that he did with his toes. It had both disgusted and fascinated her at the same time. Kriff, these Jedi would make fortunes as children's entertainers if they could be persuaded! The situation had become intolerable and Jemmiah had commandeered a standard, non-repulsar lift wheelchair with proper wheels on it, and escaped the confines of the infirmary ward. Her legs were still not working: she'd had enough evidence of that when Qui-Gon had caught her lying on the floor, having fallen out of bed whilst trying to take a few steps… What really bothered her was what was going to happen to her when she got better? Where would she go? Some kids home, no doubt. Life just wasn't fair at all… But An-Paj already knew what Qui-Gon was up to on that score and had been completely and utterly shocked when the tall master had confided his plans for Jemmiah's future to him. He wanted to take her in! The man was in for the biggest and rudest awakening he had ever had in his life. The girl had turned out to be as sharp as a tack, vivacious and extremely self-opinionated, something that Qui-Gon actually seemed to like! Even if by some miracle the council agreed to Qui-Gon looking after Jemmiah (which seemed highly unlikely) he wouldn't have the first idea of what it was like to have a non-force sensitive child with special, non-force sensitive needs living with himself and Obi-Wan in the apartment. The man's world was going to be turned upside down and no mistake either way… He'd urged him to reconsider, even after the girl had returned the wheelchair (in its less than pristine condition) and proceeded to accidentally show the visiting Chancellor Valorum into the ladies freshers by the training area. She would have trouble fitting in amongst people who all had that special gift of the force. People would spend their life pointing and nodding at her, making speculations as to why Qui-Gon was looking after her. When he'd at last given up attempting to appeal to Qui-Gon's common sense on the grounds that he didn't have any left, he'd tried appealing on behalf of Jemmiah instead. Was it, he asked the man, right to take a child away from the chance of getting a stable and normal home with a regular family? Qui-Gon had shuddered as if at some private memory and replied that there was no guarantee she would end up in a regular family, and that if anything were to happen to her he would never be able to forgive himself. She was safer with him. Surely he must be able to understand him? When the appeal failed An-Paj backed down gracefully and prepared to pick up the inevitable broken heart that would result from Jinn's foolish and precipitous actions… "Yoda will surely help me." Qui-Gon had answered him. "He will not let me down. That is my trump card. All I have to do is be careful how and when I play it." "Qui-Gon…" An-Paj started to say but Qui-Gon would not listen. "My mind is made up and so is my conscience." Jinn had replied. "I am going to request that the council hears my plea to keep Jemmiah with me." As Qui-Gon prepared to wander headfirst into the Rancor's den to do battle, An-Paj could only shake his head with admiration. Getting Yoda on his side was one thing: taking on Mace and the rest of the council was yet another. And something told An-Paj that Mace was not going to give in quietly… *********** "Qui-Gon. This is an unexpected honor…do come in." Mace waved Qui-Gon through into his own apartment. Usually the taller man would avoid visiting the place if given half a chance…there was something about Windu's home that put Qui-Gon on edge. He'd never worked out if it was because the lighting was always dimmed and murky or whether the dingy décor contributed to a general feeling of claustrophobia. Most likely it was the torturous furniture which had always reminded him of sitting on a concrete block with spikes imbedded in the surface…only less comfortable. "I must say that I am surprised to see you." Mace remarked as he sat down on one side of his rather unyielding looking sofa, covered with a dull brown drape. "I was rather under the impression that you were avoiding me after our little altercation two weeks ago." "Nothing could be further from the truth." Qui-Gon replied, seating himself reluctantly opposite the man, his backside already protesting against the discomfort of the chair. "I confess I thought you might not be too pleased to see me after the way I dismissed you, for which I am sorry." "On behalf of the council I accept your apology." "The apology was meant for you and not the council." Qui-Gon felt obliged to clarify the point. "I'm not in the least bit sorry for my actions or what I said. I am admitting that the manner in which I treated you was not very considerate of me." "I see." Mace sat back in his seat, plumping up a particularly razor sharp and dangerous looking cushion and placing it behind his back. "Well, I guess that I accept your apology then. Thank you." He looked through to the kitchen. "Can I get you a drink?" "No thank you." Qui-Gon shook his head. "Just as well really. I think we've run out of those funny teas with the herb things and green bits floating in them that you seem so fond of." The master answered in an amused voice. "So, what did you want to see me about? Just a social visit or is there something more urgent that you've come to pick my brains about?" Typical Mace. Qui-Gon though silently to himself. He assumes that he is the font of all knowledge and that we poor, ignorant creatures are gathering round in the hope of enlightenment. He was tempted to say something scathing but bit back the retort. He did need Mace's help after all. "In a manner of speaking." Qui-Gon leaned forwards to reiterate that this was a matter of some importance as far as he was concerned. "I need to speak to the council." Mace's eyebrows raised skeptically. "This is a first. You actually want to speak to the council of your own free will. And how do I know that after I've asked them this favor on your behalf that you won't change your mind and leave me with egg on my face again?" he grinned perceptively. "Oh, come on Qui! What's really bothering you?" "Windu, what part of 'I-want-to-speak-to-the-council' do you not comprehend?" Qui-Gon's voice held the slightest trace of irritation now. He just knew that Mace was going out of his way to make things awkward for him in return for that slight of two weeks ago! "You genuinely want to speak to the council." Mace was still smiling, clearly unbelieving him. "This is a joke that Dex has put you up to, isn't it? How much is the Corellian varlet got riding on this?" "Mace." Qui-Gon said as patiently as he could under the circumstances. "This has nothing to do with Dex. I have a request to put to the council and I wanted to run it past you first, that was all. There is nothing remotely underhand behind my reasoning nor have there been any deals done with Dex." Mace sighed but remained indulgent. "Go on then. I'm listening." He replied mirthfully. "What's the big request?" "It's quite simple." Qui-Gon remarked calmly, his eyes never straying from Mace for a second. "I wish to petition the council to allow me to keep Jemmiah permanently here with me at the temple." The smile on Mace's face froze uncertainly for a moment before it finally died altogether. He stared at the man, trying to gauge if this was infact a huge wind up as he had initially thought or whether Qui-Gon had finally lost all his mental faculties and was in earnest. Surely he couldn't mean it…yet there was something about the way he was so resolutely staring back at him, almost defiant, that Mace began to feel that there was very little here to laugh about at all… "You are serious." Mace said incredulously. "You really mean it…you want to take this girl in!" "I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't meant it." Qui-Gon rejoined, keeping his voice low. "Jemmiah has become very special to me and I wish to make certain that she is properly taken care of. The only way I can be sure that she will get the necessary attention she needs is to do the job myself." He challenged Mace non-verbally. "And what is more I intend to." "I don't believe you are even seriously considering this!" Mace couldn't quite get his head round the idea, even taking into consideration his friend's liking for hard luck stories. "You have a padawan! The code states…" "The code says that I cannot train two padawans at once. Tell me where in the code it says that I cannot train one padawan and bring up another child in the same household." "You are splitting hairs and you know it!" Mace began to glower ominously at him. "The code says you can't have two padawans because it is impossible to adequately split the time involved in training an apprentice…and the same applies to bringing up two children which is what you would be affectivity doing!" "Plenty of non-jedi manage to bring up two children." Qui-Gon snapped back. "Not when one of them is force sensitive and the other is a force sensitive as a brick. Jemmiah's got no reason to stay in the temple once An-Paj has cleared her as well again. She has not an iota of midi-chlorians and as such her place is NOT with us!" "I knew I could rely on you to be Nerf-headed and unsupportive." Jinn rounded on him, taking Mace somewhat aback by the sheer amount of annoyance that spilled forth from the master's mouth. "Why are you even on the council if you aren't prepared to do something constructive every once in a while? You sit and make rules that everyone has to follow for the 'good of the order' but when it comes down to it you just don't have the guts to make it stick!" "I resent being talked to like this in my own home!" Mace shot back testily. "It took me a lot of hard work, diligence and honesty to get on the council. If only you had followed a similar course you too might have such a position." "No thank you." Qui-Gon replied bitterly. "I am of the opinion that power corrupts." "You've gone too far!" Mace stood up, eyes blazing. "I haven't even started." Qui-Gon felt his inner voice warn him that this was not the most prudent way of getting what he wanted but he couldn't help it. If Mace thought he was going to give in without a fight he'd be sadly mistaken. "Listen to me, Mace. This is your chance to do the right thing…" "This is not the right thing, Qui-Gon!" Mace insisted, closing his mind off to his friend's futile protests. "This is the wrong thing for all three of you, why can't you see it? You've let your own desire to help this girl run riot on your emotions…you haven't begun to think of how this will affect you all! Your training of Obi-Wan will suffer! You don't have the first idea how to be a parent to a non-padawan…" "I expect I will learn as I go." Qui-Gon stated coolly. "You're not going to get the chance to learn." Mace argued back. "You are quite right. This will go before the council. But they will never agree to it, Qui-Gon. You know it too in your heart so why not give up this ridiculous farce right now and save everyone a lot of grief and unnecessary pain?" "Because I cannot." Replied Qui-Gon. "Stubborn, Gamorrean Sith!" cursed Mace under his breath. "You will not win. All you will have done is upset more people than you ever have before…why put yourself through that?" "Mace, I don't fight you because I want to." Qui-Gon explained to him as best as he could. "I fight you because you are standing in the way of what is right! Now, I will continue to press this matter until I do hear the answer I want to hear. I'm not going to let this drop, not if I have to personally take on every one of you." "You're asking for trouble, Qui-Gon." Mace warned him with a haughty toss of his head. "Don't say that I didn't warn you." "I'm used to dealing with trouble." "Qui, I'm urging you to go back and think this over seriously." Mace began to beg him. "Meditate on this some more and you will see that it's nothing but self-indulgent folly! You've known her for less than a month. How can you be certain that this is what you want? You might want it now but what happens when the novelty has worn off? What then?" "I have meditated. I've meditated more in the last few days than I ever have in my life. I've given myself every opportunity to 'come to my senses', as you would see it, but that's not happened. If anything my determination to take this girl on has increased tenfold. The force tells me this is the right thing to do…" "It's utterly unprecedented." Mace stepped in again. "That doesn't make it wrong." Replied Qui-Gon. "Now, you have the power to do something about it. All I am asking you to do is take my request before the council and let me plead my case there." Mace looked away. "My conscience will forbid me to do anything other than take a stance against you." He said finally. "I will take this up with the council but they will say no. And you will be severely censored for the action you are taking." "That is nothing new to me." Qui-Gon appeared not to care in the slightest about further possible black marks against his name. "And of course you must do as you see fit." "I will." Retorted Mace. "And so will I. Mace, I'm not going to let that girl suffer any further than she already has. I've already sworn it to myself." "Then you will just have to un-swear it." Mace folded his arms. "You shouldn't be making vows that you cannot keep." Qui-Gon let his eyes cloud momentarily, his mind seemingly elsewhere. He had promised the girl that she would be safe on Coruscant. He had promised Nadine he would see she was looked after. He had promised himself that he would do all that was possible to uphold all he had sworn. If it came to the worst he knew he might have to do something rather drastic in order to keep his promises, rash as they had been. "I always keep my word, Mace." He looked the man directly in the eye, not in the least cowed. "One way or another." |